Coalition of Texans With Disabilities — Biennial Report: Personal Assistance Services

Statewide Need
Texas has 12 separate agencies that together provide health and human services (HHS) to the state. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) was delegated responsibility to provide oversight and coordination of these agencies. The 76th Texas Legislature completed a sunset review of each HHS agency and enacted bills to achieve better coordination and integration of their services. Senate Bill (SB) 374, required the development of a Biennial Disability Report to be presented to the Governor and State Legislature prior to each regular legislative session. SB 374 also required agencies to conduct activities necessary to report to the Governor and Legislature about the status of services and supports provided to Texans with developmental disabilities (DD). Support should be provided for the development of the first two biennial reports on the state of services to persons with DD in Texas. This reporting mechanism is a significant opportunity to look more closely at issues identified in the sunset review process and in SB 374 concerning barriers to services and fragmentation across agencies, progress being made, and recommendations to improve the HHS system in Texas.

Project Goal
Conduct research and synthesize existing data for a report, “PAS, Present and Future: An analysis of the need for and availability of Personal Assistance Services in Texas and the United States.”

Project Summary
This project proposed to conduct research and synthesize existing data for a report entitled, “PAS, Present and Future: An analysis of the need for and availability of Personal Assistance Services in Texas and the United States.” This report was to be included in the 2002 Biennial Report to the Texas Legislature regarding services for people with DD. The project planned to use key staff with extensive research experience; reference resources such as journal articles, books, internet sites, and the administration of surveys; and leverage the services of a consumer who uses Personal Assistance Services (PAS) as the principal researcher. The report was expected to provide insight concerning the importance of PAS that disability advocates could use to demonstrate the effects of insufficient PAS.