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Last updated: 19 September 2026
Texas has 28 Area Agencies on Aging, usually called AAAs. They help older Texans and caregivers find local meals, Medicare counseling, caregiver support, benefits help, legal services, in-home support, long-term care contacts, transportation options, and senior centers. The right office depends on the county where the older adult lives.
Bottom Line
Start with the official Texas AAA directory and search by county or ZIP code. You can also call 1-800-252-9240 for Area Agency on Aging help. If you are unsure whether you need an AAA, an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), or another Texas Health and Human Services office, call 1-855-937-2372. AAAs are service and navigation offices, not general cash-grant offices.
Start Here
- Find the office for your county. Texas lists all 28 AAAs in its current state directory.
- Say your main need first. Tell the office whether you need meals, Medicare help, caregiver support, rides, home care, legal help, or a senior center.
- Ask what is open now. Services, waitlists, providers, and local funds can differ by region.
For a broader explanation of what these offices do nationwide, see our Area Agencies on Aging guide. For Texas programs beyond the aging network, use our Texas senior assistance guide.
Quick Help in Texas
| Need | Start here | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Local aging services | Your county’s AAA | Which services are taking new clients? |
| Long-term care or disability help | Call 1-855-937-2372 | Which ADRC or HHS program serves my county? |
| Food, rent, utilities, or crisis help | 2-1-1 Texas | What is available for my ZIP code today? |
| Medicare questions | AAA or HICAP | Can I speak with a certified benefits counselor? |
| Home care | AAA or ADRC | Do I need a service assessment or Medicaid application? |
| Senior center | AAA, city, county, or 2-1-1 | Are meals, rides, classes, or fees involved? |
What Has Changed
- New aged-and-disabled application option: Texas HHSC lists Form H1200-EZ with an August 2026 effective date. It is an optional alternative for Medicare cost-sharing programs and certain Medicaid community-based programs, except waiver programs.
- Community-care instructions changed: HHSC’s September 2026 revision added H1200-EZ references throughout the Community Care Services Eligibility handbook. If an AAA or ADRC sends you to HHSC for help, ask which form fits your case before filing.
- AAA routing rechecked: The current state directory still lists 28 AAAs. Texas also tells people who are unsure which HHS service office they need to call 1-855-937-2372.
Urgent Help
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. Do not wait for an AAA or senior center to open.
- Food, shelter, bills, or local crisis: Dial 2-1-1 or 1-877-541-7905. The 2-1-1 contact page explains the phone options. Our Texas emergency guide can help you organize the next calls.
- Abuse, neglect, or exploitation: Call 1-800-252-5400. Texas Adult Protective Services explains reporting on its elder abuse page.
- Mental health crisis: Call or text 988. The 988 Lifeline also offers chat.
- Nursing home or assisted living concern: Call 1-800-252-2412 or use the Texas LTC Ombudsman. Ombudsman services are free, confidential, and statewide.
- Licensed care facility complaint: Texas HHS Complaint and Incident Intake can be reached at 1-800-458-9858; the resident help page lists that regulatory complaint route.
What a Texas AAA Can Do
The Texas Department of State Health Services says the state’s 28 Area Agencies support people age 60 and older, their families, and caregivers. Common services include information and referrals, benefits counseling, care coordination, caregiver support, in-home support, legal awareness, nutrition services, and long-term care ombudsman help.
An AAA does not decide every benefit case itself. It may assess a need, provide a service directly, contract with a local provider, or refer you to the agency that controls the program. That is why it helps to say your county, ZIP code, age, main problem, and any deadline at the start of the call.
Reality check: Being age 60 or older does not mean every AAA service starts automatically. Local funding, service rules, provider capacity, and needs assessments can affect access. Ask what is open now and whether there is a waiting list.
