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Children's Mental Health Waiver        

 

 

What is the Waiver All About?

 

Click Here to see how the waiver can work  

The Children’s Mental Health Waiver is a Department of Health Medicaid program that provides individualized services and support based on unique strengths and needs of children and youth with serious emotional disturbances and their families. The Children’s Mental Health Waiver began in fiscal year 2007. The program has the following goals and objectives:

 

·         Keep youth with serious emotional disturbances that need mental health treatment in their home communities with their parents/families involved in all aspect of their treatment thereby preventing custody relinquishment.

·         Strengthen families’ skills to support the physical, emotional, social and educational needs of their children.

·         Provide non-clinal mental health support services as a part of the overall children’s mental health system of care.

·         Reduce, and in some cases, prevent the length of psychiatric hospital stays.

 

The waiver program serves children and youth who meet the following criteria:

·         Children and youth between the ages of 4-20

·         Meet the definition of serious emotional disturbance

·         Meet at least one Medicaid criteria for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization

·          CASII composite score of 20-27

·         DSM Axis 1 or ICD diagnosis

·         WESP screening for children aged 4 and 5

·         Recommendation from qualified mental health proveder that applicant could be safely served in their home community with waiver acceptance

·         Financially eligible for Medicais based on  their own resources

 

Waiver Services Offered through the Program

Waiver services are non-clinical services provided as outlined in an Individual Service Plan (ISP) meant to support and enhance mental health services provided by local/regional practitioners, both public and private.

·         Family Care Coordination: services that advocate for and support youth and family utliizing the Children’s Mental Health Waiver to the fullest benefit possible.

·         Family Training and Support: training and services for individuals (family members, neighbors, friends, companions) who provide uncompensated care, training, guidance, companionship or support for the youth served.

·         Individualized Child Training and Support: one-on-one services and activities identified in the Individual Service Plan (ISP) to support and enhance the overall service goals (may include such things as recreational activities, exposure of youth to new ideas and experiences, skills training specific to age and behavioral needs). Provision of this service will also allow for some relief of the primary caregiver.

Youth served by the waiver program also receive all available Medicaid services while participating in the waiver program.

Click here for in-depth service definitions and exclusions  

 

Locations Where Waiver Services are Available

Although providers may not be available in all areas of the State of Wyoming, do not be discouraged, we are working hard to expand our provider base. As long as the youth/family can arrange access to providers, they may use the applicable services.

Click here for a detailed list of providers and their locations across the State of Wyoming              

 

Application Process

An application must be complete and both clinical and financial requirements must be met before the youth can be accepted into the Children’s Mental Health Waiver program. Assistance in completing the application process is available through the waiver program office.

Click here to download the application                                  

 

The following documents may provide insight and a clearer understanding of the program and processes:

Welcome checklist -- A checklist which outlines the steps in the waiver acceptance process and provides contact information for questions.                                                          

Waiver Application Flowchart – Provides a visual step-by-step document to understanding how full acceptance into the program is achieved.                                                                     

CASII Explanation – Overview of the Child and Adolescent Service Intensity Index to explain the tool and how it is used to help the waiver program establish clinical eligibility for services 

CASII Administrators – Specifically for families of youth ages 6-20. This is a listing of individuals certified to administer the CASII tool. Only evaluations from a certified administrator will be accepted.                       

Developmental Preschool Map – Specifically for families with children ages 4 and 5. This is a map identifying Developmental Preschools and their contact information across the State of Wyoming.  Families with children aged 4 and 5 will be able to obtain the appropriate social emotional screening to complete their application requirements. 

Benefit Specialist Contact Information – Names and contact information for DFS Benefit Specialists who work with families regarding their financial eligibility for the waiver program.                                             

 

Click here for questions and information                                              

 

You may also contact the Children’s Mental Health Waiver Program directly.

CMHW Program Specialist                                                           

Sarah Flack                                                                         

307-777-5061                                                                                    

sarah.flack@health.wyo.gov                                                     

 

CMHW Program Manager

Terri Meyer-Sipe

307-777-3352

Terri.meyer-sipe2@health.wyo.gov

 

 

Click here if you are a Waiver Provider, CASII Evaluator or other Support Person for details, forms and information about the provider portion of the Children’s Mental Health Waiver program.