The Department of Health (DOH) Children and Youth Evaluation Services (C-YES)



Important Updates!

On January 1, 2026, the New York State Department of Health took over the role of the Children and Youth Evaluation Services (C-YES)

  • As of January 1, 2026, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) or the Office of Mental Health (OMH) will determine if children/youth who do not have Medicaid are qualified for Children's Waiver Home and Community Based Services (HCBS).
    • DOH/OMH will only support children/youth without Medicaid through the process of determining if the child/youth qualifies for HCBS and applying for Medicaid.
    • Children/youth who already have Medicaid who may qualify for HCBS will be sent to a Health Home to complete the process of determining if the child/youth qualifies for HCBS.
  • Starting April 1, 2026, all Children's Waiver participants will receive care coordination through the Health Home program or a qualified individual identified by the state.

What Is DOH C-YES?

The New York State Department of Health's (DOH) Children and Youth Evaluation Service (C-YES) is a statewide service, in which qualified individuals identified by the state determine whether a child/youth (under the age of 21), who does not already have Medicaid, is eligible for Children's Waiver Home and Community Based Services (HCBS).

Click here to make a referral or learn more

DOH C-YES:

  • Helps determine if a child or youth under the age of 21 (without Medicaid) is qualified for Children's HCBS through the Children's Waiver
  • Works directly with families, children, and youth, to understand their needs.
  • Supports families in applying for Medicaid.
  • Explains available services and supports.
  • Connects your family to a Health Home of your choice for ongoing support, care coordination, and to help you connect with HCBS providers.
  • Provides care coordination for children/youth who choose to opt-out of Health Home

What Are Children's Waiver Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS)?

Children's Waiver Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) are Medicaid services that help children and youth with serious health, behavioral, or developmental needs. These services are only for children/youth who might go to a hospital, nursing home, or other placement OR who are in a hospital, nursing home, or other placement to help them return to their home and community. HCBS are support services that help add to other treatment and services the child/youth is already getting.

These services help children/youth:

  • Get support at home
  • Get support in their community
  • Stay out of a hospital, nursing home, or other care facility when possible.

HCBS support children/youth to:

  • Remain safe at home and in their communities
  • Avoid unnecessary hospital stays or spending time in out of home placements
  • Help children safely return home after being in a hospital or other setting.
  • Build skills and supports so children can succeed in daily life based on their needs and goals

HCBS supports include:

  • Teaching children/youth daily living skills such as getting dressed, following routines, using coping skills).
  • Giving families and caregivers a planned break from providing support (Respite Services).
  • Teaching families and caregivers how to support their child at home and in the community.

The services a child gets will depend on the needs of the child and what HCBS services they qualify for. For further information on HCBS please see the HCBS Brochure

If you are not sure whether your child may qualify, you can still:

  • Submit a referral (See DOH C-YES Referrals below
  • Contact DOH C-YES to talk about your child's needs

What types of children/youth can get HCBS?

To be eligible for HCBS, the child/youth’s condition(s) must be severe enough, in which they are at imminent risk of going to a hospital, nursing home, or other placement OR due to their condition(s) they are currently in a hospital, nursing home, or other placement and planning to return to the community.

A child/youth is appropriate for HCBS if they meet the following conditions:

  • Are under the age of 21
  • Are enrolled or eligible to enroll in Medicaid.
    • Some children may be eligible for Medicaid if they are eligible for HCBS
    • DOH C-YES/OMH staff are only able to support children and youth through qualifying for HCBS services if they do not already have Medicaid.
  • Are medically fragile or have complex medical conditions that are long-term, life threatening, or require specialized medical needs
    • If the child/youth has a Developmental Disability, the child/youth must be deemed eligible for OPWDD services, and have a complex medical condition that places them at risk of going to a hospital, nursing home, our other out of home placement. Refer toOffice of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) for Developmental Disabilities Supports.
  • Have mental health concerns such as behavioral concerns, mental health diagnosis/condition, Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED), and/or in mental health treatment.

DOH C-YES can accept referrals from many people, including:

  • Parents or caregivers
  • Other family members
  • Legal guardians
  • Doctors and nurses
  • Therapists
  • School staff (such as school counselors)
  • Community-based organizations (CBO's)
  • Other providers that provide support to the child and family.

