Texas Disability Help for Seniors: Benefits and Local Programs

Help With Care at Home

For many disabled seniors, the biggest question is whether help can come into the home. Start with the Texas HHS service finder or call 1-855-937-2372. The statewide line can route you to the ADRC that serves your county.

STAR+PLUS and STAR+PLUS HCBS

STAR+PLUS is Texas Medicaid managed care for many adults age 65 or older and adults with disabilities who meet Medicaid rules. It can coordinate medical care and long-term services.

STAR+PLUS HCBS can provide a higher level of home and community support for people who meet program requirements. The current HHS handbook says the program uses an interest list, and slots are released as they become available. It also says some people who already have full Medicaid may have a route that bypasses the interest list. The safest question is: “Do I need the STAR+PLUS HCBS interest list, or can my current Medicaid status use another enrollment route?” The current HCBS procedures explain this process.

Community Attendant Services

Community Attendant Services (CAS) is a non-technical, medically related personal care service for eligible people whose health problems limit daily activities. Texas uses a practitioner’s statement of medical need in the process. The medical-need form shows what the practitioner certifies.

When you call, name the tasks that are hard or unsafe: bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, moving, cooking, or basic household tasks. A clear description of daily needs is more useful than saying only, “I am disabled.” For a fuller look at paying for care, see our Texas home care guide.

If living at home is no longer workable and you need to compare residential-care costs, our Texas assisted living guide explains payment options.

Medicaid and Medicare Cost Help

Texas Medicaid for older adults and people with disabilities can involve several eligibility paths. Income, resources, medical need, household facts, and the type of service can matter. Use the state’s MEPD program page as the official starting point when you need Medicaid for the Elderly and People with Disabilities.

Ramps, Bathroom Changes, Repairs, and Housing Access

The Amy Young Barrier Removal Program is one of the most disability-specific home-modification programs in Texas. The Amy Young program provides one-time grants of up to $22,500 for qualified households with a person with a disability. Household income generally cannot exceed 80% of Area Median Family Income under the program rule. Renters and homeowners may be served.

Texas does not take household applications directly through TDHCA. Local governments and nonprofits administer the work. The state also warns that Amy Young is not available in every area. Use Help for Texans and select home repair or accessibility modifications. If Amy Young is not available, ask the listed provider whether another city, county, nonprofit, or housing program can fund the same safety change.

For roof, heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical, or other repair needs that go beyond disability access, use our Texas home repair guide. If the main problem is rent, an accessible unit, or housing instability, use our Texas housing guide.

Medical Equipment, Assistive Technology, and Vision Help

Equipment may be covered by Medicare, Medicaid, a health plan, a reuse program, or a local lending program. Ask the health plan first when a doctor has ordered durable medical equipment. For devices you want to test before buying, the Texas Technology Access Program offers device demonstrations, short-term loans, reuse services, and information about funding.

Centers for Independent Living can also help with independent-living skills, peer support, advocacy, and referrals. Use the state CIL directory to find the center serving your county or ZIP code.

For significant vision loss, Texas Workforce Commission’s Older Individuals Who Are Blind program serves people age 55 and older whose vision limits independent living. It can provide independent-living skills, information, referrals, and other support. Call 1-844-633-3642 or review the older blind program.

Rides, Paratransit, and Disabled Parking

Transportation help is usually local, but Medicaid can help with certain nonemergency trips for eligible members who have no other transportation. Ask your Medicaid plan how to arrange a covered medical ride, how far ahead you should schedule, and whether you need wheelchair-accessible service. The state medical transportation page explains the program.

For everyday trips, ask your city or rural transit agency about paratransit, demand-response service, reduced fares, and wheelchair access. For parking, the TxDMV placard page explains Form VTR-214, medical certification, county tax-office filing, renewals, and fees.

Food, Utility Bills, and Household Costs

Disability-only programs are not the only help worth checking. SNAP can help with groceries, and some older or disabled households may qualify for the Texas Simplified Application Project (TSAP). Texas uses a special TSAP application. Ask HHSC whether your household meets the TSAP rules rather than assuming age or disability alone is enough.

For electric or gas bills, the CEAP program is delivered through local agencies that collectively cover all 254 Texas counties. Funding, local procedures, and how much help is available can vary. Call before making a special trip.

If shutoff, eviction, food shortage, or another crisis cannot wait for a normal application, use our Texas emergency help guide and dial 2-1-1 for local programs.

Property Tax Help for Disabled Homeowners and Veterans

Texas property tax exemptions are handled by local appraisal districts. The Texas Comptroller says school districts must provide a $140,000 general residence homestead exemption. A homeowner who is age 65 or older or who meets the disability definition can receive an additional $60,000 school-district residence homestead exemption. Local taxing units may offer other exemptions.

For broader state tax issues beyond disability exemptions, our Texas senior tax guide covers the wider tax picture.

For the disabled-person exemption, the Comptroller says the homeowner must meet the disability definition used for Social Security disability insurance. Disability benefits from another program do not automatically meet that rule. Review the Texas exemption rules and ask your appraisal district what proof it needs. The general filing deadline is before May 1, but the appraisal district should tell you what options apply to your case.

Disabled veterans have separate Texas exemptions based on service-connected disability rules. A veteran who receives 100% VA disability compensation for a service-connected disability and has a 100% disability rating or a VA determination of individual unemployability may qualify for a total exemption on the residence homestead. Our Texas veterans guide covers the wider benefits path.

Legal Rights, Disability Protection, and Abuse Help

Call legal help early when there is a benefits cut, eviction notice, nursing-home discharge threat, discrimination problem, guardianship concern, or disability-access dispute. Waiting until a deadline passes can reduce your choices.

Disability Rights Texas intake handles requests related to disability rights and legal advocacy. Its statewide intake number is 1-800-252-9108. Intake hours and online availability can change, so check the intake page before calling.

Texans age 60 or older and Medicare beneficiaries can also contact the Texas Legal Services Center’s senior legal helpline at 1-800-622-2520, Option 3, for qualifying civil legal issues.