| The focus of the Developmental Disabilities Services Division
is to assist individuals and their families in choosing and accessing
quality and cost-efficient services and supports that best meet
their needs and requests. The mission is accomplished by offering
an extensive array of services and supports either provided by the
Center or through a network of private and public agencies and organizations
in the Austin-Travis County area.
This page contains information on: Eligibility;
Definitions; Intake;
In-Home Family Support Services; Attendant
Network; Support Services; Dialogue
Groups; Medicaid Waiver Program; Respite;
Supported Employment; Service
Coordination; and the Citizens' Planning Advisory
Committee.
Click here to view the Developmental Disabilities Provider
List and Provider Directory.
Who is eligible to receive Developmental
Disabilities services? The Developmental Disabilities Services
of the Austin Travis County MHMR Center are, basically, for people:
- With a diagnosis of Mental Retardation; or
- With a diagnosis of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, including
Autistic Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder; or
- Provided referral or enrollment in certain Medicaid programs
based on the presence of a related condition.
What is mental retardation? A
diagnosis of mental retardation requires that all three of the following
criteria be present:
- Intellectual functioning lower than the majority of the general
population (below an IQ of approximately 70);
- Limitations in adaptive behavior, or the ability to function
independently in activities of daily living, as compared to other
individuals of the same age and cultural background; and
- Onset prior to 18 years of age.
What is Autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorder?
Pervasive Developmental Disorders, including Autism, Asperger’s
Disorder, and Rett’s Disorder, usually begin prior to age
10 and are characterized by severe impairment in the developmental
areas of:
- Reciprocal social interaction skills
- Communication skills, and
- The presence of stereotyped behaviors, interests, and activities.
What is a Related Condition? A Related Condition
is a severe and chronic disability that:
- Is attributable to cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or any other condition,
other than mental illness, that is closely related to mental retardation
because the condition results in impairment in intellectual and
adaptive behavior functioning similar to that of person with mental
retardation;
- Is manifested before the age of 22;
- Is likely to continue indefinitely; and
- Results in substantial functional limitation in three or more
areas of major life activity to include self-care, understanding
and using language, learning, mobility, self-direction, and capacity
for independent living.
Intake
An intake appointment serves as the entry point to Developmental
Disabilities Services, with the exception of Early Childhood Intervention
(ECI) and certain support services.
Intake appointments are made through the Center’s Single
Point of Entry (SPOE). Intake interviews are conducted at locations
convenient to the individual and family. Psychologists provide a
Determination of Mental Retardation (DMR) for persons seeking services
in accordance with state law and rules of the Texas Department of
Mental Health and Mental Retardation.
Results of this assessment may lead to referral to other community
resources and/or access to the Center’s network of providers.
In-Home Family Support Services
In-Home and Family Support Program assists children and
adults with disabilities and/or their families in purchasing services
and items that are beyond the scope of usual needs (i.e. basic clothing,
food, shelter, general medical care, and education). Services/items
funded vary based on individual needs and alternative resources
available.
- Eligibility Criterion:
- 1. Children and adults with mental retardation, autism, pervasive
developmental disorder, and developmental delay (birth to age
4).
2. The assistance meets disability-related needs that directly
support the person to live in his/her natural home.
Attendant Network
The Attendant Network is a three year grant awarded
to ATCMHMR by the Texas
Council for Developmental Disabilities. The Attendant
Network website is a free registry that will help connect personal
attendants with people needing attendant services. The unique focus
of the Center's grant is identifying and supporting resources for
people with disabilities who want to become Personal Care Attendants.
The grant has two major goals: to create a training curriculum to
administer quality training for Personal Care Attendants; and bridge
the gap in the shortage of quality attendants who are employed.
Click to see other agencies
participating in this project.
Support Services
Services are provided to assist individuals (who are not
receiving Residential Services) in participating in age appropriate
community activities and services.
Supported Home Living: Support services provided
to an individual in the individual's home or community.
Specialized Therapies: Support services provided
by licensed or certified professionals.
