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Md. Code, Health Occupations § 17-509

This is the official text of Md. Code, Health Occupations § 17-509, part of Maryland’s Code, Health Occupations — governs the licensing of healthcare professionals.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

§17–509.

Official statutory text

Subject to the hearing provisions of § 17–511 of this subtitle, the Board, on the affirmative vote of a majority of its members then serving, may deny trainee status, a license, or a certificate to any applicant, place any trainee, licensee, or certificate holder on probation, reprimand any trainee, licensee, or certificate holder, or suspend, rescind, or revoke the status of any trainee, a license of any licensee, or a certificate of any certificate holder if the applicant, trainee, licensee, or certificate holder:

(1) Fraudulently or deceptively obtains or attempts to obtain trainee status, a license, or a certificate for the applicant, trainee, licensee, or certificate holder or for another;

(2) Habitually is intoxicated;

(3) Provides professional services:

(i) While under the influence of alcohol; or

(ii) While using any narcotic or controlled dangerous substance, as defined in § 5–101 of the Criminal Law Article, or other drug that is in excess of therapeutic amounts or without valid medical indication;

(4) Aids or abets an unauthorized individual in practicing clinical or nonclinical counseling or therapy or representing to be an alcohol and drug counselor, marriage and family therapist, professional counselor, or professional art therapist;

(5) Promotes the sale of drugs, devices, appliances, or goods to a patient so as to exploit the patient for financial gain;

(6) Willfully makes or files a false report or record in the practice of counseling or therapy;

(7) Makes a willful misrepresentation while counseling or providing therapy;

(8) Violates the code of ethics adopted by the Board;

(9) Knowingly violates any provision of this title;

(10) Is convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, whether or not any appeal or other proceeding is pending to have the conviction or plea set aside;

(11) Is professionally, physically, or mentally incompetent;

(12) Submits a false statement to collect a fee;

(13) Violates any rule or regulation adopted by the Board;

(14) Is disciplined by a licensing or disciplinary authority of any other state or country or convicted or disciplined by a court of any state or country for an act that would be grounds for disciplinary action under the Board’s disciplinary statutes;

(15) Refuses, withholds from, denies, or discriminates against an individual with regard to the provision of professional services for which the licensee is licensed and qualified or the certificate holder is certified and qualified to render because the individual is HIV positive;

(16) Commits an act of immoral or unprofessional conduct in the practice of clinical or nonclinical counseling or therapy;

(17) Knowingly fails to report suspected child abuse in violation of § 5–704 of the Family Law Article;

(18) Fails to cooperate with a lawful investigation conducted by the Board; or

(19) Fails to submit to a criminal history records check in accordance with § 17–501.1 of this subtitle.

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

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About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.