When schools closed in Spring 2020, telehealth was allowed for some SHARS services. On July 30, 2020, HHSC announced that telehealth flexibilities had been extended through October 23, 2020 unless the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services ends the public health emergency earlier. If the public health emergency ends earlier, HHSC will provide additional information.

Therefore, some SHARS services may be delivered through synchronous audio-visual technologies. All SHARS eligibility and special education requirements still must be met. Telehealth services include:

• Audiology services
• Counseling/ Psychological services
• Occupational therapy
• Physician services
• Physical therapy
• Speech therapy

For interim billing purposes, telehealth is coded differently than in school services.  Distant site telehealth providers must obtain informed consent for treatment from the patient, patient’s parent, or the patient’s legal guardian prior to rendering a telehealth service. Consent may be written or verbal and must be documented in the student’s SHARS records.

TEA Contact – Angela Foote, Financial Compliance Division (SHARS Program) at 512.463.6639 or angela.foote@tea.texas.gov

SHARS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION

Is there a limit to the service time provided to a student?

Districts employee and contractors that provide SHARS services should not have hours that exceed the max hours of any given work week or exceeding the number of weeks in the year school is in session. For example, contractor hours per headcount exceeding 50 hours per week is not allowed under SHARS.

Questions can be directed to the HHSC – SHARS Help Line 512.730.7400 or ra_shars@hhsc.state.tx.us. (This question was featured in a recent SHARS eNewsletter and is intended to clarify not replace the SHARS FAQ or the Texas Medicaid Provider Procedure Manual (TMPPM).