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Other DADS resources
24-hour residential services
While some people want to stay in their own homes, others may want or need to live in a place where they can get 24-hour help. These places are called residential settings.
They include:
- Assisted living facilities
- Community intermediate care facilities for persons with mental retardation (ICF/MRs)
- Home and Community-based Services (HCS) residential services
- Nursing homes
- State supported living centers
Each one of these is explained below.
Assisted living
Do you want to live where someone can help you bathe or get dressed? A place where someone helps you with your medicine? A place where someone can check on your health? A place where you can be with others, but still have your own space?
About assisted living
If you move into an assisted living facility, you will usually have your own room or apartment. You can bring your things with you to make it feel like home. You will eat with others.
Residents usually pay monthly rent as well as additional fees for services. The typical cost of living in an assisted living facility in Texas ranges from $29,751 to $36,090 a year (Genworth Financial). Your cost will depend on where you live and what kind of help you need.
Two DADS programs — Community Based Alternatives (CBA) and Deaf Blind with Multiple Disabilities (DBMD) — pay for assisted living. Not all facilities offer CBA and DBMD services.
Facilities must be licensed. DBMD assisted living facilities must be licensed as a type A or type B small facility and can't exceed six beds. DADS inspects each facility once a year. The agency also looks into complaints against facilities.
Where to call to receive DADS services and supports
For DBMD services, please call the interest list number at 1-888-438-5658 or the DBMD policy specialist at 512-438-2622.
To learn more
Fact sheets about DADS programs that offer assisted living services:
Other resources
- 211 Texas can provide information about local, state or federal services.
- Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) — The ADRCs provide information about and help with state and federal benefits. They can also help you learn about local programs and services. Anyone — individuals, family members, friends or professionals — can receive information tailored to their needs.
- Assisted Living Facility Resident's Bill of Rights (PDF) outlines your rights as an assisted living facility resident.
- DADS Consumer Rights and Services can answer questions about DADS services. You also can make a complaint with them.
- Checklist from the Assisted Living Federation of America offers a list of things to consider when choosing an assisted living facility.
- Medicaid Estate Recovery Program — The state may file a claim against the estate of a deceased Medicaid recipient, age 55 and older, who applied for certain long-term care services on or after March 1, 2005. Claims include the cost of services, hospital care and prescription drugs supported by Medicaid under certain programs.
- Searchable list of Texas assisted living facilities allows you to search for an assisted living facility in Texas by city, county, area code or ZIP code.
- State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program provides volunteers who help residents receive respectful and competent care.
- Yourtexasbenefits.com — This website offers you easy and secure online access to Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) benefits including Medicaid, SNAP food benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and nursing home care and other services for people who are elderly or have disabilities.
Home and Community-based Services (HCS)
Do you have an intellectual or developmental disability? Do you want to live in your community? Do you need 24-hour assistance? Do you want to learn skills? Do you need therapy?
About HCS residential
In HCS, up to four people with intellectual or developmental disabilities live in a home-like place.
You will help plan the types of assistance you get. This plan will be looked at once a year to see if it still works for you. Changes can be made as needed.
You will have help with managing things, such as:
- Taking medicine
- Dressing, cooking or bathing
- Managing your behaviors
Where to call to receive DADS services and supports
To learn more
Fact sheets about DADS programs that offer HCS services:
Other resources
- 211 Texas can provide information about local, state or federal services.
- Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) — The ADRCs provide information about and help with state and federal benefits. They can also help you learn about local programs and services. Anyone — individuals, family members, friends or professionals — can receive information tailored to their needs.
- Consumer Rights and Services website includes information about how to obtain program information and how to make complaints.
- Explanation of IDD Services and Supports (PDF) includes brief descriptions of DADS intellectual and developmental disability services and supports.
- Know Your Options (PDF) discusses the DADS Money Follows the Person (MFP) initiative that allows certain Texans who are eligible for Medicaid and living in nursing facilities to choose an appropriate community setting and receive community services and supports.
