Family Mental Health Care Fund: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

To serve the families who lost loved ones during the devastating floods in the Hill Country on July 4, 2025, the Meadows Institute is partnering with the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country to manage the Family Mental Health Care Fund. The Fund will provide financial assistance to family members for out-of-pocket mental health care costs and connect families with licensed clinicians to help ensure that their ongoing needs are met. The Fund also offers support to providers who are seeking reimbursement for delivering services pro bono to family members who lost loved ones (see the FAQ for providers here).

General Questions About the Fund

What is the Family Mental Health Care Fund at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute?
The Family Mental Health Care Fund helps family members of the 135 people who lost their lives in the July 4, 2025, Hill Country floods access outpatient mental health care to support their recovery from mental health or substance use needs in the aftermath of the floods. Family members whose loved ones died after the floods due to flood-related causes may also access the fund.

The Fund is administered by the Meadows Institute and provides three types of support:

• Reimbursement for family members of out-of-pocket costs (e.g., copays, deductibles, and coinsurance) for routine outpatient behavioral health services provided by licensed mental health professionals
• Reimbursement for licensed behavioral health professionals that provide pro bono routine outpatient behavioral health services
• Navigation supports for family members to help them find and access needed mental health care in Texas through the Meadows Institute’s trauma and grief clinical affiliate, the Lucine Center. For more information, see the Navigation Support FAQs below.

For people with insurance, what out-of-pocket costs and services are covered and reimbursed by the Fund?
The Fund reimburses the following out-of-pocket expenses for routine outpatient mental health services provided by licensed behavioral health professionals that are incurred by family members seeking mental health support related to a flood-related death, including flood-related deaths that occurred after the July 4, 2025, floods. Covered expenses include:

• Copays
• Deductibles
• Coinsurance

What is the time frame for eligible services?
The Fund covers eligible expenses for services received between July 4, 2025, and December 31, 2026. Documentation for reimbursement of services can be submitted through March 31, 2027.

Are there any mental health services that cannot be reimbursed by the Fund?
Yes. The Fund does not cover the following types of services or expenses:

• Costs for routine outpatient behavioral health services that are not covered by insurance
• Medication or medication copays
• More intensive mental health or substance use treatment, such as inpatient hospital care, residential treatment programs, partial hospitalization programs (PHP), intensive outpatient programs (IOP, which are defined as three or more outpatient services per week), or crisis services
• Services not covered by health insurance, such as pastoral counseling or life coaching

What family members can receive supports through the Fund?
The goal is to serve any person who considers the people lost in the floods (including people who were lost in the time period following the floods) to be family. In general, this goes beyond immediate family to include relatives two degrees removed, such as aunts, uncles, grandparents, and grandchildren. In some cases – such as when someone has lost multiple family members or other unique circumstances – it may extend even further, subject to approval by the Fund administrator and the Foundation. In addition, it includes people who may not be biologically or legally related to the person lost, but who have played a family-like role in the person’s life (such as a long-term partner of a parent).

How do people document that they are family members and become eligible for supports through the Fund?
Family members simply need to fill out and sign an attestation that shares basic information about their relationship to a specific person lost in the floods and their contact information. The attestation can be filled out online at this link: https://form.jotform.com/252896677843074

Once the form is submitted, the Meadows Institute will send a confirmation of receipt to the family member by email (or an alternative means of contact if the person does not have email).

Do you reimburse eligible costs for family members who live outside Texas?
Yes. Family members who live outside Texas are fully eligible to receive reimbursement for covered out-of-pocket expenses that meet the Fund’s requirements.

How do family members document the expenses they incurred to be reimbursed?
Family members may document these expenses by submitting an Explanation of Benefits, sometimes called an EOB. Expenses may be documented by providing a copy of the EOB form sent to the family member from their health insurance provider after their insurance provider pays for the service. If the family member has difficulty finding an EOB, the Meadows Institute will help them do so.

Direct reimbursement to family members is limited to out-of-pocket expenses for outpatient behavioral health services that are covered by insurance. If a family member does not have insurance, pro bono care provided by an eligible provider may be reimbursed through direct payments to the provider.

