June 14th, 2026

From Twogether Consulting

Hello Everyone!

This week, we celebrate Juneteenth as well as Father’s Day this coming Sunday!  Hopefully, everyone has some great plans to celebrate both events.  The summer solstice is also this Sunday, and we are definitely feeling it now.  Please be wary of the heat and ensure your individuals are protected when going outside to participate in summer activities. (Hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, and take plenty of water to stay hydrated).  Be sure to check AC systems and change filters regularly in group homes to prevent serious issues for residents in this heat. Keep emergency fans and/or portable AC’s on hand.  Be sure to also stock up on your water supplies as well.


Just a few other reminders:   New rules for ISS were enforced as of May 1st, 2026, so the “hold harmless” period ended.  HHSC presented webinars on May 30th, 2026.  The recording should be available within 2-3 weeks on the HHSC website.

Note: ISS Updates webinar session was moved to August 5th, 2026

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 (El Paso, Galveston, Hurst, and San Antonio).

In addition, NAR and SEMARC Employability Check Training is available June 29th, 2026 through August 6th, 2026  (Nurse Aide Registry and Search Engine for Multi-Agency Reportable Conduct ) SEMARC


TWOGETHER CONSULTING TRAINING:

June & July 2026 Training!

Webinar: “Emergency Plans- Tips For Preparation & Implementation-2026”  (HCS/TxHmL/ISS)  12:00 PM-1:30 PM (June 17th, 2026) 

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.

Other Upcoming classes in July and August 2026!  (to be announced at a later date, please check the website as well)

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 TexasShe 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


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.

 Please feel free to e-mail us or contact Meghan Jones to schedule an appointment for consultation.  We have consultants available to provide consultation for HCS, TxHmL, ICF, and (some CLASS as well).  Please contact us directly for your care coordination, QIDP, direct care, and nursing needs or training at info@twogetherconsulting.com or you may contact our assistant, Meghan Jones at meghanjones.tx@gmail.com
We are happy to say that we will continue to provide whatever assistance we can with questions you may have, especially concerning HCS/TxHmL Care Coordination, Nursing, or general survey requirements from LTCR department in these programs.  We continue to assist those working with the ICF/IID program as well. We are currently providing both on-site in-person training at this time as well as in-person live training that is open to all providers.
FYI-We do still provide “mentoring” assistance for program managers, case managers, and especially for nurses.  We continue to provide nursing trainings and we can refer you out to our partner RN consultants, Nursing Innovations, who provide IDD nursing consultation, mentoring, and/or training for HCS, TxHmL, and ICF.  If you have new staff or nurses who need training quicker than classes posted on the calendar, please let me know and we do offer some of our previously recorded sessions for a low cost, which includes the handouts.   We are happy to schedule one-on-one training sessions and mentoring with one of our consultants.  We can also refer you to another resource, if more appropriate.  Twogether Consulting also continues to provide assistance with applying to become an HCS/TxHmL waiver provider.
For HCS Providers who want to purchase specific services and/or specific forms we have on our website, may go to the following link “purchase services” page. If you are having issues downloading forms, please feel free to contact us at info@twogetherconsulting.com and I will be happy to send them to you.
Thank you,
Julie Blacklock/ Owner & IDD Waiver Consultant