Child Care Licensing
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) permits and monitors all child-care operations and child-placing agencies for compliance with state licensing standards, rules and laws.
Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Division for Regulatory Services
The Division for Regulatory Services provides public health oversight of individuals and entities that provide consumer and health goods and services to the public. These include:
- Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care System
- Food and Drug Safety
- Radiation Control
- Environmental Health
- Health Care Professionals
- Health Care Facilities
For additional information, please see the sitemap for the Division for Regulatory Services.
Employability Checks
Long-term care facilities and agencies must check an applicant’s criminal history, Nurse Aide Registry status and Employee Misconduct Registry. Learn more here.
- Employee Misconduct Registry ensures that unlicensed personnel who commit acts of abuse, neglect, exploitation, misappropriation, or misconduct against residents and consumers are denied employment in DADS-regulated facilities and agencies.
- Nurse Aide Registry – All nurse aides and nurse aide candidates are required to register in the credential management system.
- Single Nurse Aide Registry/Employee Conduct Registry Check – This search returns results from both the Nurse Aide Registry and Employee Misconduct Registry.
- Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Record Service
Long-term Care Credentialing
- Nurse Aide Registry – The state maintains a registry of all nurse aides who are certified to provide services in nursing facilities and skilled nursing facilities licensed by DADS. This includes registration for nurse aides and candidates through the Nurse Aide Testing Credential Management System and the Employability Status Check Search.
- Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program – DADS reviews and approves or disapproves nurse aide training and competency evaluation programs and nurse aide competency evaluation programs.
- Nursing Facility Administrators – DADS licenses nursing facility administrators and enforces professional standards. Licensing functions are completed through the NFA Licensing System.
- Medication Aide – DADS conducts permitting activities to include issue and renewing permits as well as imposing and monitoring sanctions on medication aides.
Long-term Care Licensing
The following long-term care providers must be licensed to operate in Texas:
- Day Activity and Health Services Facilities
- Assisted Living Facilities
- Home and community support services agencies, which includes home health agencies and hospice
- Nursing facilities and skilled nursing facilities
- Publicly and privately operated Home and Community-based Services (HCS) waiver providers
- Publicly and privately operated Texas Home Living (TxHmL) waiver providers
- Publicly and privately operated intermediate care facilities (ICFs/IID), including ICFs/IID operating as state supported living centers
Medicaid
Medicaid LTSS Enrollment/Re-enrollment – State Medicaid agencies must revalidate the enrollment of all providers in state Medicaid programs by Sept. 24, 2016.