Home Assistant is an open source home automation system that allows users to control Internet of Things devices like smart bulbs, smart switches and sensors. To receive alerts from Home Assistant via Twilio SMS, users need a Twilio account, a working Home Assistant installation with some sensors connected, Linux familiarity, and enough comfort editing configuration files. Users can set up their Twilio credentials, create a helper script to send SMS messages, add numbers to the Home Assistant secrets file, and define a custom shell command service to call the helper script. This allows users to automate sending SMS alerts when certain conditions are met, such as when water is detected on a sensor, providing an added layer of convenience and notification for home automation tasks.