Handbooks

HHS has many handbooks, which outline the rules employees and contracted providers are held accountable for when providing services to eligible Texans. We provide these for all Texans to view as part of our effort to be transparent in service delivery.

Assistive Services Providers

• The Assistive Technology Trainer Guidelines and Procedures is used to prepare people who are blind to effectively use assistive technology in employment or in educational settings after high school.
• The Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI) Handbook outlines the general operations and procedures of the BEI general interpreter certification program and provides guidance for both current and prospective BEI-certified interpreters for people who are deaf and hard of hearing in Texas.
• The Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services (CRS) Standards for Providers Manual is the official reference document of provider requirements for contracted goods and services for the CRS program.
• The Independent Living Base/Operational Grant Standards for Services Providers outlines the general operations and procedures for the Centers for Independent Living receiving operational funds to provide core services.
• The Independent Living Services Standards for Providers describes steps for providing the services that help consumers live more independently.
• The Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Manual outlines procedures for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program.

Contracting and Procurement

• The HHS Procurement and Contract Management Handbook (PDF) is the comprehensive handbook of all purchasing and contract management policies and procedures that must be followed by HHS agencies. It serves as a purchasing guide for HHS agencies and establishes requirements for interface between the Procurement and Contracting Services Division of and HHS agencies for purchases conducted by PCS on behalf of the agencies.

Fair Hearings and Fraud

• Fair and Fraud Hearings Handbook includes policies, procedures, and responsibilities for handling client and contract appeals, detecting and handling potential fraud cases, and protecting the civil rights of clients.
• The Security and Accountability Handbook contains procedures for safeguarding program benefits from fraud, abuse, and misuse.

Guardianship Handbooks

• The Guardianship Provider Handbook contains procedures relating to referrals, billing and payment, and contract monitoring for guardianship providers.

Long-term Care Community-based Programs

• The Community Care Services Eligibility Handbook contains eligibility criteria, policy and procedures for agency programs. HHSC provides an array of services and community supports that enable people who are elderly or who have disabilities to avoid institutionalization.
• The Consumer Directed Services Handbook includes rules and procedures for consumers, employers, Consumer Directed Service Agency (CDSA) staff, case managers, contract managers, staff and other interested parties.
• The Consumer Managed Personal Attendant Services Provider Manual provides information to licensed agencies under contract to provide personal assistance services to individuals who have physical disabilities and who are able to supervise an attendant or have someone who can supervise the attendant for them.
• The Contracting to Provide Primary Home Care Services Handbook contains rules for provider agencies contracting to provide Community Care for the Aged and Disabled Primary Home Care services.
• The Contracting to Provide Special Services to Persons with Disabilities (SSPD) Handbook contains rules for adult day care facilities and other provider agencies contracting to provide SSPD and SSPD 24-hour shared attendant care.
• The Day Activity and Health Services (DAHS) Provider Manual contains rules and procedures for administering the DAHS Program. It is incorporated by reference as a part of the DAHS contract.
• The Emergency Response Services (ERS) Provider Manual contains rules and procedures for administering the ERS Program. It is incorporated by reference as a part of the ERS contract.
• The Electronic Visit Verification Policy Handbook (EVV) contains EVV utilization standards and policy requirements for provider agencies who are contracted HHSC and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to adhere to.
• The Habilitation Coordination Billing Guidelines informs local intellectual and development disability authorities about billing and system reporting requirements regarding habilitation coordination provided through the Preadmission Screening and Resident Review program.
• The Home-Delivered Meals Provider Manual applies to provider agencies that receive Title XX and/or Title XIX funding and to the Title XX/Title XIX funded portion of a common provider. This document replaces the Contracting to Provide Home-Delivered Meals Handbook.
• The Intellectual and Developmental Disability Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (IDD-PASRR) Handbook contains policies and procedures regarding the responsibilities of local intellectual and developmental disability authorities related to the PASRR program.
• The Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority Handbook includes forms and publications for use by LA staff.
• The Medicaid Hospice Provider Manual contains policy that providers must follow when administering the program and meeting the needs of hospice recipients.
• The Preadmission Screening and Resident Review Mental Illness Handbook provides instructions and procedures for local mental health authorities and local behavioral health authorities in implementing PASRR requirements.
• The Transition Assistance Services Orientation Handbook outlines the delivery of transition assistance services.

