The Department of Aging and Disability Services licenses the agency to provide home health care after meeting rigorous standards and criteria.  A licensing survey is conducted regularly after the initial license is granted.   Ownership of the agency by a health care professional may establish a higher level of care for the client.

Your phone calls to the agency need to be dealt with promptly and personally.   When caregivers are employees of an agency rather than independent contractors, the agency has control of the employee as well as insurance and taxes for the employee.  Supervisory visits by a Registered Nurse to evaluate care should be performed at least every 6 months.  An agency that has been in business for several years should be able to provide references from clients (private individuals, hospitals, nursing homes or physicians).

If you have any concerns about the agency that you are considering you can call the Department of Aging and Disability Services for information at :

(512) 438-3011

Here is your checklist of questions
to help you determine which agency you
may want to use:

1.  Is the Agency licensed by the State of Texas?

2.  Is the agency owned by someone who has a health care
     background?

3.  Does the agency carry worker's compensation and liability
     insurance and bonding?

4.  Are the care givers treated as employees or as independent
     contractors?

5.  Is there a medical person available 24 hours a day, 7 days a
     week to handle your concerns?

6.  How professionally does the agency respond to calls made
     to the agency?

7.  What are the qualifications of the care givers?
  A.  Are their references checked?
  B.  Is there a personal interview?
  C.  Is there a criminal history check for all employees?
  D.  Is the license verified with the Texas Board of Nursing
       for RN's and LVN's?
  E.  Is there verification of eligibility for employment?
  F.  Are there testing procedures to verify competency?
  G.  Are employees CPR certified?
  H.  Are employees verified as free of communicable diseases?
  I.  Are employees drug screened?

8.  Is there an evaluation process to determine the appropriate
     level of care?

9.  Can the agency provide continuity of personnel?

10. Are the charges for services made clear to you prior to
      services being rendered?

11. Does your physician have input into the care provided?

12. How is the care provided evaluated?

13. What references is the agency able to provide?

14. When was their last licensing survey?

15. How long has the agency been in business?

16. Does the agency specialize in any type of care?