As you approach the holiday season, HHSC, Fairbanks and Onward all wish to remind you to log onto the STAIRS system and check the completion of all RMTS sampled moments to ensure any unanswered moments will not exceed the five business day response deadline.

Sampled moments must be completed in the STAIRS system within five working days after the sampled date.

The sampled participant should make every effort to answer their moment, however in the event the participant will not be available at the time of the moment or within the allowed five working days after the moment, you as the trained RMTS Contact have the responsibility and ability to mark a moment as “paid” or “unpaid” leave for the sampled participant.

If the district falls below an 85% participation response rate for two quarters in a row, penalties will be instituted against the district’s SHARS and MAC programs.  In fact, districts that do not meet the state response rate as outlined in RMTS training will be removed from SHARS for the remainder of the federal fiscal year and all reimbursements paid to the district will be recouped.

We strongly encourage you to check your district’s RMTS Time Study Samples before providers leave on holiday break.

If you have any questions, please contact your Onward Account Manager or email the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Time Study Unit at(737) 867-7794 or TimeStudy@hhs.texas.gov.