• The School Health and Related Services (SHARS) program allows Texas local educational agencies (LEAs) and shared service arrangements (SSAs) to request reimbursement for Medicaid health-related services. The admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee determines SHARS services. Services must be medically necessary and reasonable to ensure that children with disabilities are able to participate in the educational program.

     

    SHARS reimbursement is available for children who meet all of the following requirements:

     

    • 20 years of age and younger
    • currently eligible for Medicaid
    • enrolled in a public school's special education program
    • meet the requirements for special education described in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
    • current individualized education program (IEP) that prescribes the needed services.

    Services covered by SHARS include:

     

    • Audiology services
    • counseling
    • Nursing services
    • Occupational therapy
    • personal care services
    • Physical therapy
    • Physician services
    • psychological services, including assessments
    • Speech therapy
    • specialized transportation as defined by the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)

    LEAs and SAAs must obtain parental consent before releasing a child's personally identifiable information for billing purposes to a public benefits or insurance program for the first time.  Minimally, it must include the following:

     

    1. A statement of the parental consent to access public benefits  that

    • specifies the personally identifiable information that may be disclosed (e.g., records or information about the services),
    • describes the purpose of the disclosure (e.g., billing for specific IEP services), and
    • identifies the agency to which the disclosure may be made (e.g., Medicaid).

    2. A statement indicating that the parent understands and agrees that the public agency may access the child’s or parent’s public benefits or insurance to pay for specific services identified in the child's IEP.