What if your outpatient mental health provider is out of network with your health insurance?
Some health insurance companies will allow people to file their own out-of-network claims. In these cases, the process generally involves obtaining an itemized bill or “super bill” and proof of payment from your provider, completing your health insurance company’s claim form, and submitting both the form and supporting documents either online or by mail. Claim forms are typically available on your insurer’s website or can be requested by phone. After the claim is submitted, the insurance company will review it, issue any reimbursement that is covered under your plan, and provide an EOB that describes what was covered and what was not covered.

Because the specific steps and requirements vary across insurance companies, you should consult directly with your health insurance company for guidance. The Fund will reimburse reasonable costs for care that are not covered by your insurance company on a case-by-case basis.

Does the Fund act as health insurance or secondary insurance?
No. The Fund provides qualified disaster relief payments only, and the Meadows Institute’s role is limited to the administration of the Fund. Neither the Foundation nor the Fund Administrator provides insurance coverage or process claims on behalf of a family member’s insurance.

Will exceptions be made for family members or services not clearly covered under the criteria?
For family members or services that do not clearly meet the outlined criteria, the Fund has established an exception review policy. In such cases, the Fund Administrator will consult with the Foundation to review and determine approval on a case-by-case basis. If you have questions about potential exceptions, please contact the Meadows Institute at: (469) 436-2371.

Meadows Institute staff are available during weekday and non-holiday business hours to assist family members. Calls made after hours will go to voicemail and will generally be returned on the next business day.

What is an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) form?
An Explanation of Benefits (EOB) form is a statement sent to you by your health insurance company after you receive medical services. It is not a bill, but rather a summary of how your insurance processed a claim. If you have questions about how to obtain an EOB, the Meadows Institute can help you.

How can I obtain my EOBs?
There are several ways to obtain an EOB, including:

• Online through a health insurance portal: Most insurance companies have secure member websites where you can view and download recent EOBs and search by date or provider.
• By mail: Many insurers will mail printed EOBs after each claim is processed.
• By calling your insurance provider: You may request copies of an EOB over the phone by contacting the customer service number on your insurance card.

If you have difficulties finding your EOB, the Meadows Institute can help you.

Will I receive a 1099 or have to pay taxes on these payments?
No. These are qualified disaster relief payments and are not subject to taxation or 1099 reporting.

How do I submit EOBs to the Meadows Institute?
You can submit your EOBs here: https://form.jotform.com/252924398743166. If you do not have online access, please call the Meadows Institute at (469) 436-2371 for assistance.

What about outpatient mental health providers providing pro bono or free-of-charge outpatient services?
Licensed behavioral health professionals who are eligible to bill independently for routine mental health services are eligible for reimbursement if they provided services free of charge. Non-licensed providers, including interns or other trainees needing supervision, as well as non-clinical counselors or life coaches are not eligible for reimbursement.

To learn more about reimbursement for licensed behavioral health professionals, please see the FAQ for providers here.

Navigation Support FAQs

What navigation support is available?
Navigation supports are available to help family members find mental health or substance use services if they do not currently have a provider, are having trouble locating the right type of services, or do not have insurance. These navigation supports are provided through the Meadows Institute’s trauma and grief clinical affiliate, the Lucine Center.

The Lucine Center has established relationships with trusted behavioral health providers and organizations across Texas. For bereaved family members who are unsure where to turn for care, Lucine Center staff will help identify providers who offer trauma- and grief-informed treatment that meets their specific needs and available insurance coverage. These navigation supports are provided free of charge to family members of people lost in the floods.

How do I receive navigation support?
Once a family member is enrolled in the Fund, they can access navigation support by contacting the Lucine Center’s navigation support coordinator at (832) 244-9502.

Lucine Center staff are available during weekday business hours to assist family members seeking help finding care. Calls made after hours will go to voicemail and will be returned on the next business day.

Once the navigation support coordinator is contacted, the coordinator and a Lucine Center clinician will assist the family member by offering personalized care navigation and coordination to help find the most appropriate trauma- and grief-informed services based on the family member’s specific needs.

Questions Not Covered Above

If you have questions that were not answered above or if you need any information about the Fund, please contact the Meadows Institute at: (469) 436-2371.