Youth Empowerment Services Waiver Providers

The Youth Empowerment Services Waiver is a 1915(c) Medicaid program that helps children and youth with serious mental, emotional and behavioral difficulties. The YES Waiver provides intensive services delivered within a strengths-based team planning process called Wraparound. Wraparound builds on family and community support and uses YES services to help build your family’s natural support network and connection with your community. YES services are family-centered, coordinated and effective at preventing out-of-home placement and promoting lifelong independence and self-defined success.

The program aims to:

  • Reduce the amount of time children are out of their home and community because of a mental health need.
  • Expand available mental health services and supports.
  • Improve the lives of children and youth.

A Wraparound facilitator will meet with youth and their family to develop a Wraparound Plan. The Wraparound Plan is also developed with help from a Child and Family Team (CFT), which meets once a month. The team includes the legally authorized representative/parent, the child and people who are important in the child’s life. This can be professionals, family, friends, coaches/mentors or teachers who want to help the child meet their goals. Together the team develops a plan of care to meet the specific needs and goals of the child and family using YES services, community resources and family strengths.

YES services include:

  • Specialized Therapies 
    Non-traditional services that provide alternative and creative forms of therapy to help improve the youth’s health, welfare, and functioning in their community, including:
    • Animal Assisted Therapy
    • Art Therapy
    • Music Therapy
    • Recreational Therapy
    • Nutritional Counseling
  • Community Living Supports - Help families adjust to special challenges related to the youth’s mental health needs by using proven practices and strategies.
  • Family Supports - Connect family members with others who can support them by sharing similar lived experienced.
  • Employee Assistance and Supported Employment - Help youth find a job and be successful in it.
  • Paraprofessional Services - Help with stressful situations through coaching and mentoring.
  • Respite Services - Allow families and caretakers to take a temporary break from caring for youth enrolled in YES.
  • Non-Medical Transportation - Take youth to YES Waiver services when no other transportation is available.
  • Supportive Family - Based Alternatives - Provide support and model healthy interactions for the whole family while the youth temporarily lives in a therapeutic home.
  • Adaptive Aids and Supports - Supplement YES services with medically necessary supports to prevent out-of-home placement.
  • Minor Home Modifications - Support the youth’s ability to function independently at home and in the community.
  • Transition Services - Help with the costs associated with a youth moving into their own home.

How to Become a YES Provider

Option 1: YES Waiver Service Provider (Individuals)

Individuals interested in becoming a YES Waiver Service Provider must contract directly with a Local Mental Health Authority (LMHA) or Local Behavioral Health Authority (LBHA) to provide one or more YES services. The YES Policy Manual has descriptions of each YES Waiver service and information about qualifications and training requirements. Each LMHA/LBHA has their own contracting and onboarding process which includes mandated trainings for all providers. Individuals interested in applying should contact the LMHA/LBHA by phone and request to speak with the YES Program Manager who can provide details about the contracting process. You can search for LMHA/LBHA’s by county.

Option 2: Open Enrollment – YES Waiver – Comprehensive Waiver Provider (Organizations)

Comprehensive Waiver Providers (CWPs) will contract directly with HHSC and agrees to provide YES Waiver services. either through employees or sub-contracted providers. The YES Policy Manual has descriptions of each YES Waiver service and information about qualifications and training requirements. The YES Policy Manual has descriptions of each service and information about qualifications and training requirements. CWPs must apply through Open Enrollment.

Training

Web-based Training

YES Waiver web-based provider trainings can be found on YES Waiver Training.

Wraparound Technical Support and Training

Texas has adopted the National Wraparound Implementation Center’s Wraparound model. NWIC provides technical assistance, coaching and training through the Texas Center of the Institute for Innovation and Implementation.

To learn more about the NWIC Wraparound model visit the National Wraparound Implementation Center. For information on Wraparound training in Texas, including dates and registration email the University of Maryland Institute for Innovation and Implementation.

Handbooks

Forms

Enrollment Packet

To be completed at time of initial and yearly enrollment

Denial or Withdrawal

Participant Forms

Notice of Privacy Practices

The Notice of Privacy Practices is required by HIPAA. The notice will let you know how:

  • HHS can use and disclose your protected health information.
  • HHS may need to get your authorization before we can share your records for any other reason.
  • HHS has a duty to protect the privacy of your health information.
  • You have the right to complain to HHS or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights if you think your privacy rights have been violated.
  • You can contact HHS to get more information about privacy or to file a complaint.

Read the HHS Notice of Privacy Practices.

Individuals can get a copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices mailed to them by calling 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905 (toll-free); people who are hearing impaired can call 7-1-1 or 800-735-2989 (TYY).

Reimbursement Rates

Read current reimbursement rates for YES Waiver services.

YES Waiver Renewal Application

Statutes/Rules

Statutes and rules pertaining to YES Waiver can be found on HHS Policies and Rules.

Contact mailbox

Email: YESWaiver@hhs.texas.gov
Fax number: 512-838-4372