26 TAC § 351.9. Cleft-Craniofacial Services

To assure that clients with cleft lip, cleft palate, or other craniofacial anomalies receive quality, comprehensive services, cleft-craniofacial teams requesting approval from the program must comply with the following standards:

(1) All cleft-craniofacial surgical procedures are provided within the context and consultation of a coordinated, comprehensive, interdisciplinary cleft-craniofacial team and must be prior authorized. Team composition is consistent with current basic standards of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.

(2) A comprehensive cleft-craniofacial team will include an operating surgeon, orthodontist, speech-language pathologist, and at least one additional specialist from otolaryngology, audiology, pediatrics, genetics, social work, psychology, and general pediatric or prosthetic dentistry. Adjunct participants may be added as determined by the cleft-craniofacial team to meet the needs of individual clients.

(3) The cleft-craniofacial surgical procedures and related cleft-craniofacial team services are provided in accordance with a client and family-oriented comprehensive treatment plan jointly developed by the client or family and the cleft-craniofacial team.

(A) A copy of the comprehensive treatment plan will be given to the family (prior to the surgical procedures), the local or referring primary care physician, and other collaborative providers, e.g. local dentist, local speech therapist, case manager, etc. who will be providing services to the client.

(B) The plan will include specific services to be provided by the members of the cleft-craniofacial team, action steps, persons responsible, and timeframes.