My Top 3 Highlights of the August 2021 BHEC Council Meeting

If you weren't able to attend the August 2021 BHEC Council Meeting last Tuesday here are my top 3 take-away issues. There were many additional items worth mentioning but you'll have to watch the recorded meeting found at this link to find out more about those topics. Here we go.

1. Discussion Regarding Improvement of Telephone Service

It's no secret that getting a live body on the phone at BHEC is almost impossible. We've addressed this issue before but the problem persists. (Attendees of the Darrel Spinks webinar we hosted two weeks back heard this discussion early!)

The comm problem is composed of several issues:

• BHEC staff is very limited, and hiring additional staff requires an act of congress for needed funding. Really.

Why not just put more of the current staff on the phones? Because staff is limited. Would you rather have them answering the phones to tell you that they haven't gotten to you yet, or actually working on your case back-log? That, is the conundrum.

• The phone system call capacity is limited.

So buy a larger capacity phone system! See, "act of congress for needed funding", above. Phone trees and voicemail aren't the answer since people tend to call numerous times and leave redundant messages, which exponentially increases the work-load of the under-staffed BHEC team.

• Using a shared database system.

Why can't we just automate an incoming inquiry system using the website, email, and other online assets?

Designing an automation workflow to clear up the, "I can't get through to BHEC to (fill in the blank)", problem is relatively simple. It's implementing it with the platforms we have in place that is the limiting factor.

BHEC uses a database/records system (inherited) which is shared with a number of other agencies. That means we're stuck with the system we have, AND, we're stuck with the automation limitations of that system.

Some of the greatest minds in TX are working on this issue but the solution we all want is not achievable with the resources currently in place. It will take more money, staff, and better platforms to achieve comm-nirvana.

Until then, the best scenario we can squeeze out of what we have is going to be achieved through a multi-pronged approach:

• Reduce Call-Volume

Stop leaving redundant messages. No one's deleting your messages. They got your call and will get to you when conditions permit it. Same goes for email. Only send one, please. Multiple messages means staff has to read the same email you sent to different addresses 4-5 times (x 1200 inquiring counselors a week) and that eats up valuable time they could be using to process cases instead of answering emails. It's just the way it is for now.

• Maximize the "Self-Serve" Options on the BHEC Website

Maybe that should read, "utilize the self-serve options that are already on the website". Check the site first before you dial the phone, and see what's already available online. There's really not much else to be automated here due to database platform and/or budget limitations.

Darrel said they get a LOT of emails asking if uploaded documents were received. They don't have time or staff to answer those emails and the system won't allow an automated, non-email confirmation of successful upload. So, upload your documents and if the upload looks successful on your end and your computer doesn't start smoking, assume success!

• Improve the Call-Volume Processing Procedure

There may be a few very minor things that can be done here but until the State gives BHEC more money to hire staff to both answer phones and process requests and cases, this is not going to improve to the degree that any of us want it to.

2. COVID-19 Vaccine Passports

A very large part of what BHEC is doing right now is making sure that every regulation of each Board's rules comport with State law. That is a massive undertaking and has already been the catalyst for fireworks in previous Council and Board meetings.

The Texas legislature recently passed a bill prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Passports. Section 882.37 is a proposed rule that will comport with that new law.

ED Darrel Spinks said, "this new rule (882.37) has only been proposed...it hasn't been adopted yet. But, the (State) statute says the same thing as the proposed rule, so regardless of whether there is a rule in place or not, licensees cannot request proof of vaccination."

3. Associates Right to Business Ownership

Unfortunately, all parties involved in this discussion seem to think this is a settled issue and we only have to go through several more required hoops and it's a done deal. I'm very sad to see that attitude being taken.

It looks to me like this is set to pass after a round of public comment, a trip back to the Board then back to BHEC for final approval.

Here's my problem with this issue. All parties seem to think that adding a line that says a supervisor is not liable for Associate screw-ups is adequate to keep a plaintiff from adding my name (as the supervisor) to a law-suit. I'm here to tell you that that's not good enough. Even if totally innocent of any wrong-doing I'll still have to spend real money to defend myself.

I'm not giving up the fight on this one but here's what I'm going to do to prepare for an eventuality in which this thing gets approved:

1. I will NOT be supervising any Associate who wishes to operate their own practice. Period.
2. I will be amending my Services Agreement to reflect that operating your own practice whilst under my supervision will be a cause for immediate termination of our agreement.
3. I will be spreading my gospel every chance I get, and making my updated Services Agreement available to other supervisors through our Chapter 611 Release of Records and Professional Forms Workshop, and/or our Professional Forms Library.

Summary-August 2021 BHEC Council Meeting

You need to participate in the your Board's regular meetings and the BHEC Council gatherings. It matters. We compile a newsletter almost every Friday with the meeting dates and links so you don't even have to look it up!

Subscribe to the BHEC YouTube Channel and watch the recorded BHEC meetings if you miss the live presentations, and be a part of the minority that runs things!

And now you now.

Plan Smart. Be Safe. Serve Others.

Kathleen Mills, LPC-S, CEAP