" The only way to do great work is to love what you do."

An individual shall meet the following initial criteria to be eligible for the program: 

● Have a diagnosis of SMI 

● Meet one of the following needs-based criteria: 

• Long Term Psychiatric Hospitalization (LTPH): Three or more years (cumulative or consecutive) in an inpatient psychiatric hospital during the five years prior to referral; or 
• Jail Diversion (JD): Have an active Medicaid benefit and two or more psychiatric crises, i.e., inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations or an outpatient psychiatric crisis that meets inpatient psychiatric criteria, and four or more discharges from correctional facilities during the three years prior to the referral; or 
• Emergency Department Diversion (EDD): Have an active Medicaid benefit and two or more psychiatric crises, i.e., inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations or outpatient psychiatric crisis that meets inpatient psychiatric criteria, and 15 or more total ED visits during the three years prior to the referral; and 

● Not be dually enrolled or receiving home and community-based services by any other means, including enrollment in Community Living Assistance and Support Services, Deaf Blind with Multiple Disabilities, Home and Community-based Services Waiver, Texas Home Living Waiver, Youth Empowerment Services, or STAR+PLUS Waiver. If determined eligible for the program, the individual will be placed on pending enrollment status until the individual makes an informed decision about which program is desired. 

Clinical Needs-Based Eligibility 

Clinical needs-based eligibility shall be determined as part of an independent evaluation of the individual. HHSC has identified the ANSA as the standardized assessment tool to determine clinical eligibility. 

Financial Eligibility 

Participants enrolled in the program must meet Medicaid eligibility requirements in accordance with an income level less than or equal to 150 percent of the federal poverty level and be eligible for an accepted Medicaid type under the program. Only Medicaid types that provide full Medicaid coverage and benefits are accepted. 

Individuals residing in a state hospital must be Medicaid eligible but do not have to be actively enrolled with Medicaid to be eligible for the program, whereas individuals residing in the community at the time of enrollment must be actively enrolled with Medicaid to be eligible for the program. 

Individuals residing in a state hospital may qualify for the Social Security Administration (SSA) Pre-Release Application process 

 Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, Rockwall, and Tarrant counties