CHAPTER 131. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE OF COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION SERVICES - Texas Statutes

HUMAN RESOURCES CODE

TITLE 9. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

CHAPTER 131. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE OF COMMUNITY

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

Sec. 131.001. OFFICE. The Health and Human Services Office of

Community Transportation Services is in the Health and Human

Services Commission.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 107, Sec. 7.01(a), eff. Aug.

30, 1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 526, Sec. 3, eff.

Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1460, Sec. 6.01, eff.

Sept. 1, 1999.

Sec. 131.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health and human

services.

(2) "Health and human services agency" has the meaning assigned

by Section 531.001, Government Code.

(3) "Office" means the Health and Human Services Office of

Community Transportation Services.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1460, Sec. 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,

1999.

Sec. 131.003. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The office, with

assistance from the commissioner, shall:

(1) collect data on health and human services client

transportation needs, services, and expenditures;

(2) create a statewide coordination plan regarding a system of

transportation for clients of health and human services agencies

that provides for coordinated, community-based services,

including the designation of local transportation coordinators;

(3) establish a standardized system of reporting and accounting

to be used by all health and human services agencies providing

client transportation, and ensure that information reported under

that system is available through the Texas Information and

Referral Network;

(4) maximize federal funds for client transportation through the

use of available state funds for matching purposes and the

possible use of oil overcharge money and planning funds available

through the federal department of transportation;

(5) evaluate the effectiveness of pooling client transportation

resources for capital acquisition and the joint purchase of

liability insurance;

(6) assist state agencies in coordinating transportation

resources;

(7) ensure coordination between the office and the Texas

Department of Transportation with regard to the use of funds

received by the department under 49 U.S.C. Section 1612(b)(1);

(8) examine the feasibility of consolidating all funding for

health and human services client transportation and creating a

transportation system through which clients of a state or local

agency or program could be matched with the most cost-effective

and appropriate transportation services for their needs,

including, to the extent practicable, use of private, nonprofit

entities that provide services at little or no cost beyond

reimbursement for insurance, fuel, mileage, or other expenses

that might deter the entities from otherwise providing services;

(9) evaluate the use of existing computer software for use at

the local level in client transportation services; and

(10) review the feasibility of taking medical care to those in

need, including the use of mobile clinics, and review the

possibility of using federal highway funds for those

transportation needs.

(b) The office shall coordinate with the Health and Human

Services Commission and health and human services agencies in

implementing the goals listed in Section 531.022(c), Government

Code. The office shall report its findings and proposals to the

governor, the Legislative Budget Board, the secretary of state,

and the commissioner not later than September 1 of each

even-numbered year.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 107, Sec. 7.01(a), eff. Aug.

30, 1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 526, Sec. 3, eff.

Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 693, Sec. 15, eff. Sept.

1, 1995. Renumbered from Sec. 131.002 and amended by Acts 1999,

76th Leg., ch. 1460, Sec. 6.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Sec. 131.004. OFFICE STAFF. The commissioner shall employ staff

needed to carry out the duties of the office.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 107, Sec. 7.01(a), eff. Aug.

30, 1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 526, Sec. 3, eff.

Sept. 1, 1995. Renumbered from Sec. 131.003 and amended by Acts

1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1460, Sec. 6.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Sec. 131.005. REPORTING AND ACCOUNTING SYSTEM. Each health and

human services agency that provides, purchases, or otherwise

funds transportation services for clients shall:

(1) comply with the standardized system of reporting and

accounting established by the office under Section 131.003(a)(3);

(2) make any changes to agency data collection systems that are

necessary to enable the agency to comply with the standardized

system; and

(3) not later than August 31 of each year, submit to the office

a report relating to transportation services that complies with

the standardized system.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1460, Sec. 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,

1999.

Sec. 131.006. IMPLEMENTATION OF STATEWIDE COORDINATION PLAN. In

order to implement the statewide coordination plan created by the

office under Section 131.003(a)(2), the office shall:

(1) review rules, policies, contracts, grants, and funding

mechanisms relating to transportation services of each health and

human services agency that provides, purchases, or otherwise

funds transportation services for clients to determine whether

the rules, policies, contracts, grants, and funding mechanisms

are consistent with the plan;

(2) make recommendations for revisions to rules, policies,

contracts, grants, and funding mechanisms determined under

Subdivision (1) to be inconsistent with the plan; and

(3) not later than September 30 of each even-numbered year,

submit a report by electronic mail and by hand delivery to the

governor, the secretary of state, the Legislative Budget Board,

and the commissioner relating to the results of the review

conducted by the office under this section.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1460, Sec. 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,

1999.

Sec. 131.007. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON COORDINATED TRANSPORTATION.

The office may create an advisory committee consisting of

representatives of state agencies, transportation agencies, and

nonprofit consumer groups.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1460, Sec. 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,

1999.

Sec. 131.008. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. (a) The Health and

Human Services Commission and the Texas Department of

Transportation shall enter into a memorandum of understanding

relating to functions performed by each agency that relate to the

duties of the office.

(b) The agencies shall include provisions in the memorandum of

understanding necessary to ensure that the agencies do not have

duplicative authority, responsibilities, or activities in the

area of transportation services for clients of health and human

services agencies. Specifically, the memorandum of understanding

must include the following provisions:

(1) an acknowledgement that the data collection and analysis

activities of the office and the Health and Human Services

Commission are comprehensive in scope, with the goal of

developing a statewide coordination plan for the provision of

transportation services for clients of health and human services

agencies;

(2) an acknowledgement that the data collection and analysis

activities of the Texas Department of Transportation are focused

on providing more accurate social service contracting information

to transit providers;

(3) a requirement that the Texas Department of Transportation

participate and assist in the collection of information about

transportation service funding from local social service

providers and make any database with that information available

to the Health and Human Services Commission; and

(4) a requirement that the Health and Human Services Commission:

(A) develop standardized reporting methods for health and human

services agencies and social service providers to use when

reporting information about transportation services, funding,

contracting, and all other information needed to develop a

statewide coordination plan for transportation services; and

(B) make the information collected under Paragraph (A) available

to the Texas Department of Transportation.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1460, Sec. 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,

1999.