Long-term Care Facility-based Programs

• The Licensed Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability or Related Conditions (ICF/IID) Provider Manual is a guide for providers contracting with HHSC to provide 24-hour residential care and treatment services to individuals who have a diagnosis of an intellectual disability or a related condition.

Long-term Care Waiver Programs

• The Community First Choice (CFC) Billing Requirements (PDF) contains billing procedures for Community First Choice/Personal Assistance and Habilitation Services and Community First Choice Emergency Response System.
• The Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Provider Manual contains rules and procedures for administering the CLASS Program. It is incorporated by reference as a part of the CLASS contract.
• The Deaf Blind with Multiple Disabilities (DBMD) Program Manual is a guide for provider agencies contracting with HHSC to serve individuals who are deaf-blind with multiple disabilities. The manual includes policy, forms, resources and links to related Internet sites.
• The Home and Community-based Services (HCS) Handbook describes the responsibilities of the local authority service coordinator and the HCS provider and explains survey processes for local authorities and HCS providers.
• The Home and Community-based Services (HCS) Program Billing Requirements (PDF) instruct providers on how to properly prepare and submit service claims.
• The Appendix III Conversion Table (PDF) contains examples of conversion of service time to units of service for Home and Community-based (HCS) and Texas Home Living (TxHmL) providers.
• The Texas Home Living Program Handbook contains rules for the program, which provides essential services and supports so that Texans with intellectual disabilities can continue to live with their families or in their own homes in the community.
• The Texas Home Living (TxHmL) Program Billing Requirements (PDF) contain billing procedures for various services, including dental treatment, adaptive aids and minor home modifications.

Medical and Social Services Handbooks

• The Area Agencies on Aging Policies and Procedures Manual provides the official policies and procedures for the administration of all Older Americans Act programs and services.
• The Breast and Cervical Cancer Services Policy Manual contains standards and policies for eligibility, screening, case management, education, client documentation, reimbursement and evaluation.
• The Child Care Regulation Handbook includes policies and procedures for processing applications, issuing permits, conducting inspections, conducting investigations, recommending and imposing enforcement actions, and performing other regulatory activities at child care operations.
• The County Indigent Health Care Program Handbook establishes the eligibility standards and application, documentation, and verification procedures for counties, the payment standards for basic and department established optional health care services and procedures for administering the state assistance fund.
• The Epilepsy Program Policy Manual is a guide for contractors who deliver epilepsy services in Texas.
• The Family Planning Program Policy Manual is a guide for contractors who deliver women’s health and family planning program services in Texas.
• The Federal Assistance to Individuals and Households - Other Needs Assistance Handbook describes the policies, organization, and procedures for implementing the Other Needs Assistance provision of the Federal Assistance to Individuals and Households Program (IHP), the financial assistance program that responds to people whose needs result from natural or man-made disasters.
• The Healthy Texas Women Cost Reimbursement Manual is a guide for contractors who deliver women’s health and family planning services in Texas through the Healthy Texas Women (HTW) Program. The manual applies only to HTW cost reimbursement and not the HTW fee-for-service component.
• The Long-term Care Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities Handbook contains policy and procedures for the Medicaid programs for people who are elderly and people with disabilities.
• The Primary Health Care Services Program Policy Manual is a guide for contractors who deliver primary health care services in Texas.
• The Provider Investigations Handbook contains information relating to PI jurisdiction, and procedures relating to the investigation of abuse, neglect and exploitation, the release of case-related information, and referral to the Employee Misconduct Registry.
• The STAR Kids Handbook contains approved policies, procedures and guidance for managed care organizations and staff operating the STAR Kids program.
• The STAR Kids Program Support Unit Operational Procedures Handbook contains approved policies, procedures and guidance for Program Support Unit staff operating the STAR Kids Program and Medically Dependent Children Program.
• The STAR+PLUS Handbook contains approved policies and procedures related to the STAR+PLUS program and STAR+PLUS waivers.
• The STAR+PLUS Program Support Unit Operational Procedures Handbook contains approved policies, procedures and guidance for Program Support Unit staff operating the STAR+PLUS Home and Community Based Services program.
• The Texas Works Handbook contains information about the policies and procedures used to determine eligibility for SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Medical Programs for Families and Children.
• The Title V Maternal and Child Health Fee-for-Service Program Provider Manual is a guide for contractors who deliver Title V MCH FFS in Texas.