Library: Policy

317:30-5-350. Service requirements

Issued 3-1-24

(a) Eligible providers. Service providers must be ODMHSAS-contracted Qualified Transportation Service Providers (QTSPs) and meet the Uniform Transportation Standards for QTSPs described in this Section.

(b) Driver requirements. Drivers must:

(1) Be twenty-one (21) years of age or older;

(2) Hold a valid driver's license issued by the State of Oklahoma;

(3) Undergo a criminal background check and not have been convicted of or received a deferred or probated sentence related to any felony crime, a crime involving moral turpitude or a crime of domestic violence; and not have any criminal charges pending in ay court in the State of Oklahoma, another state, in tribal court or pursuant to the United States Code;

(4) Be able to ensure that SoonerCare members who are transported are protected by harm and injuries due to abuse, self-abuse, neglect, sexual incidents, serious injuries and other sources of immediate danger;

(5) Be able to provide emergency care or have an established plan to access emergency care;

(6) Be trained in effective communication skills with persons with mental illness, consumer rights, CPR/First Aid, and confidentiality as prescribed by ODMHSAS prior to completing transports;

(7) Be able to recognize and plan for problematic behaviors in a therapeutic and safe manner and complete a 16-hour Therapeutic Options Course or similar curriculum approved by ODMHSAS prior to completing transports; and

(8) Be familiar with the statutes and standards related to transporting members.

(c) Vehicle requirements. Vehicles must:

(1) Be well maintained and in good mechanical condition;

(2) Have the following equipment operational:

(A) Air conditioner;

(B) Heater; and

(C) Chemical-type fire extinguisher, of at least a one-quart capacity, located in the same compartment of the vehicle as the driver.

(3) Have a safety partition between the driver's area and passenger's area;

(4) Have safety locks to prevent a member from exiting a car that is in motion;

(5) Be equipped with, either in the car or on the driver, a two-way radio or cellular telephone that is operational during the entire period of transport; and

(6) If transporting members in wheelchairs, be equipped with the following:

(A) An electrical or hydraulically operated lift mechanism or a ramp with a non-skid surface;

(B) A means of securing a wheelchair to the inside of the vehicle to prevent any lateral, forward, backward, or vertical motion of the wheelchair within the vehicle;

(C) A rear-view mirror that enables the driver to view any passenger in a wheelchair; and

(D) A door at the rear of the vehicle for an emergency exit.