July 15th, 2026
From Twogether Consulting
Hello Everyone!
Recently, I have been reflecting on the importance of having clear, practical “back-up” plans for individuals receiving Host Home/Companion Care (HH/CC) services through the HCS Program. This became especially clear through a serious situation involving an individual in the HCS Program whom I have known for many years.
The individual’s HH/CC provider became critically ill and was no longer able to provide care. Fortunately, some time ago, I had encouraged the provider, who is older, to discuss the current “back-up plan” with the Service Coordinator (SC) in case he ever became incapacitated or felt he could no longer care for the individual.
The individual is his own guardian and also has an advocate. My concern was that the initial plan was not very detailed. It included only one item, which was essentially the name of a contact person for assistance. That person had not yet been notified that they were part of the “back-up” plan.
The original plan did not clearly address several important questions:
- Where the individual would live if the provider could no longer provide care;
- Whether a temporary placement option was available;
- Who would be contacted in an emergency;
- Whether the people listed in the plan had agreed to be part of the “back-up” plan, and
- What the individual wanted and felt comfortable with regarding the plan.
- Was there more than one “back-up” option for services, in case that option was not available or appropriate at the time?
Thankfully, the provider later met with the SC, and together they developed three different “back-up” options. They also notified the people who were expected to be part of the backup plan. Because these options had been discussed with the individual during a team meeting, he was comfortable going to the backup location when the emergency occurred.
When the HH/CC provider contacted me a few days ago (he was about to call EMS to take him to the hospital) in a panic and asked what to do, I was able to contact the SC on his behalf. The advocate was notified and was able to pick up the individual and take him to the SC’s office with his appropriate medications, a list of his special needs, and clothing for a week. The individual was immediately taken to one of the “back-up” locations. This really helped put the HH/CC provider and the individual at ease. Remember that a change in services may require a change in services, even if temporarily, on the person-directed plan (PDP), the individual plan of care (IPC), and the implementation plan (IP).
So what is the key takeaway:
The time to decide what to do in an emergency is before the emergency happens. Preparing ahead of time makes the situation more manageable and less stressful for everyone involved.
I just wanted to make this announcement one more time in case any of you did not know and might want to attend services.
As many of you know, Jo Beth Collier worked for us for the past few years as an ICF consultant. It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce that she passed away earlier this past month, after a long battle with cancer. Jo Beth was loved by so many, and she will be missed immensely. She had a kind heart and worked tirelessly to help those receiving IDD services. She had a very long career, including Denton SSLC and Mosaic. She was so happy working at her last position with Metro Crest over the past year. For those of you who knew her, if you are interested in participating in her “Celebration of Life”, it will take place on August, 15th, 2026. Location: Metrocrest Services, 1145 Josey Lane, Carrollton, TX 75006.
Just a few other reminders:
*New Smoke Alarm Requirements were published 06-23-06 in PL 2026-09. This letter provides clarification and policy interpretation of this rule language concerning the placement of smoke alarms in HCS residences, referred to in Texas Administrative Code §565.23(d)(4). New language was put in to address acceptable and unacceptable placement of smoke alarms in HCS homes. This includes both group homes and host homes.
*ISS Quarterly Webinar is on July 30th, 2026 from 11 am to noon. Register for the webinar.
* ISS Updates webinar session was moved to August 5th, 2026
*NAR and SEMARC Employability Check Training is available through August 6th, 2026 (Nurse Aide Registry and Search Engine for Multi-Agency Reportable Conduct ) SEMARC
HHSC “Road Show” Live Training Sessions continue this summer. Registration is now open for all the rest of the locations they will be traveling to in Texas this summer through August ( Galveston, Hurst, and San Antonio).
Roadshow Stop #4:
July 29-30, 2026 at the Hurst Conference Center
Register for HHSC Hurst Roadshow Training
Roadshow Stop #5:
Aug 12-13, 2026 at the San Antonio ESC Region 20
Register for HHSC San Antonio Roadshow Training
**HHSC, Medicaid, and TMHP will have information tables to assist HCS, TxHmL, ICF, and ISS providers with on-site questions and concerns for those providers attending the AAIDD Texas Chapter Convention on August 19th and 20th in Corpus Christi. Register here
TWOGETHER CONSULTING TRAINING:
July & August 2026 Training!
Webinar: Data User Agreement/Security & Privacy Protocols: What Are They & How Do We Meet Compliance? (HCS/TxHmL) 10 AM-Noon (July 22nd, 2026)
Webinar: “Who, When & How: Completion of The Individual Plan of Care” (HCS) 1:00 PM-3:00 PM (rescheduled to July 28th, 2026) * Note: This session is not aimed at TxHmL, but we will be discussing the differences between both programs concerning the IPC.
