(a)    The Department shall adopt regulations that:

(1)    set standards for continuing care at home providers; and

(2)    provide for the certification of continuing care at home providers and the annual renewal of certificates of registration.

(b)    In addition to the provisions required under subsection (a) of this section, the regulations adopted by the Department shall, at a minimum:

(1)    provide for and encourage the establishment of continuing care at home programs;

(2)    for an individual who is employed by or under contract with a continuing care at home provider and who will enter a subscriber’s home to provide continuing care at home services:

(i)    set minimum requirements;

(ii)    require a criminal history records check, if the individual will have routine, direct access to a subscriber; and

(iii)    require the provider to screen and verify the individual’s character references;

(3)    establish standards for the renewal of certificates of registration;

(4)    establish standards for entrance fees, deposits, and the number of executed agreements necessary to begin operations;

(5)    establish conditions for the release of deposits and entrance fees from escrow accounts;

(6)    establish standards for when and how a subscriber or provider may rescind a continuing care at home agreement before continuing care at home services are provided to the subscriber;

(7)    allow a subscriber to rescind a continuing care at home agreement at any time if the terms of the agreement violate this subtitle; and

(8)    establish that a provider may terminate an agreement or discharge a subscriber only for just cause and establish procedures to carry out the termination or discharge.