Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 523.0156. PURCHASING UNIT. (a) The commission shall establish a purchasing unit to manage administrative activities related to the purchasing functions within the health and human services system. (b) The purchasing unit shall: (1) seek to achieve targeted cost reductions, i…

Sec. 523.0201. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The executive commissioner shall establish and maintain advisory committees to consider issues and solicit public input across all major areas of the health and human services system which may be from various geographic areas a…

Sec. 523.0202. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110 applies to an advisory committee established under this subchapter. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 769 (H.B. 4611), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2025.

Sec. 523.0203. RULES FOR ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The executive commissioner shall adopt rules: (1) in compliance with Chapter 2110 to govern the purpose, tasks, reporting requirements, and date of abolition of an advisory committee established under this subchapter; and (2) related …

Sec. 523.0204. PUBLIC ACCESS TO ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS. (a) This section applies to an advisory committee established under this subchapter. (b) The commission shall create a master calendar that includes all advisory committee meetings across the health and human services s…

Sec. 523.0205. ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTING. An advisory committee established under this subchapter shall: (1) report any recommendations to the executive commissioner; and (2) submit a written report to the legislature of any policy recommendations the advisory committee made t…

Sec. 523.0251. PUBLIC INTEREST INFORMATION AND INPUT GENERALLY. (a) The commission shall develop and implement policies that provide the public a reasonable opportunity to appear before the commission and speak on any issue under the commission's jurisdiction. (b) The commission …

Sec. 523.0252. PUBLIC HEARINGS. (a) The commission biennially shall conduct a series of public hearings in diverse locations throughout this state to give citizens of this state an opportunity to comment on health and human services issues. The commission shall conduct a sufficie…

Sec. 523.0253. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING. (a) In addition to the notice required by Chapter 551, the commission shall: (1) publish notice of a public hearing under Section 523.0252 in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the hearing is to be held; and (2) prov…

Sec. 523.0254. COMPLAINTS. (a) The commission shall prepare information of public interest describing the commission's procedures by which complaints are filed with and resolved by the commission. The commission shall make the information available to the public and appropriate s…

Sec. 523.0301. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "office" means the Office of Health Coordination and Consumer Services. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 769 (H.B. 4611), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2025.

Sec. 523.0302. OFFICE; STAFF. (a) The Office of Health Coordination and Consumer Services is an office within the commission. (b) The executive commissioner shall employ staff as needed to carry out the duties of the office. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 769 (H.B. 4611…

Sec. 523.0303. GOALS. The goals of the office are to: (1) promote community support for parents of children younger than six years of age through an integrated state and local-level decision-making process; and (2) provide for the seamless delivery of health and human services to…

Sec. 523.0304. STRATEGIC PLAN. (a) The office shall create and implement a statewide strategic plan for the delivery of health and human services to children younger than six years of age. (b) In developing the statewide strategic plan, the office shall: (1) consider existing pro…

Sec. 523.0305. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The office shall identify: (1) gaps in early childhood services by functional area and geographical area; (2) state policies, rules, and service procedures that prevent or inhibit children younger than six years of age from accessing availabl…

Sec. 523.0306. TEXAS HOME VISITING PROGRAM TRUST FUND. (a) The Texas Home Visiting Program trust fund is a trust fund outside the treasury with the comptroller. The fund is administered by the office under this section and rules the executive commissioner adopts. Money in the fun…

Sec. 523.0351. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Department" means the Department of Family and Protective Services. (2) "Ombudsman" means the individual appointed as the ombudsman for an ombudsman program. (3) "Ombudsman program" means an ombudsman program administered by th…

Sec. 523.0352. ESTABLISHMENT OF OMBUDSMAN PROGRAMS. The executive commissioner shall establish the following ombudsman programs: (1) the health and human services office of the ombudsman in accordance with Section 523.0353; (2) the ombudsman for children and youth in foster care …

Sec. 523.0353. OFFICE OF OMBUDSMAN. (a) The executive commissioner shall establish the commission's office of the ombudsman with authority and responsibility over the health and human services system in performing the following functions: (1) providing dispute resolution services…

Sec. 523.0354. APPOINTMENT OF OMBUDSMAN. The executive commissioner shall appoint an ombudsman for each ombudsman program to serve at the will of the executive commissioner. Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1168 (S.B. 830), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015. Amended by: Acts…

Sec. 523.0355. CONFLICT OF INTEREST. An individual may not serve as ombudsman in an ombudsman program if the individual or the individual's spouse: (1) is employed by or participates in the management of a business entity or other organization receiving funds from the commission;…

Sec. 523.0356. DUTIES OF OMBUDSMAN. (a) An ombudsman serves as an impartial party in assisting: (1) children and youth in the conservatorship of the department with complaints regarding issues within the authority of the commission or department, as applicable; and (2) persons wi…

Sec. 523.0357. OMBUDSMAN FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE. (a) The commission shall establish an ombudsman program to provide support and information services to children and youth in foster care. (b) An ombudsman appointed under this section shall: (1) receive complaints fr…

Sec. 523.0358. OMBUDSMAN FOR MANAGED CARE ASSISTANCE. (a) The commission shall establish an ombudsman program to provide support and information services to an individual enrolled in or applying for Medicaid coverage who experiences barriers to receiving health care services. (b)…

