1. (a) The Committee shall consist of 18 members appointed by the Secretary, including the following:

   1. (1) A licensed physician who is board certified in an appropriate specialty;
   2. (2) A psychopharmacologist;
   3. (3) A licensed physician on staff with the Department;
   4. (4) Two specialists, one in the field of developmental disabilities and one in the field of mental health;
   5. (5) Two licensed providers of community services, one for persons with developmental disabilities and one for persons with mental illnesses;
   6. (6) Two consumers, one with a developmental disability and one with a mental illness;
   7. (7) Two family members, one representing a consumer with a developmental disability and one representing a consumer with a mental illness;
   8. (8) The Deputy Secretary for Behavioral Health or the Deputy Secretary's designee;
   9. (9) The Director of the Office of Health Care Quality;
   10. (10) A licensed physician representative from the Medical Examiner's Office;
   11. (11) A licensed nurse who works with persons with developmental disabilities in a program operated by a State licensed provider in the community;
   12. (12) A member of an advocacy group for persons with disabilities; and
   13. (13) Two members of advocacy groups, one for persons with developmental disabilities and one for persons with mental illnesses.

2. (b)

   1. (1) The term of each member appointed under subsection (a)(1), (2), (4), (5), (6), and (10) of this section is 3 years.
   2. (2) A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed.
   3. (3) A member may not be appointed for more than two consecutive full terms.

   4. (4) The terms of the members are as follows:

      1. (i) One-third of the members shall be appointed for terms of 3 years commencing October 1, 2000;
      2. (ii) One-third of the members shall be appointed for terms of 2 years commencing October 1, 2000; and
      3. (iii) One-third of the members shall be appointed for terms of 1 year commencing October 1, 2000.
   5. (5) At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed.
3. (c) The Secretary may remove any member of the Committee for good cause.

4. (d) A member of the Committee:

   1. (1) May not receive compensation for service on the Committee; but
   2. (2) Is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations,¹ as provided in the State budget.
5. (e) The Committee shall be staffed by the Department.

6. (f)

   1. (1) An employee of the Developmental Disabilities Administration or the Behavioral Health Administration may not be a member of the Committee or any subcommittee of the Committee.
   2. (2) The Director of the Office of Health Care Quality may not serve on a subcommittee of the Committee or vote on the disposition of an individual mortality review that was previously reviewed by the Office of Health Care Quality.
7. (g) The Secretary shall select a chair from among the members of the Committee.
8. (h) A quorum of the Committee shall be a majority of the appointed membership of the Committee.
9. (i) The Committee shall meet not less than three times a year.

Added by Acts 2000, c. 470, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2000. Amended by Acts 2001, c. 640, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2001; Acts 2006, c. 268, § 1, eff. July 1, 2006; Acts 2009, c. 48, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2009; Acts 2009, c. 49, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2009; Acts 2014, c. 460, § 1, eff. July 1, 2014; Acts 2014, c. 539, § 2; Acts 2016, c. 8, § 1, eff. March 14, 2016.

COMAR 23.02.01.01 et seq.