CDS Option, Support Advisor Training & Application

Resources for CDS Support Advisor Training and Application.

Course Description

This training is for people interested in providing support consultation services to individuals enrolled in Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) programs that have the Consumer Directed Services (CDS) option. Support consultation, delivered by a support advisor who has been approved by HHSC, provides coaching and training for employer-related issues such as interviewing, hiring, or managing service providers. Financial management services (FMS) are provided by financial management services agencies (FMSAs). An FMSA must have a sufficient number of support advisors approved by HHSC available as an independent employee hired by the individual using the CDS option or through a contract to provide services when requested by an employer.

A qualified support advisor may provide services as an independent employee or through an entity (not providing other program or case management services to the individual receiving services) or through employment or contract with an FMSA. Support consultation may be provided over the phone or in person. A support advisor can be paid up to $15.37 per hour, including taxes. An applicant must be able and willing to fulfill the requirements of Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 1, Chapter 41, Consumer Directed Services (CDS).

A person must meet the following qualifications to be eligible to deliver support consultation as a support advisor:

Criminal History Record for Support Advisor Applicants

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) requires a Support Advisor applicant to provide HHSC with criminal history record information.

To comply with this requirement, HHSC must receive a criminal history record directly from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) that shows the criminal history for each Support Advisor applicant. DPS has entered into an exclusive contract with Integrated Biometric Technology (IBT) to provide statewide electronic fingerprinting. Please note that there are fees associated with acquiring criminal history records. In addition, DPS will not expedite last minute requests for criminal history record information.

HHSC may require an applicant to provide additional information regarding the certification of criminal history information. Furthermore, HHSC may reject a Support Advisor applicant based on the results of the criminal history record or based on an applicant's failure to comply with the requirements.

HHSC requires a Support Advisor applicant to submit criminal history record information in accordance with 42 Code of the Federal Regulations (CFR) §455.106. To comply with this requirement, HHSC must receive criminal history records directly from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) for each Support Advisor applicant. HHSC will not accept a criminal history record mailed by the applicant, FMSA, or others.

DPS has entered into an exclusive contract with L-1 Enrollment Services to provide statewide electronic fingerprinting for criminal history record requests. Individuals must schedule an appointment at a Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas (FAST) location to complete their criminal history record request. An appointment can be scheduled online at STATE HISTORY CHECK or by calling 1-888-467-2080.  Once fingerprinting has been completed, FAST will electronically send the request to DPS which will in turn send the results directly to HHSC, as requested by the applicant. Additional information regarding DPS criminal history records may be requested by emailing fingerprint services or by calling DPS at 512-424-2079.

Instructions to Schedule an Appointment Online

  1. Go to https://www.identogo.com/.
  2. Select "Texas" as the location.
  3. Select “State History Check”
  4. Select “Schedule or Manage Appointment”
  5. Enter the appropriate information under the tabs:

    Essential Information – legal name, date of birth, method of contact 
    Agency Identifiers – check yes or no to have the record returned to you electronically
    Additional Information 
    Citizenship – answer the required questions about place of birth
    Personal Questions – maiden/previous name and mailing/residential address 
    Personal Information – height, weight, hair and eye color, preferred language, gender and race
    Address – enter mailing address
  6. Designated Recipient: You will be prompted to enter the mailing information of the recipient of the criminal history record. All requests should be sent to HHSC, not to the person being fingerprinted

    Enter the following in the corresponding fields:

    Designated Recipient:     Texas Health and Human Services 
    ATTN:                                CDS Operations Mail Code H600
    Mailing Address:              701 West 51st Street
    City:                                   Austin
    ZIP Code:                          78751

    Documents – select documents for verification: driver’s license, 
    Location - Find the location that best suits you and select the day you wish to schedule your appointment.
    Date and Time - select the day you wish to schedule your appointment
     
  7. Complete the personal information form and select a method of payment. Click "Send Information" to go to the next step.
  8.  Review the information you entered and print the final page for your records.
  9. An e-mail confirming your appointment will be sent to the e-mail address provided.

    Please note that when scheduling your appointment, you will be asked where the results of your criminal history record request should be sent. You must request that DPS send the criminal history record to:

    Texas Health and Human Services
    CDS Operations
    Mail Code: H-600
    701 West 51st Street
    Austin, TX 78751

    If you have any questions regarding this information, please email CDS Operations

Testing

A Certificate of Completion is provided to each person, not an agency or an entity; the applicant must complete each module of the training before taking the training test.

Applicants are required to review Chapter 41, CDS Rules prior to taking the training.

A knowledge test will be administered after completion of all of the modules. You must pass the knowledge test in order to become a qualified Support Advisor and to be included on the support advisor choice list.

If you have problems with the WBT modules loading, make sure the pop-up blocker on your Internet browser has been turned off. The vast majority of problems related to a WBT not loading center around the use of pop-up blockers.

Where to Send Application Information

Once you have successfully completed the test with a score of 80% or higher, please do the following to have your results documented:

Mailing Address:
Texas Health and Human Services
CDS Operations
Mail Code: H-600
701 West 51st Street
Austin, TX 78751

Consumer Directed Services Support Advisor Training

Click Here to Begin Training

  1. At the end of the training, you will need to take the CDS Support Advisor Test. Enter your name in the provided field on the training test page,
  2. Select the "email score" button to send your test score to HHSC,
  3. Request your criminal history record from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). You must ask DPS to send your criminal history record directly to HHSC at the address above, and
  4. Scan and email your completed CDS Support Advisor Applicant form (HHS Form 8400) to CDS or mail it to the address above.

Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Training

Support advisors must complete EVV Policy Training and EVV Vendor System Training:

  • EVV Policy Training is required for all support advisors and must be completed on an annual basis. This training is available in the HHS Learning Portal.
  • EVV Vendor System Training is required for all support advisors; however, the specific training needed may vary. A support advisor must complete EVV Vendor System Training for the vendor that the CDS employer uses.

Please see additional information on the EVV Training Resources webpage.