Sec. 523.0359. OMBUDSMAN FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ACCESS TO CARE. (a) The commission shall establish an ombudsman program to provide support and information services to a consumer enrolled in or applying for a behavioral health program. (b) The commission may use an alternate title …

Sec. 523.0360. OMBUDSMAN FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AN INTELLECTUAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY. The executive commissioner shall appoint an ombudsman to assist a client, or a person acting on behalf of an individual with an intellectual or developmental disability or a group of indivi…

Sec. 523.0361. INVESTIGATION OF UNREPORTED COMPLAINTS. If, during the investigation of a complaint, an ombudsman discovers unreported violations of the commission's or department's rules and policies, the ombudsman shall open a new investigation for each unreported violation. Add…

Sec. 523.0362. ACCESS TO INFORMATION. The commission and department shall provide an ombudsman access to the records that relate to a complaint the ombudsman is reviewing or investigating. Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1168 (S.B. 830), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015. A…

Sec. 523.0363. COMMUNICATION AND CONFIDENTIALITY. (a) A person may communicate with an ombudsman relating to a complaint by telephone, by mail, by electronic mail, or by any other means the ombudsman determines to be feasible, secure, and accessible. (b) A communication with an o…

Sec. 523.0364. RETALIATION PROHIBITED. The commission or department may not retaliate against an employee of the commission or department, as applicable, or any other person who in good faith makes a complaint to an ombudsman or against any person who cooperates with the ombudsma…

Sec. 523.0365. REPORT. (a) Each ombudsman shall prepare an annual report that contains: (1) a description of the ombudsman's work; (2) any change made by the commission or department in response to a substantiated complaint; (3) a description of any trends in the nature of compla…

Sec. 524.0001. GENERAL RESPONSIBILITY OF COMMISSION FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM; PRIORITIZATION OF CERTAIN DUTIES. (a) The commission shall: (1) supervise the administration and operation of Medicaid, including the administration and operation of the Medicaid managed car…

Sec. 524.0002. GENERAL RESPONSIBILITY OF EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM. (a) The executive commissioner, as necessary to perform the functions described by Section 524.0001 and Subchapter E in implementing applicable policies the executive commissione…

Sec. 524.0003. ADOPTION OR APPROVAL OF PAYMENT RATES. Notwithstanding any other law, the executive commissioner's operational authority and responsibility for purposes of Sections 524.0002(a) and 524.0151(a)(2) for each health and human services agency or division, as applicable,…

Sec. 524.0004. PROGRAM TO EVALUATE AND SUPERVISE DAILY OPERATIONS. (a) For each health and human services agency and division, as applicable, the executive commissioner shall implement a program to evaluate and supervise daily operations. (b) The program must include: (1) measura…

Sec. 524.0005. RULES. The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to implement the executive commissioner's authority under this subchapter with respect to the health and human services system. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 769 (H.B. 4611), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 20…

Sec. 524.0051. APPOINTMENT OF AGENCY COMMISSIONER BY EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER. (a) The executive commissioner, with the governor's approval, shall appoint a commissioner for each health and human services agency. (b) A health and human services agency commissioner serves at the exe…

Sec. 524.0052. EVALUATION OF AGENCY COMMISSIONER. Based on the performance objectives outlined in the memorandum of understanding entered into under Section 524.0101(a), the executive commissioner shall perform an employment evaluation of each health and human services agency com…

Sec. 524.0101. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY COMMISSIONER. (a) The executive commissioner and each health and human services agency commissioner shall enter into a memorandum of understanding in the manner prescrib…

Sec. 524.0102. ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. (a) The executive commissioner by rule shall adopt the memorandum of understanding under Section 524.0101 in accordance with the procedures prescribed by Subchapter B, Chapter 2001, for adopting rules, except t…

Sec. 524.0151. AUTHORITY TO ADOPT RULES AND POLICIES. (a) The executive commissioner shall: (1) adopt rules necessary to carry out the commission's duties under Chapter 531 and revised provisions derived from Chapter 531, as that chapter existed on March 31, 2025; and (2) notwith…

Sec. 524.0152. PROCEDURES FOR ADOPTING RULES AND POLICIES. (a) The executive commissioner shall develop procedures for adopting rules for the health and human services agencies. The procedures must specify the manner in which the agencies may participate in the rulemaking process…

Sec. 524.0153. POLICY FOR NEGOTIATED RULEMAKING AND ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEDURES. (a) The commission shall develop and implement a policy for the commission and each health and human services agency to encourage the use of: (1) negotiated rulemaking procedures under …

Sec. 524.0154. PERSON FIRST RESPECTFUL LANGUAGE PROMOTION. The executive commissioner shall ensure that the commission and each health and human services agency use the terms and phrases listed as preferred under the person first respectful language initiative in Chapter 392 when…

Sec. 524.0201. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "administrative support services" includes strategic planning and evaluation, audit, legal, human resources, information resources, purchasing, contracting, financial management, and accounting services. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg.…

Sec. 524.0202. CENTRALIZED SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES. (a) Subject to Section 524.0203(a), the executive commissioner shall plan and implement an efficient and effective centralized system of administrative support services for: (1) the health and human services sy…