231.000 TakeChargeTexas (TCT) Users

Policy Number  231.000
Effective Date  June 15, 2006
Revision Date  August 7, 2023
Subject Matter Expert Services Data Internal Workgroup
Approval Authority  HIV/STD Section Director
Signed by  Josh Hutchison

1.0 Purpose

To provide guidance regarding appropriate users for the TakeChargeTexas (TCT) application. The guidance applies to administrative agency (AA) staff, DSHS employees, HHS contractors, non-HHS government agencies, and partner organizations.
 

2.0 Authority

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009; Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 85, §85.032, §85.040, and §85.041; Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 1, Part 10, Chapter 202, Subchapter B, Information Security Standards for State Agencies; and Information Resources Management Act, Texas Government Code 2054.
 

3.0 Definitions

Administrative Agency (AA) – Entity responsible for ensuring a comprehensive continuum of care exists in their funded areas. AA accomplishes this through the management and oversight of HIV care and treatment services funded by federal and state of Texas funds under a contractual agreement with DSHS. For a list of HIV AAs, their contact information, and coverage area, see DSHS HIV Administrative Agencies.

AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) – A federally funded program which provides medications and other HIV-related services to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured people with HIV/AIDS. AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) services are available in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

Care Services Group – A group within the HIV/STD Section that manages and implements the Ryan White Part B program at DSHS. The mission of the DSHS HIV Care Services Group is to improve access to quality HIV core medical and support services for eligible Texans living with HIV. Program goals are to reduce unmet needs for HIV-related health care, promote consistent engagement in care, and maximize the number of people living with HIV (PLWH) with a suppressed viral load. 

Data Managers – Staff at the AA who provide support to contracted HIV service providers to assure the quality and use of data in TCT. 

Eligible Clients – Low-income Texas residents with a documented diagnosis of HIV.[1] (Note: People who do not have an HIV diagnosis are eligible to receive certain services as outlined in HRSA HAB PCN 16-02 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Services: Eligible Individuals & Allowable Uses of Funds and as otherwise stipulated by HRSA HAB.)[2] For more information about the specifics of client eligibility, please refer to DSHS HIV/STD Program Policy 220.001 Eligibility to Receive HIV Services and HRSA Policy Clarification Notice 16-02.

Eligible Services – Core medical and support service categories are important to assist in the diagnosis of HIV infection, linkage to and entry into care for PLWH, retention in care, and provision of HIV care and treatment. For a complete listing of services provided in the State of Texas RWHAP, visit the HIV Core and Support Service Categories page.

HIV Service Provider – Organization with a contractual agreement with AA to provide HIV-related medical and support services to person(s) living with HIV (PLWH). At the sole discretion of DSHS, non-contracted providers of HIV services may use TCT.

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program – HOPWA funding provides housing assistance and related supportive services to eligible persons living with diagnosed HIV.

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) – RWHAP is a program authorized in 1990 and administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration HIV/AIDS Bureau. The program provides grant funds to states, metropolitan areas with high numbers of PLWH, and selected treatment providers to fill gaps in the system of outpatient medical and social support services for low-income people diagnosed with HIV. Recipients and subrecipients use RWHAP funds as a payment of last resort. Program beneficiaries are low-income, as identified by each HIV service provider.

TakeChargeTexas (TCT) – TakeChargeTexas is a secure and centralized web portal application that streamlines the HIV Care Services (CARE) and Texas HIV Medication Program (THMP) eligibility application processes, processes medication orders for THMP, and reports Ryan White and State Services client services. 

Texas HIV Medication Program (THMP) – Provides medications for the treatment of HIV and its related complications for low-income Texans. The THMP is the official ADAP for the State of Texas. It also operates the State Pharmacy Assistance Program and the Texas Insurance Assistance Program.
 

4.0 Policy

It is the policy of the DSHS HIV Care and Medications Unit that only users described in this policy gain access to the TCT system and data, thereby securing, protecting, and maintaining client confidentiality.
 

5.0 Persons Affected

This policy applies to appropriate TCT users.

Appropriate users include: 

  • Users who work at agencies receiving Ryan White (RW), HOPWA, or State Service (SS) funds to provide HIV services.
  • Users who have a direct and ongoing need for information in TCT to provide or coordinate client care, including medications. AA does not create users whose sole need for access relates to surveillance, research, grant reporting, or other ancillary uses for these data. Only DSHS may approve authorized users for these purposes.
  • Clients.
     

6.0 Responsibilities


6.1 Authorized Users: Administrative Agency and Service Provider Staff, Clients, and DSHS Employees

DSHS limits access to data in TCT to staff who have a direct and ongoing need for this information to provide or coordinate client care. Staff can request access to TCT at an administrative agency, service provider, THMP-participating pharmacy, or DSHS employee.
 

