School Health and Related Services (SHARS) allows public school districts to obtain Medicaid reimbursement for related health and personal care services for students in special education. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) shares responsibility for the implementation and administration of the program with the state Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the Texas Medicaid Health Partnership (TMHP), the state Medicaid contractor.

SHARS providers, such as TISD, are reimbursed the federal share of the established district-specific interim rates. Individual district rates will be revised by HHSC as needed based on costs for Texarkana ISD to provide services.

The following four criteria are mandatory for reimbursement:

1. Medicaid eligible and under 21 years of age.
2. Meet the eligibility requirements for special education described in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
3. Have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that prescribes the needed services.
4. Parent Permission to bill Medicaid

The following services have been approved for reimbursement:

1. Psychological Services- Assessment
2. Psychological Services- Treatment
3. Audiology
4. Counseling
5. School Health Services (Nursing)
6. Medical Services
7. Occupational Therapy
8. Physical Therapy
9. Speech Therapy
10. Special Transportation
11. Personal Care Services

Qualified professionals who are either contracted or employed by the school district must provide these services. Also, the school district must be enrolled as a SHARS Medicaid provider in order to bill Medicaid for these services.

Records required for SHARS services that are student specific become part of the student's educational records and must be maintained for seven years as required by Medicaid.