1. (a) Before the Department approves the operation of a facility under this title, including by granting a license to the facility, the Department shall require the facility to establish and implement:

   1. (1) A safety plan for the safety of the individuals served by the facility; and

   2. (2) A community relations plan, if the facility is:

      1. (i) Accredited by an accreditation organization, as defined in § 19-2301 of this title; and
      2. (ii) Required by the accreditation organization to establish and implement a community relations plan.

2. (b) The Department may authorize a facility to satisfy the requirement under:

   1. (1) Subsection (a)(1) of this section by implementing a safety plan established for the facility for another purpose, including an emergency plan; and
   2. (2) Subsection (a)(2) of this section by implementing the community relations plan required by the accreditation organization.
3. (c) A facility in operation on or before September 30, 2021, shall submit a safety plan on or before October 1, 2023, in accordance with this section.
4. (d) Each facility shall revise its safety plan not less than every 5 years.
5. (e) A facility may satisfy the requirement under subsection (c) of this section by implementing a safety or emergency plan established for the facility for another purpose.

Added by Acts 2021, c. 801, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2021. Amended by Acts 2022, c. 513, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2022.