1. (a) To qualify for a mental health telecommunicator proficiency certificate, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

   1. (1) be currently appointed as a telecommunicator;
   2. (2) have at least two years of experience as a telecommunicator;
   3. (3) have never had a license or certificate issued by the commission suspended or revoked;
   4. (4) have met the continuing education requirements for the previous training unit; and
   5. (5) successfully complete at least 16 hours of commission-approved instruction covering crisis triage, de-escalation, referral protocols and coordination with 988, telecommunicator wellness, and documentation practices.
2. (b) The effective date of this section is June 1, 2026.

Source Note:The provisions of this §221.12 adopted to be effective June 1, 2026, 51 TexReg 3612.