2005 Texas Human Resources Code CHAPTER 131. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE OF COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

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.