Sec. 531.191. INTEGRATED ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION

(a) The commission, subject to the approval of the governor and the Legislative Budget Board, shall develop and implement a plan for the integration of services and functions relating to eligibility determination and service delivery by health and human services agencies, the Texas Workforce Commission, and other agencies. The plan must include a reengineering of eligibility determination business processes, streamlined service delivery, a unified and integrated process for the transition from welfare to work, and improved access to benefits and services for clients. In developing and implementing the plan, the commission:

(1) shall give priority to the design and development of computer hardware and software for and provide technical support relating to the integrated eligibility determination system;

(2) shall consult with agencies whose programs are included in the plan, including the Texas Department of Human Services, the Texas Department of Health, and the Texas Workforce Commission;

(3) may contract for appropriate professional and technical assistance; and

(4) may use the staff and resources of agencies whose programs are included in the plan.

(b) The integrated eligibility determination and service delivery system shall be developed and implemented to achieve increased quality of and client access to services and savings in the cost of providing administrative and other services and staff resulting from streamlining and eliminating duplication of services. The commission, subject to any spending limitation prescribed in the General Appropriations Act, may use the resulting savings to further develop the integrated system and to provide other health and human services.

(c) The commission shall examine cost-effective methods to address:

(1) fraud in the assistance programs; and

(2) the error rate in eligibility determination.

(d) On receipt by the state of any necessary federal approval and subject to the approval of the governor and the Legislative Budget Board, the commission may contract for implementation of all or part of the plan required by Subsection (a) if the commission determines that contracting may advance the objectives of Subsections (a) and (b) and meets the criteria set out in the cost-benefit analysis described in this subsection. Before the awarding of a contract, the commission shall provide a detailed cost-benefit analysis to the governor and the Legislative Budget Board. The analysis must demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of the plan, mechanisms for monitoring performance under the plan, and specific improvements to the service delivery system and client access made by the plan. The commission shall make the analysis available to the public. Within 10 days after the release of a request for bids, proposals, offers, or other applicable expressions of interest relating to the development or implementation of the plan required by Subsection (a), the commission shall hold a public hearing and receive public comment on the request.

(e) If requested by the commission, the agencies whose programs are included in the plan required by Subsection (a) shall cooperate with the commission to provide available staff and resources that will be subject to the direction of the commission.

(f) The design, development, and operation of an automated data processing system to support the plan required by Subsection (a) may be financed through the issuance of bonds or other obligations under Chapter 1232.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1460, Sec. 3.08, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 8.238, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.