Free Resource Webinar: Anna Kuth from Daisy Consultants will be our guest presenter on July 21st, 2026 from Noon-1:00 PM. Webinar: “Pathway To Employment: From High School To Adulthood”
Anna helps to support individuals with pre-employment transition services and collaborates with partners in their community to help these individuals with their transition. She often works with waiver providers, families, and the individuals themselves to help that person transition smoothly into employment.
Free Resource Webinar: Jenifer Brown from Therap ( an electronic health records system for IDD providers) will be our guest speaker on July 23rd, 2026. “Top 10 reasons to choose an EHR” (For HCS/TxHmL/ICF Providers)
Jenifer is a Business Development Territory Manager from Therap and is our representative for Texas. She will be discussing some of the main reasons providers “want &/or need” electronic health records and how Therap’s features can best help them, no matter the size. (i.e. EVV, TMHP, Quality Assurance, monitoring critical incidents etc…) We hope that this will be a great resource, especially for our HCS/TxHmL providers.
Other Upcoming classes in August 2026! (to be announced at a later date, please check the website as well)
Webinar: Answers to Frequently Asked Utilization Review Questions
Webinar: Common Challenges in Justifying CFC (Community First Choice) Hours to Utilization Review (HCS/TxHmL)
Registration for this year’s AAIDD Texas Chapter Convention, August 18th-21st, 2026, is now open!
For Registration, Sponsorship, Exhibitor and Hotel info, and this year’s Agenda, please click this link.
Again, I wanted to invite everyone to attend this year’s American Association of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Texas Chapter’s Annual Convention. This will be our 50th year of the AAIDD Texas Chapter. This year’s convention is “50 Years of Inclusion: Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Future.” We are planning to have some amazing presenters, including self-advocates as well as breakout sessions for providers, LIDDA’s, and individuals with IDD, and their families. This year’s convention will take place in Corpus Christi at the Omni Hotel, August 18th-21st, 2026, so please save the date. For a recap of last year’s convention, please click on this link:https://www.aaiddtx.org/2025-convention
Please note that AAIDD members receive a discounted registration rate to the annual AAIDD Texas Chapter convention, so if you would like to join AAIDD, please go to https://www.aaiddtx.org/about for more information and to become a member. This year, we will be giving a free raffle ticket to all newly registered AAIDD members who then register to attend this year’s AAIDD Texas Chapter convention. You will receive your ticket at the registration table at the convention, August 18th-21st. The raffle ticket is good for a free entry into our “New Membership Raffle” for the drawing to win a prize worth over $200-a Yeti cooler! We will be announcing the prize when registration information for the convention is sent out and posted on the AAIDD Texas Chapter website. We will also be holding a separate raffle for “Current Members” to win 2 fantastic Yeti tumbler cups!
In Addition, HHSC experts will be at the event for those of you who didn’t make it to the “Road Shows” live training locations, at our “Information Tables” to answer your questions concerning: EVV, TMHP, Medicaid, Utilization Review, Contracts/Enrollments, and much more, so please bring your questions for “on the spot” assistance to resolve them.
Note: Our hourly off-site consultation fee has increased to $90/hr. We do offer discounted rates for current clients. We have updated the website concerning this rate change. Feel free to contact us at info@twogetherconsulting.com to request an appointment for consultation, or you can email our administrative assistant, Meghan Jones, to make an appointment at: meghanjones.tx@gmail.com
Please continue to check our website for webinars and live trainings. We will post them on the website “calendar” page
We have a variety of pre-recorded webinar trainings for program managers (HCS), administrators (ICF & ISS), case managers, QIDPs, nurses, and direct care, so feel free to email us at info@twogetherconsulting.com to inquire. Let us know what areas of training you would like, to help us plan future sessions.
Here are just a few of the recent pre-recorded webinar trainings available for purchase: “Admission, Post-Admission & Other Follow-Up Requirements-HCS Program”, ICAPs/LON’s/IDRC’s-ICF Program” (Also have for HCS program), “Development of The Comprehensive Nursing Assessment & Nursing Service Plan-HCS or ICF”, “Best Practices For HCS Providers: How To Remain In Compliance With TAC Ch 565”, “Role & Responsbilities of The Q”, “Surrogate Decision Making Process, Rights Restrictions & Immediate Jeopardy-ICF Program”, “Licensed ISS Providers: What You Really Need To Know.”,
We also have a pre-recorded 5-part Care Coordination/Case Management series, a 4-part Nursing series for HCS, and a 3-part Nursing series for ICF available. These trainings are epecially important for new providers. All these sessions come with handouts as well as the link to the pre-recorded session
Please contact Meghan Jones at: meghanjones.tx@gmail.com. Most of these pre-recorded sessions run $65-$75/person. We can provide the handouts as well as a link to the recording, once you have paid. Please notify Meghan Jones, for payment and to receive the link to registration for the training on “Gotowebinar” and handouts for the session.
Please see our “Updates” section of the website for the latest news for IDD providers.
