Texas Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Waiver
“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 utilizes 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.”
The waiver “provides respite, supported employment, adaptive aids and supports, community living supports, employment assistance, family supports, minor home modifications, non-medical transportation, paraprofessional services, specialized therapies, supportive family-based alternatives, and transitional services to individuals with serious emotional disturbance ages 3-18 years who meet a hospital level of care.”