Find Your Texas AAA
The safest source for current boundaries and phone numbers is the state AAA office directory. The table below uses the office names, primary phone numbers, and counties shown there on 12 September 2026. Search the state directory before visiting because addresses and local numbers can change.
| AAA | Main phone | Counties served |
|---|---|---|
| Alamo | 866-231-4922 | Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, McMullen, Medina, Wilson |
| Ark-Tex | 903-832-8636 | Bowie, Cass, Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, Lamar, Morris, Red River, Titus |
| Bexar County | 210-477-3275 | Bexar |
| Brazos Valley | 979-595-2806 Ext. 5 | Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson, Washington |
| Capital Area | 512-916-6054 | Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, Travis, Williamson |
| Central Texas | 254-770-2345 | Bell, Coryell, Hamilton, Lampasas, Milam, Mills, San Saba |
| Coastal Bend | 361-883-3935 | Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio |
| Concho Valley | 325-223-5704 | Coke, Concho, Crockett, Edwards, Irion, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Reagan, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton, Tom Green |
| Dallas County | 214-871-5065 | Dallas |
| Deep East Texas | 409-384-7614 | Angelina, Houston, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Tyler |
| East Texas | 903-218-6500 | Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, Van Zandt, Wood |
| Golden Crescent | 361-578-1587 Ext. 217 | Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Lavaca, Victoria |
| Harris County | 832-393-4301 | Harris |
| Heart of Texas | 254-292-1800 | Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, McLennan |
| Houston-Galveston | 713-627-3200 | Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Walker, Waller, Wharton |
| Lower Rio Grande Valley | 956-682-3481 Ext. 412 | Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy |
| Middle Rio Grande | 830-757-6122 | Dimmit, Kinney, Maverick, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, Zavala |
| North Central Texas | 800-272-3921 | Collin, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Wise |
| North Texas | 940-322-5281 | Archer, Baylor, Clay, Cottle, Foard, Hardeman, Jack, Montague, Wichita, Wilbarger, Young |
| Panhandle | 806-331-2227 | Armstrong, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Collingsworth, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hall, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, Swisher, Wheeler |
| Permian Basin | 432-563-1061 | Andrews, Borden, Crane, Dawson, Ector, Gaines, Glasscock, Howard, Loving, Martin, Midland, Pecos, Reeves, Terrell, Upton, Ward, Winkler |
| Rio Grande | 915-533-0998 | Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Presidio |
| South East Texas | 409-924-3381 | Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Orange |
| South Plains | 806-687-0940 | Bailey, Cochran, Crosby, Dickens, Floyd, Garza, Hale, Hockley, King, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Motley, Terry, Yoakum |
| South Texas | 956-722-3995 | Jim Hogg, Starr, Webb, Zapata |
| Tarrant County | 817-258-8102 | Tarrant |
| Texoma | 903-813-3578 | Cooke, Fannin, Grayson |
| West Central Texas | 325-672-8544 | Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Fisher, Haskell, Jones, Kent, Knox, Mitchell, Nolan, Runnels, Scurry, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor, Throckmorton |
If you do not see your county quickly, use the state directory search rather than guessing from the nearest large city. AAA boundaries are based on service areas, not driving distance.
How to Find Senior Centers
Texas does not have one statewide senior-center system. A center may be run by a city, county, nonprofit, parks department, meal provider, or AAA partner. Your local AAA can usually tell you which centers and meal sites serve your ZIP code. The national Eldercare Locator is another way to find local aging services.
Before you visit, ask about age rules, city or county residency, membership fees, meal registration, transportation, accessibility, class costs, and whether you need an appointment. Do not assume the nearest center serves every address or offers the same programs every day.
Main AAA Services to Ask About
Meals and nutrition help
What it helps with: AAAs can connect older adults to congregate meals, home-delivered meals, nutrition education, and local meal sites. Texas policy for home-delivered meals uses more than age alone; homebound status, frailty, isolation, and a needs evaluation can matter.
Where to start: Call the local AAA and ask for nutrition intake. If food is needed today, call 2-1-1 while the meal-program intake is pending.
Reality check: A meal route may have limited capacity. Ask whether there is a waiting list and what temporary food options are available.
Medicare counseling and benefits help
What it helps with: Texas HICAP is the state’s health insurance counseling program. The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services lists Texas HICAP as a State Health Insurance Assistance Program that provides personalized counseling. It can help with Medicare choices, billing problems, Extra Help, Medicare Savings Programs, and rights questions.
Where to start: Ask your AAA for a HICAP or benefits counselor. If Medicare costs are the main concern, our Texas MSP guide explains the main programs before you call.
