Long Term/Post School Resources

What’s your plan? Once the bus stops coming and school ends, what will your child do with his or her day?

Post Secondary education requires research and applications, even for special programs for students with disabilities.
Employment requires being prepared & ready to work, or accessing supports through Texas Workforce or your Medicaid waiver provider to learn skills for work.
Group homes or segregated Day activity programs cost money. Providers either take private pay or Medicaid waiver funding. Providers are NOT required to take everyone.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI at age 18+) can be applied for at age 18. In completing the SSI application, less is more. Follow the Blue Book guide for disability determination to describe your son or daughter. You must provide information on “why your child cannot work”. It is not enough to provide a disability label.
NOTE: If your child was previously eligible for SSI & Medicaid before age 18 due to your family income or foster care, you will need to re-apply for adult SSI & Medicaid.
Medicaid eligibility comes with SSI. Medicaid STAR+PLUS will be provided by a Managed Care Organization (MCO). You can request personal attendant services & habilitation from your MCO, but know there is a process to gain attendant care. These services are called Community First Choice, or CFC.
Medicaid Waivers are a resource for support that do not look at parent income. The waiting, or “interest” lists for Medicaid waivers is 10-18 years depending on the program. You can either use Consumer Directed Services (CDS) or Agency provided services.