Authorized User Requirements 

All staff will request access to TCT through the Health and Human Services (HHS) identity and access management system.

Staff who request access to TCT complete the TCT Security and Confidentiality Certification training and have a current and signed confidentiality agreement on file in the identity and access management system. Staff become authorized users when they have met the registration criteria and received approvals from the agency supervisor, data manager, and local responsible party (LRP). Authorized users complete the TCT Security and Confidentiality Certification training annually and sign a confidentiality agreement to maintain access to TCT.

DSHS limits access to TCT to the permissions of the staff role which most closely match the users’ current job duties. Roles and permissions will vary depending on the program. DSHS limits access to client-level data in TCT to staff who have a direct and ongoing need for this information to provide or coordinate client care. 

The TakeChargeTexas Roles and Permissions Help Text is found in Appendix A.

DSHS approves TCT access for users associated with an authorized agency. Agency users must use the correct agency tax identification number, organization name, or both when they register for their access requests.
 

Authorized User Roles and Permissions

Care Program

  1. Administrative Agency (AA): Agency contracted by DSHS to manage and distribute funding to service providers. Staff can access all service area provider data. This user does not provide direct client services.
    1. Administrative Agency Data Manager (DM): The DM at an AA is the person responsible for providing data support to local organizations using TCT for service delivery. The DM has read and write access to most TCT screens. Only AA staff can request and approve this role.
    2. Administrative Agency Fiscal Staff: This user has read and write access to Contract screens and limited access to some reports. Read access to Client Services, Shared Providers, and Eligibility screens.
    3. Administrative Agency Program Staff: This user is program staff at the AA (e.g., program manager, monitoring staff). They have read and write access to the Contracts and Reports screens. The user has read access to the Client Case and Eligibility screens.
    4. Administrative Agency Read Only: This role has read-only access, and users cannot make edits to administrative screens.
       
  2. Agency Service Provider: Agency or provider staff that work at a local organization or clinic to provide HIV-related support and medical services. This is an external role, and these workers do not work for DSHS. Does not include AA or THMP roles.
    1. Agency Admin Staff: An administrative position at a provider that does not provide direct client services. This user has read and write access to the Contracts, Imports, and most Reports screens. The user has limited read access to the Client Eligibility screens. This user cannot access any client medical screens.
    2. Agency Fiscal Staff: Does not provide direct client services. This user has read and write access to the Contract screens and has limited access to the Reports screens.
    3. Agency Client Services Staff: An agency client services staff provides direct client services (e.g., case management, eligibility worker, etc.). This role is not a supervisor or manager; it may assist clients with CARE or THMP applications. Read and write access to the Client Case and Eligibility screens. Note: Data Entry staff can select this role to enter client-level data and services. Read and write access to Client Case and Eligibility screens so that they can update client records (ADAP and THMP applications use this role).
    4. Agency Client Services Supervisor or Manager: A supervisor or manager of client services staff. This user may provide direct client services, but it is not required. The supervisor or manager has read write access to the Client Case and Eligibility screens, Read and write access to most Reports screens, and read access to the Contracts screens.
    5. Agency Medical Providers (Read Only): This role has read-only access to most screens. This user may provide direct medical care to clients and will generally not use TCT. Note: Select this role if you need your medical provider to appear in the ‘Staff’ dropdown for service entry.
       
  3. THMP Program 
    1. THMP Staff: Texas HIV Medication Program (THMP) staff roles. External agency workers only request access to ‘Doctor’, ‘Participating Pharmacy Staff’, and ‘Community ADAP Enrollment Worker (AEW)’.
      1. ADAP Data Administrator (Admin): ADAP/THMP admin system permissions. DSHS staff only.
      2. ADAP Eligibility Worker (AEW) (Program Specialist I, Public Health Program Specialist II): DSHS Central Office eligibility worker. Internal use only. External users or non-DSHS staff should not request this role.
      3. AEW Program Specialist III: DSHS Central Office Regional Coordinator and second reviewer. Internal use only. External users or non-DSHS staff should not request this role.
      4. ADAP Order Processor: DSHS medication order processor. Internal use only. External users or non-DSHS staff should not request this role.
      5. DSHS Warehouse Staff: DSHS Program Specialist, DSHS Pharmacy Tech, DSHS Pharmacist. Internal use only. External users or non-DSHS staff should not request this role.
      6. Doctor (External Users): The user provides the HIV Medical Certification. External medical providers can request this role. This user will have read write access to the Client Case and Medical Case screens. This user has read access to Client Eligibility screens.
      7. Participating Pharmacy Staff (External Users): Inventory Specialist, Pharmacy Tech, Pharmacist. Only participating pharmacy staff can make medication orders in the pharmacy portal.
      8. Community AEW (External User): This user assists clients with ADAP/THMP eligibility applications at the agency level. AEWs have read and write access to all Client Case and Eligibility screens, including manual hold. This user can access the STAR report.
         
