Maryland § 20-2205 - IN EFFECT

§ 20-2205. IN EFFECT

    IN EFFECT

    // EFFECTIVE UNTIL JUNE 30, 2026 PER CHAPTER 679 OF 2022 //

    (a)    The Hub shall facilitate consistent State and local government use of health literacy and plain–language criteria, which may include by:

        (1)    Identifying vendors of health information products that adopt the Hub’s health literacy criteria;

        (2)    Offering a health literacy review of sources of public information or public media regarding health, safety, and social services benefits information;

        (3)    Publishing templates that aid the development of plain–language health information materials; and

        (4)    Publishing templates and model language for use by State agencies and local government agencies for awarding grants and contracts to ensure that recipients:

            (i)    Address health literacy issues in their proposals and workplans; and

            (ii)    Refrain from creating additional health literacy barriers.

    (b)    The Hub shall support workforce development, which may include by:

        (1)    Offering or recommending educational sessions on health literacy for health professionals and individuals who develop health, safety, and social services benefits information for the public; and

        (2)    Providing educational and age–appropriate resources that teach students health literacy and health literacy skills for primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education.

    (c)    The Hub shall assist programs and organizations to promote community health literacy, which may include by:

        (1)    Offering Hub assessments of programs and organizations to identify barriers to public access of health, safety, and social services benefits information and services; and

        (2)    Assisting entities with providing consumers with plain–language health information and referral and support services in a consumer’s preferred language.

    (d)    In carrying out this section, the Hub may collaborate with entities that directly educate the public, including education institutions, libraries, and consumer referral services.