If your child or youth is not qualified for HCBS, this does not mean that support is not available. New York State offers many other programs and services that may meet your needs. You can explore other options here: Resources for Children/Youth Who Do Not Qualify for HCBS.

DOH C-YES Referrals

Use the options below to start a C-YES referral for the child or youth.

  • Start an online referral: Online C-YES Referral Form
  • Download a fillable C-YES referral form that you can complete and return by email or mail to the addresses listed on the referral form. (coming soon)
  • Call the DOH C-YES program at: 1-833-861-4467
  • Send an email to DOH C-YES: CYESConnect@health.ny.gov
  1. Submit a Referral/Contact DOH C-YES
    • You or someone supporting your family (such as a provider or school staff) can submit a referral to C-YES using one of the options above.
    • If at any time, it is discovered that the child/youth have active Medicaid, DOH C-YES staff will explain the process on how to choose a Health Home.
    • If at any time, it is discovered that the child/youth was recently disenrolled from a Health Home, DOH C-YES staff will work with the Health Home to see if the child/youth qualifies for HCBS.
  2. DOH C-YES Contacts You (Referral Review)
    • After reviewing the referral, a DOH C-YES staff member will contact you to confirm basic information and learn more about your child/youth's needs.
    • DOH staff will provide you with information about HCBS and Health Home Care Management.
    • DOH C-YES staff will explain the next steps and answer your questions, so you understand each step in the process.
    • Referrals for children/youth who have a mental health condition (e.g. behavioral concerns, mental health diagnosis/condition, Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) will be supported by the Office of Mental Health (OMH).
  3. Collect Information About the Child/Youth (Basic Screening Questions)
    DOH C-YES staff will:
    • Ask questions to further understand the need of the child/youth.
    • Tell you what documents will be needed, if found to be appropriate to move to the next step.
  4. Complete the HCBS Eligibility Determination (HCBS Assessment)
    • DOH C-YES staff will ask program-specific questions about your child/youth and review any required documents that you provided to determine if they are eligible for HCBS.
  5. Results of the HCBS Eligibility Determination
    DOH C-YES will:
    • Contact you to tell you if your child/youth is or is not qualified for HCBS.
    • Discuss next steps and answer any of your questions
  6. Apply for Medicaid
    DOH C-YES staff will:
    • Explain the process on how to apply for Medicaid.
    • Confirm your email/mailing address to send the Medicaid application to you to complete.
    • Provide you information on how to contact your local Department of Social Services (LDSS) to begin the Medicaid application process.
  7. Planning and Connecting to Services
    • DOH C-YES will notify the family if your child/youth qualifies for HCBS.
      • If your child/youth IS qualified for HCBS, and is approved for Medicaid, C-YES will help your family review your options for ongoing care coordination.
      • If your child/youth is NOT qualified for HCBS: and you do not agree with this decision you can ask for fair hearing.
      • If your child/youth is NOT qualified for HCBS or not approved for Medicaid, C-YES will provide you with resources that may be available to you to help meet your needs (see Resources for Children/Youth Who Do Not Qualify for HCBS section below).

If your child or youth is not qualified for HCBS, this does not mean that support is not available. New York State offers many other programs and services that may meet your needs. You can explore other options here:
Other Services for Children, Youth, and Families may include:

  • Local mental health and behavioral health services
  • County Single Point of Access (C-SPOA)
  • Developmental disability services
  • Early Intervention services
  • Other community supports

What are Children's Single Point of Access (C-SPOA)?
Each county offers a C-SPOA to help families connect with:

  • Mental health programs
  • Therapy and counseling
  • Care coordination
  • Community supports

You can search by search by county for your local Children's SPOA Coordinator

Local Department of Social Services (LDSS) may offer:

  • Financial support.
  • Preventive services
  • Housing assistance
  • Other benefits

You can search by county for your local LDSS

Developmental Disabilities Supports: Office of People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) can help with:

  • Qualifying for services for children and youth with developmental disabilities.

Other helpful resources can be found here.

Contact DOH C-YES
If you have questions about Children's HCBS, C-YES services, or the C-YES referral process, you can contact: