713-970-7000

Children and Adolescent Services (CAS) are behavioral health services available to youth ages 3-17 that reside in Harris County. Referrals for CAS come through The Harris Center CAS Eligibility Center, Juvenile Justice Programs, and local Independent School Districts (ISDs). Services may be provided in the home, school, or community. Services are coordinated by a lead Care Coordinator and include a wide range of approaches, interventions, and treatments to best support the child's individual needs. 

Services:

• Mental health assessments
• Skills training
• Case management
• Medication education and management
• Counseling
• Crisis Management
• Certified Family Partner support (serves as connection between family and agency)

In addition to the Community Service Centers, The Harris Center offers additional Co-Location Clinics that serve as additional sites in the Harris County Area where youth can access services. To receive services at one of the Co-Location sites, youth must be referred by The Harris Center CAS Eligibility Center, Juvenile Justice Programs, and/or local Independent School Districts (ISDs). For eligible individuals, services will be provided at one of the following co-locations: Alief Clinic, Magnolia Clinic, Pasadena Clinic, Spring Branch Clinic, or Northeast Clinic. Services at each co-location are coordinated by a lead Care Coordinator and include a wide range of approaches, interventions, and treatments to best support the child's individual needs. 

Services:

• Mental health assessments
• Psychiatric assessments
• Skills training
• Case management
• Medication education and management
• Counseling
• Crisis Management
• Certified Family Partner support 

Children's community outreach programs take place in the community and allow families to interact with local vendors that provide healthcare, resource, parent trainings, behavioral health, and IDD services. Community outreach programs and presentations may be found at local community events or school functions in partnership with local Independent School Districts. 

Services:

• Linkage with community resources

Community Unit Probation Services (CUPS) is a Juvenile Justice program that provides supervision and rehabilitative services for youth ages 10-17 located throughout Harris County that have been involved with the criminal justice system. The multi-disciplinary team may consist of a case worker, nurse, doctor, Juvenile Probation Officer, certified family partners, and/or the parents of the minor. The goal of the CUPS program is to provide rehabilitative and supervisory services to 

Services:

• Probationary and parole supervision
• Linkage to community resources
• Therapy services
• Certified Family Partner support

The Harris Center provides Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) services for children up to age 3 with developmental delays, disabilities, or certain medical diagnoses that affect development. ECI provides support and coaching to families to help their child learn and grow. Referrals for ECI services are accepted through parents, doctors, social services agencies, DFPS, schools, and other community referral services.

ECI is a statewide program under the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. 

Services:

• Early intervention services for children under the age of 3
• Case management
• Service coordination

The Eligibility Center at The Harris Center provides assessments, treatment plans, and referrals for children and adolescents ages 3-17 that live in Harris County. The Eligibility Center strives to educate youth and families on recognizing and managing behavioral health symptoms and supporting an increased awareness of behavioral health through the coordination of agency and community resources.

Services:

• Psychiatric assessment
• Psychological assessment
• Skills training
• Case management
• Referrals to inpatient and/or outpatient services
• Family Partner support
• Crisis management
• Parent and child skills training

Our approach to treatment, known as Multisystemic Therapy (MST), is built on understanding the causes of serious antisocial behavior and how families and their environments influence each other. We view personal development as a dynamic interaction between individuals and their surroundings, including family and community.

Our MST services are geared towards families with adolescents aged 12-17 who are at risk of being placed outside the home, such as in foster care or correctional facilities. These adolescents may have been involved in specific criminal offenses, displayed physical or verbal aggression, or exhibited other significant behavioral issues.

Overview

Behavioral illness can affect people of any age, including children. It can make life at school, home and in the community difficult for your child, but it can also challenge you as a parent. It’s important for you to know that The Harris Center is here to help you. The Harris Center offers a wide array of services at three locations in the Greater Houston Area:

• Southwest Community Service Center
  9401 Southwest Freeway, Houston
• Southeast Community Service Center
  5901 Long Drive, Houston
• Airline Children and Adolescent Services/YES Waiver
  6032 Airline Drive
• Northeast Youth and Family Wellness Center
  7200 N Loop East

Eligibility

• Child or adolescent ages 3-17
• Harris County resident
• May be referred through Children and Adolescents Services (CAS) eligibility center or local school ISD

Services

• Behavioral health assessment
• Medication-related services
• Routine case management
• Intensive case management
• Parent and child behavior-management skills training
• Counseling (Cognitive Behavior Therapy)
• Parent partners (peer support for parents)
• Crisis management
• Adaptive Aids & Supports
• Community Living Supports
• Family Supports
• Non-Medical Transportation
• Paraprofessional Services
• Therapy
• Supportive Family Based Alternatives
• Transitional Services

Peer Services is comprised of Behavioral Health Peer Specialists and Certified Family Partners. The program provides nonclinical recovery focused supportive serves and groups to our Adult Mental Health (AMH) and Children and Adolescent Services (CAS) mental health clinics and programs. Peer Services also facilitates recovery training for New Employee Orientation (NEO) with The Harris Center.

