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Navigate Life Texas: Resources for kids with disabilities and special needs
Navigate Life Texas: Resources for kids with disabilities and special needs
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Is your young adult with a disability or special health care needs ready to move out? You might have an idea of how this transition will look, and your child might have an idea of what they would like. It can be difficult trying to figure out what’s best.
The good news is that many choices allow your adult child to have new independence while still getting support. Choices can include private housing, group homes or even a backyard apartment on your property.
Here are some conversation starters and questions for your young adult to think about during this huge transition:
After you and your child discuss some of the choices, you can start looking for a place.
Apartment: This gives your adult child the most independence. Find out about apartments that foster a healthy environment by connecting with other parents and parent groups that know about a particular apartment complex.
Remember that your child has a right to accessibility and protection from discrimination in apartments through the Texas Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. For more information, you can check out the Americans with Disabilities Act National Network Disability Law Handbook.
Backyard Apartment or House Addition: Your adult child might like living in his or her own space on your property or maybe with a roommate. Before building a new addition, look at the city codes on size and zoning of a backyard or garage apartment. Some cities allow a bigger dwelling if the person living there has a disability or special health care needs.
Private Home: In this living arrangement, several parents buy a house or duplex and help their children live there with support. This might include learning responsibilities about bills, doing laundry and having a job to pay rent.
Apartment Community: Another private option is when parents from different families get together to rent apartments in an apartment complex for their children. This gives young adults with disabilities or special health care needs the chance to be roommates or live close to each other. That way, they have friends to go with to nearby businesses or other activities.
This is a good choice for parents who have time to help with driving or organizing activities like physical fitness classes. It also gives parents freedom to invest in their children’s lives without buying a house. This housing choice usually works best for people who are independent and don’t need a personal attendant for daily activities.
Private Community Living (also called a dedicated facility): This is typically a larger place that has cottages for group living. Over 200 people might live there. Usually, there are group activities and shared chores. Some only accept private pay and others also take payments from Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
These places usually give adults a routine, a mix of activities and transportation. You can find many of these communities by searching online for “residential living for adults with disabilities.”
HCS Group Homes: The Home and Community-based Services (HCS) program has homes for people with an HCS waiver who want to live in their bedroom with up to four roommates in the house. These homes are inspected by Texas Health and Human Services Commission and run by service providers who contract with HHSC. Services include residential services, companion care, and behavioral support. Your adult child will meet with the provider to decide if the home is a good fit. You can search for a group home on HHSC's Independent Living Services page.
You might find it overwhelming to consider a group home for your adult child. In a good setting your child can have friends and access to help while developing independent living skills. It’s helpful to go with your child to talk to the group home manager about roommates, house chores, transportation to and from work and other questions.
Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability or Related Conditions (ICF/IID) Program: This program has residential facilities for people with intellectual disabilities or a related condition who need treatment in a supervised 24/7 setting. The facilities are managed by the state, usually have six residents (but could have more) and might have roommates sharing rooms. Medicaid covers the costs of living in an ICF/IID facility.
Here are some questions to ask when interviewing a group home:
See our page on Group Homes for more about them and how to choose one.
In any home, front yards with lighting, good locks and a fire evacuation plan are good safety features. In a group home, there are other safety concerns to keep an eye on, too.
Your child will have housemates and managers they don’t know yet. The state requires a criminal background check on all employees at the home, and you want your child to know how to stay safe. Be open with your child about signs of abuse or neglect. If anything feels wrong or another person in the home crosses their comfort zone, tell them to let you know.
We recommend making unscheduled visits at different times to be sure you are comfortable with the quality of care there. If you suspect abuse, you can report it through the Texas Abuse Hotline website or by calling 800-252-5400. If you have a complaint about care, you can contact HHSC Complaint and Incident Intake.
If your child uses the HCS Waiver, they have many living options beyond a group home. Under the Host Home/Companion Care program, your child can live with you, and you could get paid as their caregiver or hire caregivers to come into your home. Your home must meet certain criteria and be checked by HHSC.
To learn more, ask your service coordinator and connect with other parents to learn about their experiences.
Some parents also use HCS or other waiver funds to set up independent living arrangements for their children. This might be alone or with roommates, and in a private home or apartment.
For more suggestions, see this article from Texas Parent to Parent about setting up or funding a living situation.