How to start a behavioral health clinic in Maryland

Maryland requires a COMAR 10.63 behavioral health program license (accreditation-based for most program types, e.g., Outpatient Mental Health Center, outpatient SUD treatment) from Maryland Department of Health — Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), Licensing, Compliance, and Quality Improvement to operate a behavioral health clinic.

License required

Yes

License

COMAR 10.63 behavioral health program license (accreditation-based for most program types, e.g., Outpatient Mental Health Center, outpatient SUD treatment)

Issuing agency

Maryland Department of Health — Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), Licensing, Compliance, and Quality Improvement

Renewal

Licenses are issued for a specific date range and must be renewed under COMAR 10.63.

Accreditation

Required for most program types (COMAR 10.63.02/10.63.04). Approved accreditors: ACHC, CARF, COA, The Joint Commission (NCCHC for correctional settings only); not every accreditor is approved for every program type. Maryland is in the 2026 cohort of the federal CCBHC Medicaid demonstration.

Regulation

COMAR 10.63 (Community-Based Behavioral Health Programs and Services), incl. 10.63.02, 10.63.03.05, 10.63.04

1. Confirm the program type and whether COMAR 10.63.02 requires accreditation before licensure
2. Obtain accreditation from an MDH-approved accrediting organization (ACHC, CARF, COA or The Joint Commission) for that program type, using BHA's crosswalks
3. Apply through BHA's online licensure application (launched 2025-02-01); a separate application is required for each program site
4. Upload required documents, including SDAT registration, insurance policy, accreditation survey report and final accreditation letter/certificate, and site floor plan
5. BHA issues the license for a set date range; renew under COMAR 10.63

Staffing

• Outpatient mental health centers need a medical director; a psychiatric nurse practitioner may serve, including by telehealth (COMAR 10.63.03.05)

Program

Maryland Medicaid (Maryland Medical Assistance Program, Maryland Department of Health) — HealthChoice

Enrollment portal

Maryland Provider Registration and Information Management Enterprise (MPRIME), replacing ePREP in October 2026

Application fee

Federal rule (42 CFR 455.460): the state must collect the CMS application fee from institutional providers that are newly enrolling or re-enrolling; individual physicians and non-physician practitioners are exempt, as are providers already enrolled in (or that already paid the fee to) Medicare or another state's Medicaid/CHIP. CMS set the fee at $750 for calendar year 2026.

Fingerprinting

Federal rule (42 CFR 455.434, 455.450(c)): providers the state places in the 'high' categorical risk level, and anyone owning 5% or more of such a provider, must submit fingerprints for a criminal background check.

Site visit

Federal rule (42 CFR 455.432, 455.450(b)-(c)): the state must do site visits before and after enrollment for providers in the 'moderate' or 'high' risk levels, and any enrolled provider must allow unannounced on-site inspections.

Revalidation

To prepare for MPRIME, Maryland moved revalidations due May-October 2026 earlier (notices February-April 2026, 90 days to finish) and put new or updated applications on hold from July 1 (moderate/high risk) and August 1 (limited risk) until the October 2026 go-live. Federal rule (42 CFR 455.414): every enrolled provider must be revalidated at least once every 5 years.

Full Maryland Medicaid enrollment guide →

CON program

Yes

Program

Certificate of Need

Agency

Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC)

Services covered

• hospitals and limited service hospitals
• related institutions (including comprehensive care facilities / nursing homes)
• ambulatory surgical facilities
• inpatient rehabilitation facilities
• home health agencies
• hospices
• freestanding medical facilities
• new facilities, relocations, bed capacity changes, changes in type or scope of service, and capital expenditures above the statutory threshold

Maryland certificate of need details →

State minimum wage

$15.00 an hour

Effective

2024-01-01

Scheduled increases

No scheduled change found in the official sources reviewed.

Rate pass-through

Maryland law lets part of the mandated DDA community provider rate increase be allocated to cover the effect of state minimum wage increases on direct support worker wages and benefits; it is permissive, not a required share.

HCBS 80/20 rule

Federal baseline: 42 CFR 441.302(k) requires the state to show that each provider spends at least 80% of Medicaid payments for homemaker, home health aide and personal care services under 1915(c) waivers on direct care worker pay and benefits. Compliance starts 2030-07-09 (for managed care, the first rating period starting on or after that date); annual payment-adequacy reporting under 441.311(e) starts 2028-07-09. A state may set a lower share for state-defined small providers and exempt providers facing hardship, each only through a public notice-and-comment process. The eCFR text has not changed since 2024-07-09. No state-published 80/20 implementation step (small-provider criteria, hardship exemption or reporting guidance) was found for this state in the official sources reviewed.

Community/behavioral health agencies and mental health clinics — active organization NPIs (NPPES)

5,962 (as of Sep 13, 2026)

Total Medicaid and CHIP enrollment (latest reported month)

1,385,888 (as of Jun 1, 2026)

All Maryland Behavioral health Medicaid rates, ranked →

• 1915(i) Home and Community-Based Behavioral Health Services for Children, Youth and Families (1915(i))
• Waiver for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (1915(c))
• Brain Injury Waiver (1915(c))
• Community Pathways Waiver (1915(c))
• Medical Day Care Services Waiver (1915(c))
• Model Waiver for Fragile Children (1915(c))
• Home and Community Based Options Waiver (1915(c))

Maryland waivers and waiting lists →