What is SHARS?
School Health and Related Services is a federal fee-for-service reimbursement program whereby school districts can receive federal $$ for certain services offered through their Special Education department. Those services are listed below:
- Audiological Treatment
- Speech Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Nursing Services
- Psychological Assessment
- Psychological Treatment
- Counseling services
- Personal Care Services – in the classroom and on the bus
- Specialized Transportation
- Medical Assessment services
Governing entities that oversee the SHARS program:
- CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services) – federal
- HHSC (Health and Human Services Commission) – state
- TMHP (Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership) – state contractor who pays claims
- Fairbanks, LLC (state contractor who manages the RMTS / Cost Report)
Random Moment Time Study (RMTS)
RMTS is a federally accepted statistically valid random sampling technique that determines what portion of the selected group of participant’s workload is spent performing Medicaid reimbursable activities. This is a statewide time study sample. All schools that participate in SHARS are required by federal guidelines to participate in the Random Moment Time Study for the state.
RMTS Participant LisT
All staff providing one of the “billable services listed above must participate in RMTS, that includes full-time, part-time and contracted employees.
A Program Contact(s) for your school district will maintain the RMTS PL on the Fairbanks, LLC website and update that list quarterly with any changes in personnel, etc.
A Program Contact(s) for your school district will maintain the RMTS PL on the Fairbanks, LLC website and update that list quarterly with any changes in personnel, etc.
Time Study PeriodS
Federal Fiscal Quarters
1st Quarter – October, November, December
2nd Quarter – January, February, March
3rd Quarter - April, May, June
4th Quarter - July, August, September
(No Time Study for the 4th Quarter)
1st Quarter – October, November, December
2nd Quarter – January, February, March
3rd Quarter - April, May, June
4th Quarter - July, August, September
(No Time Study for the 4th Quarter)
ISD Contacts / Roles
RMTS Program Contact – Primary & Secondary
SHARS Financial Contact – Primary and Secondary
MAC Financial Contact – Primary and Secondary (if your school participates in MAC)
Superintendent
SHARS Financial Contact – Primary and Secondary
MAC Financial Contact – Primary and Secondary (if your school participates in MAC)
Superintendent
RMTS Program Contact
It is highly recommended that your district have no less than two (2) RMTS Program Contacts.
Program Contact Duties include:
Train all RMTS participants that have been drawn for the sampling and keep a record of their training.
RMTS Program Contacts’ ability to access, update and certify the Participant List (PL) is contingent on completing the ANNUAL HHSC mandatory training.
**If an ISD’s RMTS PL is not updated/certified each quarter by a trained RMTS Program Contact, the ISD is NOT in compliance with federal RMTS requirements and will be excluded from receiving payments for SHARS services for the entire FFY.
ISDs not in compliance will be excluded from submitting a MAC claim for any quarter in which compliance is not achieved.
To contact the Time Study team:
[email protected] or call 512-490-3194
Program Contact Duties include:
- Maintain the RMTS Participant List quarterly
- Attend annual mandatory RMTS training
Train all RMTS participants that have been drawn for the sampling and keep a record of their training.
RMTS Program Contacts’ ability to access, update and certify the Participant List (PL) is contingent on completing the ANNUAL HHSC mandatory training.
**If an ISD’s RMTS PL is not updated/certified each quarter by a trained RMTS Program Contact, the ISD is NOT in compliance with federal RMTS requirements and will be excluded from receiving payments for SHARS services for the entire FFY.
ISDs not in compliance will be excluded from submitting a MAC claim for any quarter in which compliance is not achieved.
To contact the Time Study team:
[email protected] or call 512-490-3194
SHARS ANNUAL COST REPORT – Due Date: April 1
Your school district must also complete an Annual SHARS Cost Report. Training for this report is provided annually by HHSC.
Effective January 1, 2009, a district’s SHARS Financial Contact may be:
1) Employee of the District or
2) Contractor/Designee of the District, SSA, Co-op/Fiscal Agent or
3) Vendor
Each District is responsible for the designee’s actions and/or non-action.
Effective January 1, 2009, a district’s SHARS Financial Contact may be:
1) Employee of the District or
2) Contractor/Designee of the District, SSA, Co-op/Fiscal Agent or
3) Vendor
Each District is responsible for the designee’s actions and/or non-action.