Section 550.901 - Rights and Responsibilities(a) A center must adopt and enforce written policies to ensure a minor's legal rights are observed and protected and to ensure compliance with this section. The policies must comply with relevant law and ensure that the center considers a minor's age and legal status, including whether a guardian has been appointed or the disabilities of minority have been removed, to determine the minor's or other individual's authority to make decisions for the minor.(b) Before providing services to a minor, a center must provide an adult minor and a minor's parent with oral and written notification of the requirements of this section in a language and format that the minor and parent understand. The center must obtain the signature of the adult minor and minor's parent to confirm that the individual received the notice.(c) A center must: (1) ensure that a minor is free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation at the center, as described in §550.903 of this division (relating to Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation Reportable to HHSC);(2) inform the minor and a minor's parent of the center's policy for reporting abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a minor;(3) ensure that the minor and the minor's property is treated with respect;(4) at the time of admission, inform the adult minor or the minor's parent, orally and in a written statement, that a complaint or question about the center may be directed to the HHSC Complaint and Incident Intake Section, P.O. Box 149030, Austin, Texas 78714-9030, toll free 1-800-458-9858, or through the online portal;(5) at the time of admission, inform the adult minor or the minor's parent, orally and in a written statement, that: (A) states that complaints about services at the center may be directed to the administrator who will address them promptly;(B) provides the time frame in which a center must review and resolve the complaint as described in §550.904 of this division (relating to Investigations of a Complaint and Grievance); and(C) does not include a statement that a complaint must be made to the center administrator before directing a complaint to HHSC;(6) ensure that the minor is not subjected to unlawful discrimination or retaliation;(7) ensure that the minor is treated appropriate to the minor's age and developmental status;(8) ensure that the minor is allowed to interact with other minors, including through planned and spontaneous active play, respective to a minor's condition and physician orders;(9) ensure that the adult minor or the minor's parent are informed in advance about the services to be provided, including:(A) staff who will provide the services and the proposed frequency of each service; and(B) any change in the plan of care before the change is made, except when a delay based on notification would compromise the health and safety of the minor;(10) ensure that the adult minor or the minor's parent are informed of the expected outcomes of services and any specific limitations or barriers to services;(11) ensure that the adult minor or the minor's parent are allowed and encouraged to participate in planning services and in planning changes to services and that the adult minor or the minor's parent consented to the changes before the changes are made, except when a delay based on participation in planning or obtaining consent would compromise the immediate health and safety of the minor;(12) ensure that the adult minor or the minor's parent are informed of the center's policies on implementing an advance directive in accordance with §550.902 of this division (relating to Advance Directives) and to receive information about executing an advance directive;(13) ensure that the adult minor or the minor's parent are allowed to refuse services;(14) ensure that the minor's medical record is kept confidential and the adult minor or the minor's parent are informed of the center's policies and procedures regarding disclosure of medical records;(15) ensure that the adult minor or the minor's parent are informed, before care is provided, of the: (A) extent to which payment for the center's services may be expected from Medicaid, or any other federally funded or aided program known to the center, or any other third-party payment source;(B) charges for services not covered by a third-party payment source; and(C) charges that the adult minor or minor's parent may have to pay;(16) inform the adult minor or the minor's parent of any changes in the information provided in accordance with paragraph (15) of this subsection as soon as possible after changes occur, but no later than 30 days after the date the center becomes aware of the change;(17) inform the adult minor or the minor's parent of the availability of other programs, including day care, early intervention programs, or school; and(18) ensure that the adult minor or the minor's parent are allowed to convene or participate in a council or support group for individuals receiving services at the center.26 Tex. Admin. Code § 550.901
The provisions of this §550.901 adopted to be effective September 1, 2014, 39 TexReg 6569; Transferred from Title 40, Chapter 15 by Texas Register, Volume 44, Number 15, April 12, 2019, TexReg 1875, eff. 5/1/2019; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 39, September 27, 2024, TexReg 7932, eff. 10/16/2024