The Health and Human Services Commission and Department of State Health Services received approval by the federal government to implement a 1915c Medicaid Waiver. The program, called Youth Empowerment Services or YES, allows more flexibility in the funding of intensive community based services and supports for children with serious emotional disturbances and their families.

Texana Center has adopted the YES Waiver to provide a continuum of appropriate services and supports for families with children who have severe emotional disturbances. The program is designed to help families, when they have reached or exceeded their financial, emotional, or health care support resources. The YES Waiver was developed and implemented to assist in the prevention of custody relinquishment of youth with serious emotional disturbances.

Texana Center and YES expect to:

• provide a more complete community based services plan with supports for children with serious mental disturbances (SED)
• prevent or reduce inpatient psychiatric admissions
• prevent entry or recidivism into the foster care system or juvenile justice system
• improve the overall potential of youth and their families

Only parents or the legal authorized representative (LAR) can call for placement on the interest list and the assessment appointment.

Call the Inquiry Hotline at 281-239-1485 and press option 1.

Medicaid eligibility is determined based on child need and not family income.