Maryland legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Maryland SB707: Mental Health Law - Danger to the Life or Safety of the Individual or of Others - Definition (Right to Treatment)
Status: Signed into law, April 28, 2026
Defining "danger to the life or safety of the individual or of others" for purposes of the involuntary admission of individuals with mental disorders to a facility or Veterans' Administration hospital and the emergency evaluation of individuals with mental disorders.
What the bill says
An act concerning Mental Health Law - Definition of Danger to the Life or Safety of the Individual or of Others - Definition and Reports on Emergency Evaluation Petitions - Definition (Right to Treatment) FOR the purpose of defining "danger to the life or safety of the individual or of others" for purposes of the involuntary admission of individuals with mental disorders to a facility or Veterans' Administration hospital and the emergency evaluation of individuals with mental disorders…
From the enrolled text, May 5, 2026:
AN ACT concerning Mental Health Law - Definition of Danger to the Life or Safety of the Individual or of Others - Definition and Reports on Emergency Evaluation Petitions - Definition (Right to Treatment) FOR the purpose of defining "danger to the life or safety of the individual or of others" for purposes of the involuntary admission of individuals with mental disorders to a facility or Veterans' Administration hospital and the emergency evaluation of individuals with mental disorders; requiring the Behavioral Health Administration to submit to the General Assembly certain reports regarding the use of petitions for emergency evaluation; and generally relating to involuntary admissions and emergency evaluations of individuals with mental disorders. BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - Health - General Section 10-601 Annotated Code of Maryland (2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: Article - Health - General 10-601. (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. (b) "Clinical social worker" means an individual who is licensed under Title 19 of the Health Occupations Article to practice clinical social work. (C) "DANGER TO THE LIFE OR SAFETY OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR OF OTHERS" MEANS THERE IS, AS A RESULT OF A MENTAL DISORDER, A SUBSTANTIAL …