(a) An applicant must be certified as a person with
a disability that impairs the person's ability to effectively access
the telephone network. The following may serve as certifiers:
(1) licensed hearing aid specialists;
(2) licensed audiologists;
(3) licensed optometrists;
(4) licensed physicians;
(5) licensed advanced practice registered nurses;
(6) Texas Workforce Commission vocational rehabilitation
counselors;
(7) state-certified teachers of persons who are deaf
or hard of hearing;
(8) licensed speech pathologists;
(9) state-certified teachers of persons who are visually
impaired;
(10) state-certified teachers of persons who are speech-impaired;
(11) state-certified special education teachers;
(12) STAP specialists authorized to work under an ODHHS
STAP Outreach and Training contract;
(13) licensed social workers;
(14) Independent Living Services specialists, such
as rehabilitation counselors, authorized to work under an HHSC Independent
Living Services contract;
(15) ODHHS-approved specialists working in a disability-related
field; or
(16) any other professional approved by ODHHS.
(b) An application must be properly certified before
ODHHS can process and approve the application and issue the voucher.
(c) Certifiers who have misrepresented an applicant's
disability, certified an applicant without a disability, violated
or who are under pending review of investigation for alleged violations
of any HHSC, PUC, or other rules, policies, or laws relating to STAP
may no longer be authorized to certify applications. Persons committing
or suspected of committing such violations may be referred to PUC,
to the certifier's licensing agency, or to both, as appropriate.
|