• Operates in conjunction with the MH clinics and YES Waiver
• Referrals come from the MH clinic to our program by using the Peer services referral email link
• Peer Services is a voluntary service however must be on the plan of care
• Services provided in the community, in the home and the clinic

Supporting Mental Health Resiliency in Texans is a prevention program for youth. The goal is to empower youth with life skills and opportunities to reach their full potential and cope with life’s challenges through prevention.

Services:

• Skills Building
• Problem Solving
• Conflict Resolution
• Healthy Parenting
• Caregiver Training
• Daily Living Skill Building
• Healthy Lifestyle Promotion
• Peer support Groups
• Parent Education Groups
• Education on Mental Health and Communication Devices and Apps

The Harris Center provides comprehensive substance use recovery services for adolescents ages 13-17 who have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. This integrated treatment approach is designed to treat both substance use and mental health disorders in adolescents. Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors (LCDCs) at The Harris Center are trained and licensed to provide both individual and group therapy to support adolescents with substance abuse disorders.

Services:

• Screening and assessments
• Case management
• Substance use treatment

Texas Family First Prevention Services is a program that utilizes evidence-based practices including Multisystemic Therapy (ages 12-17) or High-Fidelity Wraparound (ages 0-17) to aid in strengthening families so children can safely remain with their parents and caregivers. Referrals are received through Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and services are provided to the family in the community and/or home.

Services:

• Multisystemic Therapy (MST) - a community-based, family-driven treatment for antisocial/delinquent behavior in youth with a highly structured clinical supervision and quality assurance process. MST focuses on empowering caregivers/parents to solve current and future problems. The MST client is the entire ecology of the youth - family, peers, school, and neighborhood.
• High Fidelity Wraparound - a strength-based approach, which focuses on the strengths and resilience of each family rather than their deficits. This approach highlights what is already working well within the family, helping each member to see their own value and potential. By building on these strengths, families experience positive changes in how they see themselves, communicate, and interact with one another, leading to improved outcomes for everyone involved.

The YES (Youth Empowerment Services) Waiver is a 1915(c) Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver that allows for more flexibility in the funding of intensive community-based services to assist children and adolescents with severe emotional disturbances to live in the community with their families.

YES Waiver services are provided in combination with services available through the Medicaid State Plan, other federal, state, and local programs the individual may qualify for, and the natural supports that families and communities provide.

Who is eligible for YES Waiver services?
To participate in the YES Waiver, the child or adolescent must meet the following criteria:

• Demographic Criteria
  • Be between 3-18 years of age;
  • Reside in Harris County; and
  • Reside in a non-institutional setting with the child’s or adolescent’s Legally Authorized Representative or in the child’s or adolescent’s own home or apartment, if legally emancipated.
• Clinical Criteria:
  Serious functional impairment or acute severe psychiatric symptoms, as indicated by:
  • Risk of Self-Harm
  • Disruptive or Aggressive Behavior
  • Family Resources
  • School Behavior
  • Current Diagnosis
  • There is a reasonable expectation that without YES Waiver services, the child or adolescent would qualify for inpatient care.
• Financial Criteria:
  A child or adolescent must be eligible for Medicaid.
  • For current Medicaid recipients - you may already meet financial requirements for the YES Waiver or additional information may be required. 
  • For non-current Medicaid recipients, you may qualify to receive Medicaid through the YES Waiver (Special Waiver Income Group).

Financial eligibility is based on standards to determine eligibility for Medicaid in institutions and parental income is not counted. All YES Waiver participants will also receive benefits to access all Medicaid State Plan Services that are medically necessary.

To obtain more information or to register on the Inquiry List, call (713) 970-7212.

Wait List
The amount of time you may have to wait to see if you are eligible will depend on whether there is a YES Waiver spot currently available and the date you were registered on the Interest List. When a spot is available, the Local Behavioral Health Authority will contact you by phone and in writing notifying you of an available spot and to schedule an appointment to begin the eligibility determination process. You may continue to receive other services that you qualify for while on the YES Waiver Inquiry List.

Services:

• Adaptive Aids and Supports
• Community Living Supports
• Family Supports
• Minor Home Modifications
• Non-Medical Transportation
• Paraprofessional Services
• Therapy
• Respite Services
• Supportive Family Based Alternatives
• Transitional Services