Following this line of thinking…
This student may differ from the typical low-income student who is basically “stuck” with their home state, no matter how advantageous or disadvantageous it may be in terms of funding and programs. If he is legally independent, then he may be able to establish residency elsewhere via a single gap year, as most students can do once they’re 24 but not before that.
It sounds as if he has some good funding opportunities in Maryland, and some solid possibilities in terms of schools/programs. But if there were a particularly outstanding array of opportunities in a different state, a year of employment to establish himself there (and regroup after what sounds like a difficult few years in high school) might not be something to rule out.
In particular, I wonder whether a student in his situation could establish new residency via a funded gap year like Americorps (City Year, Conservation Corps, etc.). Another route I’ve seen used successfully is securing employment as a live-in caregiver.
It sounds like this young man would like to go straight to college, but this option might be worth running up the proverbial flagpole, especially if his senior grades are expected to be stronger such that having them on record before he applies would help.