HUMAN RESOURCES CODE
TITLE 9. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
CHAPTER 131. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE OF COMMUNITY
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
§ 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, § 7.01(a), eff. Aug. 30,
1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 526, § 3, eff. Sept.
1, 1995; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1460, § 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,
1999.
§ 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, § 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,
1999.
§ 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, § 7.01(a), eff. Aug. 30,
1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 526, § 3, eff. Sept.
1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 693, § 15, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Renumbered from § 131.002 and amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg.,
ch. 1460, § 6.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
§ 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, § 7.01(a), eff. Aug. 30,
1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 526, § 3, eff. Sept.
1, 1995. Renumbered from § 131.003 and amended by Acts 1999,
76th Leg., ch. 1460, § 6.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
§ 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, § 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,
1999.
§ 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, § 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,
1999.
§ 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, § 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,
1999.
§ 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, § 6.01, eff. Sept. 1,
1999.
