Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Waiver

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Youth Empowerment Services (YES) is a Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver program focused on the prevention or reduction of institutionalization of children and adolescents ages 3 -18 with serious emotional disturbances (SED).  YES Waiver services enable more flexibility in providing intensive community-based services for children and adolescents with SED and provide support for their families by improving access to care.  The YES Waiver is administered under Social Security Act §1915(c) and approved by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

To be eligible for the YES Waiver, the following is required:

--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.

--Client must score at identified levels in one or more domains of the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Assessment.

--There is a reasonable expectation that, without YES Waiver services, the child or youth would qualify for inpatient care.

--Child or Adolescent must be eligible for Medicaid.

The goals of the YES Waiver are:

--Improve the clinical and functional outcomes of children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance.

--Provide a more complete continuum of community-based services and supports for children and adolescents with SED and their families.

--Ensure families have access to parent partners and other flexible non-traditional support services as identified in a family-centered planning process.

--Prevent entry and recidivism into the foster care system and relinquishment of parental custody.

--Reduce out-of-home placements and inpatient psychiatric treatment by all child-serving agencies.

YES Waiver services consist of the following:

--Respite

--Community Living Supports (CLS)

--Family Supports

--Transitional Services

--Adaptive Aids & Supports

--Supportive Family Based Alternatives (SFBA)

--Supported Employment

YES Waiver inquiry line: 979-821-9494 (local) or 844-814-4027 (toll free).

For more information, please use the following link:
Texas Health and Human Services YES Waiver

Additional Information:

Instructions for Opening a Form

Some forms cannot be viewed in a web browser's PDF viewer and must be opened in the Adobe Reader application on your desktop system. Click here for instructions for opening these forms: https://www.hhs.texas.gov/web-browser-pdf-viewer-information

YES Waiver Notice of Participant Rights, Form 2802 - English and Spanish

YES Waiver Comprehensive Waiver Provider (CWP) Selection, Form 2805 – English and Spanish

YES Waiver Provider Selection, Form 2808 – English and Spanish

YES Waiver Participant Agreement, Form 2810 – English and Spanish

Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Waiver Amendment 9 DRAFT

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The YES program provides home and community-based services to children ages 3–18 that are at risk of institutionalization and/or out-of-home placement due to their serious emotional disturbance.

Please follow the link below for more information:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhsa/yes/Proposed-Waiver-Amendments.aspx

A paper copy of the amendment is available upon request at 979-361-9839.

Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program

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The Texas Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program is a new way for certain Texans with disabilities to create savings accounts for disability-related expenses, without losing eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid and certain other public benefits.

The Texas Comptroller’s Office will administer the program through the Texas Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board.

The Comptroller’s Office created a Texas Able resource website for more information.