  4. HOPWA Program
    1. HOPWA Case Manager: An external agency worker that supports HOPWA services at their agency.
      1. HOPWA Case Manager: This user provides direct client services (e.g., case management, eligibility worker, etc.). Note: Data entry staff can select this role to enter client-level data and services. This user is not a supervisor or manager. Client services staff have read and write access to most Client Case and Eligibility screens and the STAR report.
         
  5. DSHS Employees
    1. DSHS Staff Only: DSHS Data Team, DSHS Program Staff, DSHS Prevention Staff, DSHS Other, Import
      1. HRAR Admin: DSHS staff only. Highest level of permissions. External users or non-DSHS staff should not request this role.

Staff Access Request Approval Routing

  1. Providers or Agencies: Persons (users) who have completed DSHS’s required privacy and security training and work for or volunteer at agencies contracted to receive Ryan White (RW), HOPWA, or State Service (SS) funds to provide HIV services. The provider or agency may request access, and the assigned first-level agency supervisor or manager initially approves it. Users request access with an access request. The user registers under the correct authorized agency Tax identification number. Agency or provider users identified as approvers can also request access and role modifications on behalf of their workers.
  2. Local pharmacy staff who have completed DSHS’s required privacy and security training and who have MOUs as participating pharmacies for THMP medication distribution. The user registers under the correct authorized agency Tax identification number. Pharmacy users identified as approvers can also request access and role modifications on behalf of their workers.
  3. Agency Client Services Supervisor or Manager: These authorized users will be the first-level approvers for staff access requests. For pharmacy staff, supervisors will also share the pharmacy staff role.
  4. In the identity and access management system, agency supervisors or managers can review the employee’s identity and access management system profile information, review the employee’s access, suspend or restore application and portal access, review and perform actions against the employee’s access requests, and request new or modified application access on behalf of an employee.
  5. AA Data Managers: This authorized user will be the second-level approver for provider staff access requests. AA can designate the DM as both the second- and third-level approver. The third-level approver is the AA-designated LRP. (See security policy).
  6. Current and prospective clients who need to submit a CARE, THMP, or both applications for eligibility can create an account to gain access to TCT.
    • Authorized users who are clients follow the guidelines for requesting TCT access as indicated in the TCT Client User Guide. 

Clients determined ineligible for CARE or THMP services still have access to their TCT profile, application, and application documents so they can update or resubmit their information. Clients continue to have access if they maintain active accounts and follow password reset requirements.
 

6.2 Inappropriate Users

Inappropriate users include:

  • Users who do not work at agencies receiving Ryan White (RW), HOPWA, or State Service (SS) funds to provide HIV services.
  • Users do not have a direct and ongoing need for the information to provide or coordinate client care. AA does not create users whose sole need for access relates to surveillance, research, grant reporting, or other ancillary uses for these data. Only DSHS may approve authorized users for these purposes.
     

6.3 Exceptions

Consideration of users not meeting the criteria above is a case-by-case decision by DSHS.
 

7.0 Procedures

The AA develops local procedures to implement this policy and submits them on an annual basis within their Data Improvement Plan for approval to DSHS. Assignment of users’ permissions and rights requires consistency with TCT Security Policy guidelines established by DSHS.

Below are examples of the steps to become an authorized user:

  1. Each potential non-client authorized user submits a registration request through the identity and access management system under an authorized agency and assigned user role.
     
  2. Provide documentation of the following:
    • Completed security (A potential user needs to do this initially and an authorized user annually.)
    • Completed HIPAA training
    • Signed DSHS confidentiality agreement and acceptable use agreement
       
  3. Potential Client users: 
    • Log into the TCT Client Portal.
    • Accept the TCT Client Portal “Terms of Use.”
    • Create an account.

More information about how to access the TCT Portal for:

8.0 Revision History

Date Action Section
8/7/2023 Updated with TCT replacement All
9/26/2014 Converted format (Word to HTML) -
7/7/2010 Policy renumbered; expanded the definitions section and deleted sections relating to security (see ARIES security policy) All
6/25/2006 This is a new policy -

 

Notes:

  1. HIV Clinical Guidelines: Adult and Adolescent ARV.
  2. HRSA HAB Policy Clarification Notice 16-02 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Services: Eligible Individuals & Allowable Uses of Funds.

 

Appendix A - TakeCargeTexas Roles and Responsibilities Help Text

HIV/STD Program

HIV/STD Program

HIV/STD Program Policies