- Making Informed Choices: Community Living Options Information Process (PDF) — MRA staff can use this document to help explain options in the community to residents of state supported living centers.
- Making Informed Choices: Community Living Options Information Process for Legally Authorized Representatives of Residents in State Schools (PDF) — MRA staff can use to help explain options in the community to legally authorized representatives of state supported living center residents.
- Medicaid Estate Recovery Program — The state may file a claim against the estate of a deceased Medicaid recipient, age 55 and older, who applied for certain long-term care services on or after March 1, 2005. Claims include the cost of services, hospital care and prescription drugs supported by Medicaid under certain programs.
- Questions to ask providers is a checklist to help you compare various providers of HCS services.
- Searchable list of HCS providers lets you search for providers by county or ZIP code.
- Special Olympics Texas — This organization provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. For additional information, please visit their website or call 1-800-876-JOIN.
- Your Rights in the HCS Program (PDF in English) outlines the rights and privileges you have if you are receiving HCS services.
- Yourtexasbenefits.com — This website offers you easy and secure online access to Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) benefits including Medicaid, SNAP food benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and nursing home care and other services for people who are elderly or have disabilities.
Community ICF/MRs
Do you have an intellectual or developmental disability? Do you want to live in your community? Do you need 24-hour services and supports? Do you want to learn skills? Do you need therapy?
About community ICF/MRs
You have choices about where to live. You can live in a home with a few other people. You can live in a larger facility that houses 200 people or more. At both, staff are on site 24-hours a day.
You will help plan the types of services and supports you get. This plan will be looked at once a year to see if it still works for you. Changes can be made as needed.
You will have help with managing things, such as:
- Taking medicine
- Dressing, cooking or bathing
- Managing your behaviors
DADS certifies ICF/MRs. The agency inspects each facility once a year. The state looks into complaints against facilities.
Where to call to receive DADS services and supports
To learn more
Fact sheets about DADS programs that offer ICF/MR services:
Other resources
- 211 Texas can provide information about local, state or federal services.
- Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) — The ADRCs provide information about and help with state and federal benefits. They can also help you learn about local programs and services. Anyone — individuals, family members, friends or professionals — can receive information tailored to their needs.
- DADS Consumer Rights and Services can answer questions about DADS services. You also can make a complaint with them.
- Explanation of IDD Services and Supports (PDF) includes brief descriptions of DADS intellectual and developmental disability services and supports.
- Find an ICF/MR and search for vacancies allows you to search for vacancies in an ICF/MR by county, city or MR authority.
- Know Your Options (PDF) discusses the DADS Money Follows the Person (MFP) initiative that allows certain Texans who are eligible for Medicaid and living in nursing facilities to choose an appropriate community setting and receive community services and supports.
- Making Informed Choices: Community Living Options Information Process (PDF) — MRA staff can use this document to help explain options in the community to residents of state supported living centers.
- Making Informed Choices: Community Living Options Information Process for Legally Authorized Representatives of Residents in State Schools (PDF) — MRA staff can use to help explain options in the community to legally authorized representatives of state supported living center residents.
- Medicaid Estate Recovery Program — The state may file a claim against the estate of a deceased Medicaid recipient, age 55 and older, who applied for certain long-term care services on or after March 1, 2005. Claims include the cost of services, hospital care and prescription drugs supported by Medicaid under certain programs.
- Questions to ask providers (PDF) is a checklist to help you compare providers.
- Searchable list of Texas ICF/MRs allows you to search for an ICF/MR in Texas by city, county, area code or ZIP code.
- Special Olympics Texas — This organization provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. For additional information, please visit their website or call 1-800-876-JOIN.
- Your Rights in an ICF/MR (PDF) outlines the rights and privileges you have if you are receiving ICF/MR services.
- Yourtexasbenefits.com — This website offers you easy and secure online access to Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) benefits including Medicaid, SNAP food benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and nursing home care and other services for people who are elderly or have disabilities.
