Moving to Texas

Are you moving to Texas or thinking about it? Welcome!

If you have a child with a disability or special health care needs, you probably have many questions about what to expect. You may want to know about your insurance, medical care, services, school, equipment and more.

Change is hard, especially a big move, and every state is different. Not all types of services are available in every state. We’ve talked to other parents and have some advice to help you prepare.

Making Connections

Parents of children with disabilities or special health care needs often say how much it helps them to find parents like them. Sometimes they find other parents in person, but in a big state like Texas, there are other ways to feel less alone. Online groups can also connect parents with other parents.

Other parents might have tips, ideas and answers for you. They might know what doctor or specialist you can visit. They might know who to contact at a certain program or who to call if your child isn’t getting needed services. They can be there to listen. If you don’t know many people in Texas, check out our Connecting with Other Parents page for ideas on where to start.

Statewide organizations like Texas Parent to Parent and Partners Resource Network connect parents and with resources, groups, events and more.

Parent Quotes

We asked parents who moved here to share their surprises and challenges.

We love the weather here. It’s warmer. I don’t miss cleaning snow off my son’s wheelchair!

I talk to a lot of parents about getting plugged in. Here, the waiting lists are so much longer – 10 years or more. You really have to be ready to manage insurance and services on your own.

We had to start all over on waiting lists and learn a new alphabet soup of program names and acronyms.

It feels more like a community here. People have been more accepting in a lot of ways and it’s OK to have kids that are different. I’ve found it to be very family-friendly.

Texas Services

Texas has several services and programs for people with disabilities and special health care needs. Here is a list to help get started:

• Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) is a program for children birth to age 3.
• Texas Medicaid helps people get different health and medical services for free or low cost.
• Medicaid waiver programs are gateways to long-term home and community-based services for children with disabilities and special health care needs. Most have long waiting, or interest lists. Read more about them below and on the Waivers page.
• Your Texas Benefits has information on health care programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), SNAP food benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash help, and more. You can apply for Texas benefits on the website.
• Children with Special Health Care Needs Services Program helps those under age 21 who have special health care needs and people with cystic fibrosis of any age improve their health, well-being and quality of life.
• The Texas Health and Human Services Disability page provides detailed information on services and supports for people with disabilities and special health care needs.
• Mental health centers in each area are called local mental health authorities (LMHAs).
• Case management isn’t standard for children with disabilities or special health care needs as it may be in other states. Star Kids, a Texas Medicaid managed care program, and the Community Resource Coordination Group are two programs that help families find the right resources.

Waivers and Waiting Lists

Even if your child is part of a federal program (one offered across the country) like Medicaid or a Medicaid waiver program, you’ll need to sign up again when you get to Texas. These services do not automatically transfer. Each state has its own rules and lists.

In Texas, we call our waiting lists “interest lists.” The interest lists for getting services through Medicaid waiver programs are long. Sometimes it takes 10 to 18 years. It’s important to sign up as soon as you’re living here.

Schools and Education

When it comes to education, children with disabilities and special health care needs have legal rights every state must follow. Our Special Education 101 page and our Education and Schools section have more information about these laws, your child’s rights and how things work in Texas.

Here are a few more things to know about moving and the special education process here:

• Our page on Your Child’s Right to a Public Education has tips if you don’t think your child is getting what they need at school. It’s always a good idea to speak up and ask questions if you’re confused or think your child needs something different.
• There’s a list of disability categories that Texas uses to see if a child can get special education services. Some parents told us that it might be harder to get services for children with invisible disabilities. Texas Project FIRST has more about Texas special education disability categories.
• In Texas, students must be in school 90% of school days to be sure they get credit. See our page on 90% Attendance and Truancy Rules for tips if your child has to miss a lot of school because of their disability or special health care needs.
• Some places  offer training and information to parents, including regional Education Service Centers, Partners Resource Network, and Texas Project FIRST.
• Military Community and Family Policy has tools to help with the transition to a new state or school.
• Family to Family Network’s Moving to Texas page has tips about getting ready for the move, special education and more.

The Children with Special Health Care Needs Services Program created this list (PDF) of state programs and educational websites to offer other ways to access benefits through HHSC and provide access to additional services.

Texas is unique. Our services, community programs and the many other parents living here can help you settle in, find your way and feel some of that Texas friendliness.