WAIVER PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES OR SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS

(b) In this section, "permanency planning" means a philosophy and planning process designed to achieve family support through the facilitation of a permanent living arrangement that has as its primary feature an enduring and nurturing parental relationship.

(c) In developing and providing services subject to this section, the commission shall:

(1) fully assess a child at the time the child applies for assistance to determine all appropriate services for the child under the medical assistance program, including both waiver and nonwaiver services;

(2) ensure that permanency planning is implemented to identify and establish the family support necessary to maintain a child's permanent living arrangement with a family;

(3) implement a transition and referral process to prevent breaks in services when a child is leaving a medical assistance waiver program or moving between service delivery systems due to a change in the child's disability status or needs, aging out of the current delivery system, or moving between geographic areas within the state;

(4) identify and provide core services addressing a child's developmental needs and the needs of the child's family to strengthen and maintain the child's family;

(5) provide for comprehensive coordination and use of available services and resources in a manner that ensures support for families in keeping their children at home;

(6) ensure that eligibility requirements, assessments for service needs, and other components of service delivery are designed to be fair and equitable for all families, including families with parents who work outside the home; and

(7) provide for a broad array of service options and a reasonable choice of service providers.

(d) To ensure that services subject to this section are cost neutral and not duplicative of other services provided under the medical assistance program, the commission shall coordinate the provision of services subject to this section with services provided under the Texas Health Steps Comprehensive Care Program.

(e) Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1, Sec. 4.465(a)(41), eff. April 2, 2015.

(f) Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1, Sec. 4.465(a)(41), eff. April 2, 2015. Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1012, Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219 ), Sec. 4.127, eff. April 2, 2015. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219 ), Sec. 4.465(a)(41), eff. April 2, 2015.