Family Support Services: Support services provided
to the family of an individual to help preserve the family unit
and prevent or limit out-of-home placement of that individual.
Dialogue Groups
Dialogue groups are made up of persons interested in particular
aspects of Center services. The groups are intended to be self-governing
with administrative assistance provided by Center staff. The purpose
of these groups is to provide an avenue, in a venue different from
the Citizen Planning Advisory Committees, for individuals to become
part of and help direct the Center and to establish an ongoing dialogue
among consumers, families and Center staff. Concerns, issues, and
recommendations of the groups are provided to Center administration
via the administrative support provided by Center staff.
The Developmental Disabilities Dialogue Group
is currently on hold.
Please call (512) 483-5861 for more info or click
here to send an email.
Medicaid Waiver Program
The Mental Retardation Local Authority Program (MRLA) is funded
by Medicaid. This program offers services to individuals with mental
retardation or a related condition so that they may live successfully
in the community and with their families. Support is disability
related. Only services that are adequately justified are authorized.
Each individual’s services are based on what they may need
in order to achieve life goals they individually, with the help
of a planning team, identify. Medicaid is payor of last resort;
other community and generic resources must be used first before
accessing waiver services. In MRLA, the Service Coordination function
operates independently from the provider of services.
Eligibility requirements:
- Be a resident of Travis County
- Have a diagnosis of Mental Retardation or a related condition.
- Be eligible for Medicaid (if currently receiving SSI, has Medicaid)
- An individual in MRLA must continue to meet all eligibility
requirements to receive services.
Waiting list:
There is currently an extensive waiting list of several years
due to limited funding to meet the growing demand for services.
Respite
Respite support is available to families and caretakers of individuals
determined to be eligible for Developmental Disabilities services.
The amount of respite support provided is individualized and based
on each individual/family situation.
Respite support is accessed through Service Coordination and must
be justified prior to resources being authorized and expended. Individuals
have the option of utilizing respite providers from the Center’s
network of providers or finding a provider of their own.
Supported Employment
Supported Employment Services assist people who want to work in
their community. These services are available in both the Center’s
Adult Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities Networks.
Individual supports are built on consumer participation in person
directed planning. Specific supports might include: employment planning;
job development; job matching; job coaching (both in and outside
of the workplace); assistance with job accommodations; ongoing support
to maintain a job; development of natural supports; skill building
for resume writing, interviewing, networking, effective communication,
problem-solving and self-advocacy.
Service Coordination
Individualized coordination for consumers is provided through an
assigned Service Coordinator. Service Coordinators assist individuals
in gaining access to medical, social, educational and other appropriate
services that will help them achieve quality of life and a level
of community participation acceptable to each individual.
Service Coordinators support and assist individuals in achieving
personal goals through screening and assessment, service planning
and coordination, resource authorization, advocacy, monitoring and
crisis intervention, as necessary. Services are comprehensive and
individualized, and are provided at a frequency and intensity necessary
to maintain successful community living.
Citizens' Planning Advisory Committee
The Citizens' Planning Advisory Committee serves as a resource
to the Board of Trustees and to ATCMHMR staff. Citizens' Planning Advisory Committee members make recommendations to the Board
on the local service delivery system in the following areas: planning;
needs and priorities for the service area and the Center; budget;
contract issues; and implementation of plans and contracts.
The primary functions of the Citizens' Planning Advisory
Committees are the following:
- Participate in local planning and the development of the Center’s
Strategic Plan.
- Identify needs and priorities for the service area and the
Center.
- Make recommendations regarding budget priorities.
- Make recommendations regarding implementation of the Center’s
Strategic Plan and contracts.
- Review programs and contracts on an ongoing basis and make
recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding performance
and quality improvement issues.
The Citizens' Planning Advisory Committee meets on the 2nd
Thursday of each month from noon-2pm in Training Room 1 of 1700
South Lamar Blvd. For additional information please click
the link to send an email or call (512) 445-7739.
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