“Our son Ryan has cerebral palsy. For years we struggled to get him approved for benefits and kept hitting roadblocks. After years of spinning our wheels and lots of searching we found Disability Rights Texas through Facebook. With their help we were finally able to get him approved for Medicaid. Without DRTx, we would not… Continue reading “Ryan Finally has Access to Vital Healthcare Services”
“Without Disability Rights Texas helping me, I might not be employed anymore. I would not have been able to pay my bills and could have lost my home. My doctor told me I would not survive if I caught COVID due to pre-existing health conditions and that working at my office was not safe for… Continue reading “Concerned for Her Health, Rhonda Can Now Work From Home”
“I’ll never forget the morning when my 6-year-old son stopped at the door, turned and looked at me, and said, “’Mom, why am I like this? I don’t want to be like this. Please don’t send me to school.’ My son had been struggling with suicidal thoughts for a while. After trying for two years… Continue reading “Mother Fights for Her Son to get Critical Education Services”
Youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system face hurdles in accessing education. Schools often refer to the system without identifying a student’s need for special education services or providing the right academic and behavior supports. Estimates indicate that anywhere from 65-85% of students in the juvenile justice system have a disability and likely require… Continue reading “Changing the Course of Young Lives Through Education”
For children born with disabilities, early intervention is critical to their future success in school and as an adult. In fact, state and federal law require Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) services be provided to infants with disabilities up until the age of three years old. Two-year old Haylee, a loving little girl with significant developmental… Continue reading “DRTx Regains Critical Services for Young Girl”
Sgt. Derek Kolb has seen some dark days. After returning from serving in Iraq, he struggled to cope with life and was even homeless for a time. He eventually received treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and his professionally-trained service dog, Hank, played a critical role in his recovery. But when the veteran wanted to… Continue reading “Vet Denied Housing Because of Service Dog”
Federal law requires that individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities or related conditions must not be inappropriately placed in nursing homes for long-term care. These individuals have the right to receive specialized services and the opportunity to live in the least restrictive setting in order to best meet their needs. During Richard’s time living… Continue reading “Young man leaves nursing home after 13 years”
Tosha has a developmental disability, and up until she was in her 30s, she was gainfully employed, living as a contributing member of society with no need for guardianship. Many people with disabilities are able to live in the community, some with different levels of support and without the need for guardianship which takes away… Continue reading “Rights taken, rights restored”
When he was nine, Benjamin, who has cerebral palsy, outgrew his power chair, and was using a manual chair. His family had requested a standing wheelchair from Medicaid but was denied. They called DRTx for help. DRTx attorneys represented Benjamin and sent medical information to Texas Medicaid prior to a fair hearing. They reversed the… Continue reading “Specialized wheelchair brings new independence”
Lillian Gallow is deaf and requires the use of ASL interpreters for effective communication. At an important hearing, Houston Housing Authority (HHA) failed to provide a qualified interpreter for her and instead used her young daughter which led to a miscommunication that terminated her housing voucher, and she was ultimately served with an eviction notice…. Continue reading “Advocacy for one woman leads to system-wide change”