Welcome
to the home of the Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas!

The Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas provides accurate and current information, resources and support for people with Down syndrome, their families and the community.

Vision: People with Down Syndrome - valued and included.

By Minnie Blackwell
Adult Issues Committee
Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas

minnieblackwell@tx.rr.com or 972-239-8771

At the last DSG Mom’s Night Out (always a fun outing!), the mom of a young child with Down syndrome asked me, "What is the waiting list that I hear the moms of older children talking about?"

In very simple terms - "The Waiting List" is for services for people with disabilities, including – but not limited to – children and adults with DS. The kinds of services include: speech therapy, occupational therapy, case management, respite care, supported employment, nursing care and other "individualized" services. The types and frequency of services available are based on an assessment of each person’s needs. These services are provided at no cost to the family – that’s the good news. The bad news - there is a waiting list of 40,000 people with disabilities in Texas – some families have been waiting for ten years!

"The Waiting List" is really two lists because there are two different programs that provide almost identical services. Both are referred to as Medicaid-waiver programs because some of the funding is from federal Medicaid money. An adult or child with DS is eligible (from the date of birth) for both programs but you have to call and go through the process to get your child’s name on each list. The programs are:

Dallas County – Dallas MetroCare at 214-333-7000

Denton County – Denton County MHMR at 940-565-5244

Collin County – LifePath Systems at 972-727-9133

Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services at 1-877-438-5658

When you call, just tell the person who answers that you have a child with DS and you want to get his/her name on "The Waiting List." You will be asked some basic info and another person will call you back to explain what "documentation" will be required – in most cases a doctor’s statement confirming a diagnosis of Down syndrome is all that is required. At the end of the process, you will receive a letter confirming the date your child’s name was added to the list.

The biggest difference between the two programs is that HCS provides funding for housing options – not important if your child is young but VERY important when your child becomes an adult. It is recommended that you get on both lists because generally the CLASS program has a shorter waiting time. While receiving services from CLASS, your child can continue to wait for a "slot" with HCS.

All of us parents are busy with our daily lives. The prospect that your baby or toddler will some day need all these services seems very distant. However, I urge you to add "get on The Waiting List" to your to-do list. If you have any questions or experience any difficulty with the process, please feel free to give me a call.

Revised 9-16-06