POWERS AND DUTIES.

(a) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to implement this chapter. The executive commissioner may adopt rules governing the duties and responsibilities of home and community support services agency administrators, including rules regarding:

(1) an administrator's management of daily operations of the home and community support services agency;

(2) an administrator's responsibility for supervising the provision of quality care to agency clients;

(3) an administrator's implementation of agency policy and procedures; and

(4) an administrator's responsibility to be available to the agency at all times in person or by telephone.

(b) The executive commissioner by rule shall set minimum standards for home and community support services agencies licensed under this chapter that relate to:

(1) qualifications for professional and nonprofessional personnel, including volunteers;

(2) supervision of professional and nonprofessional personnel, including volunteers;

(3) the provision and coordination of treatment and services, including support and bereavement services, as appropriate;

(4) the management, ownership, and organizational structure, including lines of authority and delegation of responsibility and, as appropriate, the composition of an interdisciplinary team;

(5) clinical and business records;

(6) financial ability to carry out the functions as proposed;

(7) safety, fire prevention, and sanitary standards for residential units and inpatient units; and

(8) any other aspects of home health, hospice, habilitation, or personal assistance services as necessary to protect the public.

(c) The initial minimum standards adopted under Subsection (b) for hospice services must be at least as stringent as the conditions of participation for a Medicare certified provider of hospice services in effect on April 30, 1993, under Title XVIII, Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1395 et seq.).

(d) The department shall prescribe forms necessary to perform its duties.

(e) The department shall require each person or home and community support services agency providing home health, hospice, habilitation, or personal assistance services to implement and enforce the applicable provisions of Chapter 102, Human Resources Code.