Reality check: HICAP counseling is not insurance sales. Bring your Medicare card, drug list, doctors, pharmacy, and current plan notices so the counselor can understand the problem.
Caregiver support and respite
What it helps with: Caregiver services can include information, counseling, training, support groups, respite referrals, and help locating care. Texas DSHS directs caregivers to the AAA network through its caregiver support page.
Where to start: Ask the AAA for caregiver intake and current respite options. If you are trying to understand whether a family caregiver can be paid through another program, use our Texas caregiver pay guide.
Reality check: Caregiver support does not always mean wages. Help may be respite, training, counseling, or a referral to a Medicaid or community-care program.
Legal help and resident rights
What it helps with: AAAs may connect older adults to legal awareness, benefits counseling, legal aid, or the long-term care ombudsman. The Texas Legal Services Center also provides senior legal help and referrals.
Reality check: A phone service may give advice without representing you in court. If there is a deadline, eviction, abuse, theft, or benefits appeal, say that at the start of the call.
Programs Often Connected to AAA Calls
SNAP and food benefits
An AAA can help you understand where to apply, but Texas HHSC decides Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility. Use Your Texas Benefits or the state SNAP page to apply or check the process. Our Texas SNAP guide explains senior-specific preparation.
Ask the office whether the Texas Simplified Application Project (TSAP) applies to your household. Do not assume the simplified path applies only because one person is over 60.
Medicaid, community care, and home care
If the main need is bathing, dressing, meals, mobility, supervision, or help staying safely at home, call the AAA and the ADRC line at 1-855-937-2372. Texas’s current HHS service locator uses that number for people who are unsure which aging or disability office they need.
For eligible adults, Medicaid programs such as STAR+PLUS may connect healthcare with long-term services and supports. The AAA can explain local entry points, but HHSC and the applicable Medicaid system make eligibility and service decisions. Our Texas home care guide compares Medicaid, veteran, private-pay, and community options.
Helpful tip: If an office tells you to complete H1200 paperwork, ask whether the new H1200-EZ is allowed for your program. It is an optional alternative for specified Medicare cost-sharing and Medicaid community-based programs, not for every Medicaid case.
Housing and property costs
An AAA may refer you to housing offices, utility programs, legal aid, or county appraisal resources. For rent or affordable housing, use our Texas housing guide. For homeowners, the Texas Comptroller explains property tax exemptions, and our Texas property tax guide can help you prepare questions for the appraisal district.
How to Start Without Wasting Time
Write down the county and ZIP code before calling. Many Texas services are organized by county or regional service area. If you are helping someone else, ask whether the office needs the older adult’s permission before discussing case details.
Information to have nearby
- Photo ID and current address.
- Medicare and Medicaid cards, if any.
- Social Security, pension, or benefit notices.
- Rent, mortgage, utility, or property-tax papers if relevant.
- Medical bills, drug list, and insurance notices for health-cost questions.
- Any shutoff, eviction, denial, renewal, or appeal letter.
- Names and dates from previous calls.
For online state applications, our Texas benefits portal guide explains which tasks belong in Your Texas Benefits and which require another office.
Reality Checks
- AAAs are local: A service available in Harris County may work differently in El Paso, the Panhandle, or a rural county.
- Funding can be limited: HHSC’s September 2026 community-care revision specifically notes that Title III home-delivered meal funding through an AAA may be limited.
- One call may not finish the job: An AAA may identify the right program, but another agency may handle eligibility, documents, or payment.
- Senior centers vary: Some charge fees, require registration, limit transportation, or serve only certain cities or service areas.
- Keep written notices: A denial or delay letter may contain a deadline or appeal route you need later.
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
If the first office cannot help, ask why. Is the service closed, full, outside your county, waiting on documents, or not the right program? Ask for the next office by name and phone number.
- Ask whether there is a waiting list, cancellation list, or another provider.
- Ask for a written notice when a benefit or service is denied.
- Ask whether the notice gives appeal or review rights.
- Call 2-1-1 if the need is urgent while a longer application is pending.
- Call ADRC at 1-855-937-2372 for long-term care or disability navigation.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Calling the nearest city instead of your service area. Start with your county or ZIP code.
