Introduction to the YES Waiver

The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and DSHS received Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approval to implement a 1915(c) Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver, called Youth Empowerment Services (YES) in February, 2009.

The YES (Youth Empowerment Services) Waiver is a Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver that allows for more flexibility in the funding of intensive community-based services to assist children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances (SED) to live in the community with their families. Waiver services are provided in combination with services available through the Medicaid State Plan, other federal, state, and local programs the individual may qualify for, and the natural support that families and communities provide.

Goals of the YES Waiver

• To improve the clinical and functional outcomes of children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance
• To provide a more complete continuum of community-based services and supports for children and adolescents with SED and their families
• To ensure families have access to parent partners and other flexible non-traditional support services as identified in a family-centered planning process
• To prevent entry and recidivism into the foster care system and relinquishment of parental custody, and
• To reduce out-of-home placements and inpatient psychiatric treatment by all child-serving agencies.

The YES Waiver allows for more flexibility in the funding of intensive community-based services to assist children and adolescents with severe emotional disturbances to live in the community with their families, i.e. avoiding hospitalization. Waiver services are provided in combination with services available through the Medicaid State Plan, other federal, state, and local programs the individual may qualify for, and the natural supports that families and communities provide.

Family Supports
Paraprofessional Services
Respite-Camp
Respite- Facility Based
Respite- In Home
Community Living Supports
Music Therapy
Art Therapy
Nutritional Counseling
Recreation Therapy
Animal Assisted Therapy

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Demographic Criteria

• Be between 3-18 years of age
• Reside in current YES Waiver community
• Reside in a non-institutional setting with the child’s or adolescent’s Legally Authorized Representative;

or

• In the youth’s own home or apartment, if legally emancipated.

Clinical Criteria

Have serious functional impairment or acute severe psychiatric symptoms as indicated by scores on an assessment completed by the Local Mental Health Authority. Overall functioniong will be assessed and items such as Suicide Risk or Self-Mutilation, Other Self Harm, Danger to Others, Sexual Aggression, Fire Setting, Delinquency, Caregiver Strengths and Needs, Family Stress/Safety, School Behavior and Attandence and Psychiatric Hospitalization will be considered.  There must be a reasonable expectation that, without YES Waiver services, the child or youth would qualify for inpatient care.

Financial Criteria

• A child or adolescent must be eligible for Medicaid.
• If you are a current Medicaid recipient, you may already meet financial requirements for the YES Waiver or additional information may be required.
• If you are not a current Medicaid recipient, you may qualify to receive Medicaid through the YES Waiver (Special Waiver Income Group).
• Financial eligibility is based on standards to determine eligibility for Medicaid in institutions and parental income is not counted.

Betty Hardwick Center Implementation

Betty Hardwick Center is in the process of implementing this program in our local service area. For more information, please contact our Program Administrator for Behavioral Health Services, Jay Williams at 325-691-2025.