(a) Before providing services to an individual in a residence in which supervised living or residential support is provided, and annually thereafter, the program provider must:
  (1) conduct an on-site inspection to ensure that, based on the individual's needs, the environment is safe, accessible and suited for the individual's abilities, and complies with applicable federal, state, and local regulations for the community in which the individual lives;
  (2) complete any action identified in the on-site inspection for a residence in which supervised living or residential support will be provided:
    (A) before an individual moves in; or
    (B) within 30 days if an individual is already in the residence; and
    (C) document justification for any actions that cannot be completed before the individual moving in or within 30 days with a plan for completion.
(b) Before providing services to an individual in a residence in which host home/companion care is provided and quarterly thereafter, the program provider must:
  (1) conduct an on-site inspection to ensure that, based on the individual's needs, the environment is safe, accessible, and suited for the individual's abilities and needs, and complies with applicable federal, state, and local regulations for the community in which the individual lives; and
  (2) require proof of completion of any action identified in the on-site inspection for a residence in which host home/companion care will be provided to ensure that the residence meets the needs of the individual:
    (A) before an individual moves in; or
    (B) within 30 days if an individual is already in the residence; and
    (C) document justification for any actions that cannot be completed before the individual moving in or within 30 days and include a plan for completion.
(c) The program provider must establish an ongoing consumer/advocate advisory committee composed of individuals, legally authorized representatives (LARs), community representatives, and family members that meets at least quarterly. The committee:
  (1) at least annually, reviews the information provided to the committee by the program provider in accordance with subsection(l)(6) of this section; and
  (2) based on the information reviewed, makes recommendations to the program provider for improvements to the processes and operations of the program provider.
(d) The program provider must make available all records, reports, and other information related to the delivery of HCS Program and CFC services as requested by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), other authorized agencies, or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and deliver such items, as requested, to a specified location or delivered electronically if available.
(e) The program provider must establish a procedure to assess at least annually the satisfaction of all individuals and LARs in the program provider's services and act within 60 days regarding any areas of dissatisfaction.
(f) The program provider must comply with 40 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §49.309 (relating to Complaint Process).
(g) In all respite facilities and all residences in which a service provider of residential assistance or the program provider hold a property interest, the program provider must post in a conspicuous location:
  (1) the name, address, and telephone number of the program provider;
  (2) the effective date of the contract; and
  (3) the name of the legal entity named on the contract.
(h) A program provider must report the death of an individual:
  (1) to HHSC and the local intellectual and developmental disability authority by the end of the next business day after the program provider becomes aware of the death; and
  (2) if the program provider reasonably believes that the LAR does not know of the individual's death, to the LAR as soon as possible, but not later than 24 hours after the program provider becomes aware of the death.
(i) A program provider must not retaliate against:
  (1) a staff member, service provider, individual, or other person who files a complaint, presents a grievance, or otherwise provides good faith information relating to the possible abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an individual, including:
    (A) use of seclusion; and
    (B) use of a restraint not in compliance with federal and state laws, rules, and regulations; and
  (2) an individual because a person on behalf of the individual files a complaint, presents a grievance, or otherwise provides good faith information relating to the possible abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an individual, including:
    (A) use of seclusion; and
    (B) use of a restraint not in compliance with federal and state laws, rules, and regulations.
(j) A program provider must enter critical incident data in the HHSC data system no later than the last calendar day of the month that follows the month being reported in accordance with HHSC guidance found on the HHSC website.
(k) A program provider must ensure that:
  (1) the name and phone number of an alternate to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the program provider is entered in the HHSC data system; and
  (2) the alternate to the CEO:
    (A) performs the duties of the CEO during the CEO's absence; and
    (B) acts as the contact person in an HHSC investigation if the CEO is named as an alleged perpetrator of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an individual, and complies with§565.31(d) - (f) of this subchapter (relating to Requirements Related to the Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation).
(l) At least annually, the program provider must:
  (1) evaluate information about the satisfaction of individuals and LARs with the program provider's services and identify program process improvements to increase the satisfaction;
  (2) review complaints, as described in 40 TAC §49.309, and identify program process improvements to reduce the need for filing complaints;
  (3) review all final investigative reports from HHSC and, based on the review, identify program process improvements that help prevent the occurrence of abuse, neglect, and exploitation and improve the delivery of services;
  (4) review the reasons for terminating HCS Program or CFC services and identify any related need for program process improvements;
  (5) evaluate critical incident data described in subsection (j) of this section, compare the program provider's use of restraint to aggregate data provided by HHSC on the HHSC website, and identify program process improvements that help prevent the reoccurrence of restraints and improve service delivery;
  (6) provide all information the program provider reviewed, evaluated, and created as described in paragraphs (1) - (5) of this subsection to the consumer/advocate advisory committee required by subsection (c) of this section;
  (7) implement any program process improvements identified by the program provider in accordance with this subsection; and
  (8) review recommendations made by the consumer/advocate advisory committee as described in subsection (c)(2) of this section and implement the recommendations approved by the program provider.
(m) The program provider must ensure that all personal information concerning an individual is kept confidential, such as lists of names, addresses, and records obtained by the program provider, and that the use or disclosure of such information and records is limited to purposes directly connected with the administration of the program provider's HCS Program or provision of CFC services and is otherwise neither directly nor indirectly used or disclosed unless the consent of the individual to whom the information applies or the individual's LAR is obtained beforehand.
(n) The program provider must include the individual or LAR in planning the individual's residential relocation, except in cases of emergency.

Source Note: The provisions of this §565.25 adopted to be effective June 21, 2023, 48 TexReg 3246