- Expecting cash. AAA help is usually a service, counseling, referral, meal, care coordination, or connection to another program.
- Waiting until a crisis grows. Meal routes, home care, transportation, and respite can take time.
- Sending the wrong application. Texas added H1200-EZ in 2026, but it is not the right form for every program. Confirm before filing.
- Not saving proof. Keep copies of forms, notices, bills, and the names of staff you spoke with.
Phone Scripts You Can Use
Finding your AAA
“Hello. I am calling for an older adult in [county] County, ZIP code [ZIP]. The main need is [meals, Medicare help, rides, caregiver help, home care, legal help, or a senior center]. Which Area Agency on Aging serves this address?”
Calling the local AAA
“I need help with [problem]. Which services are open now, who handles intake, and what documents should I have ready? If there is a waiting list, what can I try while I wait?”
Calling about home care
“The person needs help with daily activities at home. Should we start with an ADRC assessment, community care, STAR+PLUS, or another program? If an H1200 form is needed, is H1200-EZ allowed for this case?”
Calling a senior center
“Do you serve my ZIP code? Do you offer meals, transportation, exercise, classes, benefits counseling, or caregiver activities? Is there a membership fee or registration step before I visit?”
Resumen en Español
Texas tiene 28 Agencias del Área para Personas Mayores (AAA). Ayudan a muchas personas de 60 años o más, familiares y cuidadores a encontrar comidas, ayuda con Medicare, apoyo para cuidadores, servicios en el hogar, información sobre beneficios y centros para personas mayores.
Para encontrar la oficina que sirve a su condado, llame al 1-800-252-9240. Si no sabe si necesita una AAA, un centro ADRC u otra oficina de Texas HHS, llame al 1-855-937-2372. Para comida, renta, servicios públicos u otra ayuda local urgente, marque 2-1-1 o 1-877-541-7905.
Desde agosto de 2026, Texas ofrece el formulario H1200-EZ como una opción para ciertos programas de costos de Medicare y algunos programas comunitarios de Medicaid. No sirve para todos los casos. Pregunte a HHSC cuál formulario corresponde antes de enviarlo.
FAQ
How do I find my Texas Area Agency on Aging?
Use the Texas HHSC Area Agencies on Aging directory and search by county or ZIP code. You can also call 1-800-252-9240 for AAA help. If you are not sure whether you need an AAA, ADRC, or another HHS office, call 1-855-937-2372.
Do Texas Area Agencies on Aging give cash grants?
Usually no. AAAs mainly provide services, counseling, referrals, care coordination, caregiver support, nutrition help, legal and benefits counseling, and connections to local providers. A local program may have limited financial help, but an AAA should not be treated as a general cash-grant office.
Who can use AAA services in Texas?
Many Older Americans Act services focus on people age 60 or older. Caregiver programs can also serve eligible family caregivers and some older relative caregivers. Other services, including Medicare counseling, may serve people outside the age-60 group. The local AAA decides which service rules apply.
Can a Texas AAA help with Medicare?
Yes. Texas HICAP is the state’s Medicare counseling program and works through the aging network. Counseling can help with Medicare choices, billing problems, Extra Help, Medicare Savings Programs, and appeals or rights questions. It does not sell insurance.
Can an AAA help me get meals at home?
Possibly. Texas AAAs help arrange nutrition services, including home-delivered meals. Eligibility is not based on age alone, and a needs assessment can apply. Routes, provider capacity, and funding can vary by area, so ask your local AAA about intake and current availability.
What changed with Form H1200-EZ in 2026?
Texas HHSC lists Form H1200-EZ, Application for Assistance – Aged and Disabled, with an August 2026 effective date. It can be used as an optional alternative to other H1200 forms for Medicare cost-sharing programs and certain Medicaid community-based programs, except waiver programs. Ask HHSC which form fits your case before filing.
About This Guide
Sources: This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources linked in the article.
Editorial note
This guide is produced under the GFS Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources. GFS is not affiliated with a government agency and is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Corrections
Despite careful verification, errors may occur. Readers may email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, funding, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the responsible official program before acting.
Last updated: 19 September 2026 · Next review: 19 January 2027
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