An official State of Texas website.
What are Emergency Response Services?
Around-the-clock emergency response services are provided through an electronic monitoring system that is used by functionally impaired adults who live alone or who are socially isolated in the community. In an emergency, the individual can press a call button to signal for help. The electronic monitoring system helps to ensure that the appropriate person or service agency responds to an alarm call.
Provider Communications
Read news, information letters (ILs) and provider letters (PLs).
Don’t Miss Out on Emails from HHS
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission contracts with a company called Granicus to provide email updates, called GovDelivery. In accordance with your contract, and contracting rules at 40 Texas Administrative Code §49.302(g), you must subscribe to receive HHSC email updates, using this GovDelivery signup, and select Information Letters, Provider Alerts and the contract program type(s).
When you sign up for email updates, you are giving your information to both HHSC and to Granicus. When HHSC has your information, it is subject to the HHSC privacy policy. When Granicus has your information, it is subject to the Granicus GovDelivery privacy policy.
Contact Program Staff
For questions about:
- Contracting with HHSC: Contact Information for Eligibility Operations Provider Contract Management (PDF)
- Information regarding eligibility criteria: Contact your local HHSC office
- Program or provider policy: ERSPolicy@hhs.texas.gov
- Nursing or other services: Community Services Regional Contacts
How to Become a Provider
Contracting to Provide Services
Public agencies or private nonprofit corporations that are either chartered with or authorized by the Secretary of State to transact business within the state and have a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week emergency response monitoring capability, may apply for a contract.
To be eligible to provide services and receive reimbursement for these services, a provider agency must meet certain eligibility criteria. Rules regarding program and contracting requirements can be found in the following Texas Administrative Code (TAC):
- Texas Administrative Code, Title 26, Part 1, Chapter 279: Contracting to Provide Emergency Response Services
- Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 1, Chapter 49: Contracting for Community Care Services
- For more information, read about HHSC contracting enrollment process and requirements.
An individual or provider agency must complete an application to provide services in the Community Services programs. Once you have met the minimum eligibility criteria, you may review the required application documents on:
The required application documents may be downloaded for completion. Access the Contact Information for Eligibility Operations Provider Contract Management (PDF) to obtain the mailing address to submit completed documents.
If you prefer HHSC to mail you the required application documents, access the Contact Information for Eligibility Operations Provider Contract Management (PDF) to request an application packet and obtain the mailing address to submit completed documents.
Statutes and Rules
State
- Texas Administrative Code, Title 1, Part 15, Chapter 355, Subchapter A: Cost Determination Process
- Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 1, Chapter 49: Contracting for Community Services
- Texas Administrative Code, Title 1, Part 26, Chapter 279: Contracting to Provide Emergency Response Services