Congratulations to the Maryland Sleep Society (MSS) for passing House Bill 827! The bill amends the Maryland Polysomnography Practice Act by recognizing A-STEP as an educational pathway.

Existing statutory language in the Act required that after October 1, 2013, individuals applying for licensure must first complete a CAAHEP program. Currently, there are only two CAAHEP-approved educational programs in the state. This could have resulted in many delayed or precluded many candidates from entering the field of sleep technology. The result could have caused numerous sleep centers not being able to operate at full capacity, and some could have closed their doors entirely, producing an access to care crisis. 

Recognizing A-STEP will allow more potential technologists to enter the field. However, the bill does include a caveat. The language requires that individuals must also complete a clinical component of an educational program established by the Committee and Approved by the Board.

The AASM will continue to work with the Maryland Sleep Society to ensure that the clinical component requirements are reasonable for the sleep technology field.