Section 353.1411 - Access to Mental Health Services(a) Telephone system access. A comprehensive provider agency must ensure the availability of a telephone system that allows individuals to contact the comprehensive provider agency through a toll-free number that must: (1) be answered by a person without being answered by telephone answering equipment at least on business days during normal business hours, except: (A) on national holidays;(B) due to uncontrollable interruption of service; or(C) with prior approval of HHSC;(2) have sufficient staff to operate efficiently;(3) collect, document, and store detailed information, including special needs information, on all telephone inquiries and calls;(4) during times other than those described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, provide electronic call answering methods that: (A) include an outgoing message providing a toll-free crisis hotline telephone number in languages relevant to the service area; and(B) allows callers to leave a message; and(5) return routine calls before the end of the next business day for all messages left during non-business hours.(b) Crisis services access during non-business hours. The comprehensive provider agency must assist individuals in their care to access crisis services outside of business hours by documenting in each individual's recovery/treatment plan: (1) how the individual will access emergency medical and psychiatric crisis services during non-business hours;(2) a list of all crisis resources that are easily accessible to the individual; and(3) the toll-free telephone number to access crisis services.1 Tex. Admin. Code § 353.1411
Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 43, Number 41, October 12, 2018, TexReg 6816, eff. 10/17/2018