Nursing home
Do you have needs that keep you from living independently? Do you need 24-hour nursing or medical care? Do you need rehabilitative services?
About nursing homes
If your doctor says you need full-time care from a nurse, a nursing home may be right for you.
The cost of a nursing home in Texas ranges from $52,590 to $67,624 a year (Genworth Financial). The final cost depends on where you live and the services you get. If you don't have much money or other resources, Medicaid may pay for a nursing home. You can talk to a DADS worker about Medicaid.
Many people think that if they live in a nursing home, Medicare will pay the bill. That's not always true. Medicare pays for nursing homes only under certain conditions and usually for a short time.
DADS licenses and certifies nursing homes. The agency inspects each facility once a year. The state also looks into complaints against nursing homes.
Where to call to receive DADS services and supports
To learn more
Fact sheets about DADS programs that offer nursing facility services:
Other resources
- 211 Texas can provide information about local, state or federal services.
- Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) — The ADRCs provide information about and help with state and federal benefits. They can also help you learn about local programs and services. Anyone — individuals, family members, friends or professionals — can receive information tailored to their needs.
- Choosing a nursing home includes resources to help you choose a nursing home.
- DADS Consumer Rights and Services can answer questions about DADS services. You also can make a complaint with them.
- Medicaid Estate Recovery Program — The state may file a claim against the estate of a deceased Medicaid recipient, age 55 and older, who applied for certain long-term care services on or after March 1, 2005. Claims include the cost of services, hospital care and prescription drugs supported by Medicaid under certain programs.
- Searchable list of Texas nursing facilities lets you search for a Texas nursing facility by county, city, area code or ZIP code.
- State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program provides volunteers who help residents receive respectful and competent care.
- Yourtexasbenefits.com — This website offers you easy and secure online access to Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) benefits including Medicaid, SNAP food benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and nursing home care and other services for people who are elderly or have disabilities.
State supported living centers
Do you have an intellectual or developmental disability? Do you need 24-hour services and supports? Do you want to learn skills? Do you need therapy? Do you want to live in a state-run location?
About state supported living centers
Texas has 13 state supported living centers. They are in all parts of the state. They specialize in managing medical and behavioral problems.
You will help plan the types of assistance you get. This plan will be looked at once a year to see if it still works for you. Changes can be made as needed. You will have help with managing things, such as:
- Taking medicine
- Dressing, cooking or bathing
- Managing your behaviors
DADS certifies each state supported living center. The agency inspects each state supported living center once a year. The state also looks into complaints.
Where to call to receive DADS services and supports
To learn more
Other resources
- 211 Texas can provide information about local, state or federal services.
- DADS Consumer Rights and Services can answer questions about DADS services. You also can make a complaint with them.
- Explanation of IDD Services and Supports (PDF) includes brief descriptions of DADS intellectual and developmental disability services and supports.
- Find an ICF/MR and search for vacancies allows you to search for vacancies in an ICF/MR by county, city or MR authority.
- Know Your Options (PDF) discusses the DADS Money Follows the Person (MFP) initiative that allows certain Texans who are eligible for Medicaid and living in nursing facilities to choose an appropriate community setting and receive community services and supports.
- Making Informed Choices: Community Living Options Information Process (PDF) — MRA staff can use this document to help explain options in the community to residents of state supported living centers.
- Making Informed Choices: Community Living Options Information Process for Legally Authorized Representatives of Residents in State Schools (PDF) — MRA staff can use to help explain options in the community to legally authorized representatives of state supported living center residents.
- Special Olympics Texas — This organization provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. For additional information, please visit their website or call 1-800-876-JOIN.
- Your Rights in a State Supported Living Center (PDF) outlines the rights and privileges you have if you are receiving state supported living center services.
- Yourtexasbenefits.com — This website offers you easy and secure online access to Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) benefits including Medicaid, SNAP food benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and nursing home care and other services for people who are elderly or have disabilities.
Updated: October 7, 2011