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Government assistance programs
Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN)
Supports family-centered, community-based strategies for improving the quality of life for children with special health care needs. For information, call 1-800-422-2956.

Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)
ECI is a statewide program for families with children ages 0-3 with disabilities and developmental delays. For information, call 1-800-250-2246.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Federal income supplement program designed to help aged, blind and disabled people who have little or no income. Provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing and shelter.
For information, call 1-800-325-0778.

Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS)
Provides home and community-based services to people with related conditions as a cost-effective alternative to ICF-MR/RC institutional placement.
For information, call 1-877-438-5658

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Mental Health/Mental Retardation Authority
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) seeks to improve the quality of life for Texans with mental retardation or developmental disabilities by providing efficient and effective services and supports, enabling individuals to lead lives of dignity and independence. To learn more about DADS mental retardation services that are available in your area, you can contact your local mental retardation authority:

Texana MHMR Center
Austin, Colorado, Fort Bend, Matagorda Waller and Wharton counties
1-800-633-5686 (crisis line)
821-342-9387 (main line)

The Gulf Coast Center
Brazoria and Galveston counties
1-800-643-0967 (crisis line)
409-763-2373 (main line)

Spindletop MHMR Services
Chambers county
1-800-937-8097 (crisis line)
409-784-5400 (main line)

MHMRA of Harris County
Harris county
1-866-970-4770 (crisis line)
713-970-7190 (main line)

Tri-County MHMR Services
Liberty, Montgomery and Walker counties
1-800-659-6994 (crisis line)
936-756-8331 (main line)

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Medically Dependent Children Program (MDCP)
MDCP is a Medicaid home- and community-based waiver program that provides services to support families caring for children who are medically dependent. It provides special waiver services as well as full Medicaid coverage to participants. For information, call 1-877-438-5658.

Food Stamps
Permits low income households to buy nutritionally adequate food to supplement the diets of families, elderly people, and single adults.
For more information, call 713-767-2000

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
The purpose of the program is to provide financial and medical assistance to needy dependent children and the parents or relatives with whom they are living. Eligible TANF households receive monthly cash and Medicaid benefits.
For information, call 1-888-834-7406.

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program
WIC is a nutrition program that helps pregnant women, new mothers, and young children eat well, learn about nutrition and stay healthy. Nutrition education and counseling, nutritious foods and help accessing health care are provided to low-income women, infants, and children under 5 who are at nutritional risk. WIC also provides breastfeeding support and supplemental foods to pregnant women, breastfeeding and postpartum women. Many WIC clinics provide immunizations for children in WIC. The program targets nutrition-related health problems such as anemia, low-birth weight, gestational diabetes, obesity, failure-to-thrive, and inadequate weight gain during pregnancy.
For information, call 713-439-6145.

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Texas Department of Health and Human Services
The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) provides leadership and direction, and fosters the spirit of innovation needed to achieve an efficient and effective health and human services system for Texans. HHSC administers certain health and human services programs including the Texas Medicaid Program, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse investigations. For help applying for state health and human services programs or for information, call or visit a local HHSC office.