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By The Numbers

The data below provides a snapshot of the state’s population of people with I/DD and older Americans, Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waitlists, and the collective impact of the BADN collaboration.

State Disability Prevalence Date

Est Total State Disability Population (%): 
12.7%

Est Total State Disability Population (#):   
3,818,500

Est State Prevalence of Developmental Disabilities (%): 

6.20%

State Waiting Lists for Medicaid HCBS

Number of People with IDD on Medicaid HCBS Waitlist:
328,593

Number of People with Autism on Medicaid HCBS Waitlist:
N/A

Number of People who are Seniors and/or have Physical Disabilities on Medicaid HCBS Waitlist:
10,522

Total Number of People in State on Medicaid HCBS Waitlist:
181,697

State Aging & Disability Network

Number of Area Agencies on Aging/Aging & Disability Resource Centers: 
28

Number of Centers for Independent Living: 
15

Number of Developmental Disability Regions: 
39

CITATION FOR COLUMN 1 DATA: The percentage of non-institutionalized males or females with any disability (all ages; 65+), cognitive disability (all ages; 65+), all races, regardless of ethnicity, across all levels of education in the United States. American Community Survey, 2023. Click here to view the source.
CITATION FOR COLUMN 1 DATA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Developmental Disability, Estimated Prevalence of Developmental Delay, All States, 2021-22. National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network. Click here to view the source.

CITATION FOR COLUMN 2 DATA: Kaiser Family Foundation. “Number of People Waiting for Medicaid Home Care (HCBS), by Target Population and Whether States Screen for Eligibility, 2024”. Click here to view the source.

*Not all state data is available or is N/A

Projects

The Bridging Aging and Disability Networks in Texas initiative continues to lead the way in fostering collaboration, advancing training, and enhancing services for older adults and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

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Goal 1

The Bridging Aging and Disability Networks in Texas initiative continues to lead the way in fostering collaboration, advancing training, and enhancing services for older adults and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Highlights/Milestones Achieved

Through strategic planning, cross-sector engagement, and a strong focus on innovation, the initiative has achieved several key milestones:  

Training & Education 

    • Expanded Access to Cross-Training: Promoted educational training opportunities on how to best support a person with dementia and I/DD across statewide networks.  
    • Statewide Needs Assessment: Conducted a survey to identify current training resources, priorities, and gaps. The results will guide cross-training within aging and disability networks. 

Strategic Planning & Alignment of State Goals

    • Disability Informed Long Term Planning: Incorporated disability-specific considerations into major statewide assessments and strategic planning documents such as the State Plan on Aging and the Multi-Sector Plan on Aging.  
    • Enhanced Data Collection: Collaborated with Area Agencies on Aging to include IDD-specific questions within the recent survey for the State Plan on Aging, improving the visibility of this population in aging-related data.  

Cross-Sector Collaboration 

    • Fostered Stronger Interagency Partnerships: Reinvigorated partnerships with representatives in the Department of State Health Services and the Texas Department of Emergency Management.
      Strengthened relationships between disability and aging networks, enabling more coordinated efforts in policy, training, and service delivery. 
    • Engaged Academic Partners for Insight: Leveraged university students to analyze caregiver trends, contributing data-driven insights to inform programming.

Data and Research Initiatives  

    • Explored Respite Service Strategies: Investigated community-based approaches for respite care to better serve older adults with I/DD and their caregivers.

Building on Project Efforts – Planned Activities 

    • Focus on After Action Emergency Support: Partnering with the Department of State Health Services Medical Reserve Corps and Texas Department of Emergency Management to enhance emergency response training tailored for older adults with I/DD and improve volunteer readiness. 
    • Development of Clinical Social Stories: Creating trauma-informed social stories to help people with I/DD better navigate post-disaster impacts. 
    • Cross Network Competencies: Planning training for local Areas on Aging and Intellectual Disability Authorities to amplify support to people with I/DD as they age.    
    • Upcoming Engagements: Preparing for participation in the Aging and Disability Resource Centers Conference and updating respite-related materials.

State Co-Leads

Clair Benitez

Director of the Office of Disability Services Coordination

Texas Health and Human Services Commission

 

Sara Damiano

Director of the Office of Aging Services Coordination

Texas Health and Human Services Commission

 

Chelsea Couch

Aging Texas Well Coordinator

Office of Aging Services Coordination, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

Michelle Principe

Strategic Initiatives Coordinator

Office of Disability Services Coordination, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

 

Claire Irwin

Program Specialist

Office of Aging Services Coordination, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

 

Dr. Beth Stalvey

Executive Director

Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities

State Alliance Teams

Melanie Wright

Grant Specialist

Office of Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

 

Brooke Hohfeld

Texas Advocate

 

Sean Jackson

Disability Rights Texas

 

Sabrina Gonzalez Saucedo

ARC of Texas

 

Dr. June Sadowsky

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

 

Jacob Ulczynski

Alamo Area Council of Governments

 

Andrew Crocker

Texas AgriLife Extension

Deborah Wallace

Texas Advocate

 

Ginger Mayeaux Classen

Texas Advocate

 

Linda Litzinger

Texas Parent to Parent

 

Ron Lucey

Executive Director

Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities

 

Clifford Herberg

Alamo Area Council of Governments

 

Leonardo Jimenez Romero

Alamo Area Council of Governments

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