Local Resource Guide

Last Updated: July 2, 2024

Our resource guide offers a curated selection of therapies, services, and programs for parents, educators, and organizations seeking information about community services in Waco and the broader Central Texas Region for individuals across the lifespan with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This guide is not a comprehensive list of all the resources that are available.

Resources included in this guide do not denote endorsement. Readers are advised to exercise judgment and seek professional advice. Baylor University and its employees assume no responsibility for the use made of any information published in this manual.

Advocates

Afterschool Care

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Clinics

Assessments

Texas Autism Assessment & Advocacy Group
1340 N White Chapel Blvd, Suite 130
Southlake, TX 76092
Phone: 817-381-5268
Website: https://texasautismassessment.com/page/Services-Overview/
Assessment will include an autism evaluation, speech and language evaluation, and intellectual cognitive testing. Further psychological assessment may be warranted based on each individual patient’s needs and concerns.

Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing
Hillcrest MacArthur Clinic
2201 MacArthur Drive Suite 101 Waco, TX
Phone: (254) 710-7677
Email: bcdf@baylor.edu
Website: https://disability.research.baylor.edu/services/psychological-assessment
Cost: $500, they do not take Medicaid but a sliding scale fee is available
Assessments offered: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Intellectual Disabilities, and other social, emotional, or educational difficulties

Baylor Psychological Clinic
Address: 801 Washington Ave.
Waco, TX 76701
Phone number: (254) 710-2470
Website: https://psychologyneuroscience.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/psychology-clinic
A variety of comprehensive psychological testing and educational assessments related to intellectual functioning (IQ), ADHD, academic or other mental health difficulties. The fee for assessment is $500. A deposit of $100 is due at the initial appointment. Payment plans for the balance are available upon request.
Counseling/Therapy Services: Counseling and therapy services are available for individuals (adults, adolescents, and children), families, and couples. Counseling services are provided on a sliding scale fee based on income.

Dell Children’s Medical Center – Austin
Address: 4900 Mueller Blvd
Austin, TX 78723
Phone number: (512) 324-3315
Website: https://healthcare.ascension.org/locations/texas/txaus/dcmc/our-locations/austin-dell-childrens-medical-center/texas-child-study-center

Empower Behavioral Health- Waco
Address: 15140 Badger Ranch Blvd.
Suite #301 & #302
Woodway, TX 76712
Phone number: (253) 545-2947
Website: https://www.empowerbh.com/service/diagnostic-services/
Assessments offered: There are many types of evaluations that can be used during the autism diagnosis process. Not sure what type of evaluation is needed? Their Licensed Psychologist will consult with you to determine what type of evaluation would be best suited for you or your child’s specific needs.

Attorneys

Law Offices

Lonestar Legal Aid
900 Austin Avenue, 7^th Floor
Waco, Texas 76701
Phone: 254-756-7944
Website: https://www.lonestarlegal.org/
Our public education advocates represent parents and their children in cases involving students’ access to public school education, rights of special needs students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), discrimination in education, and more.

Rainey & Rainey
3809 W. Waco Drive
Waco, Texas 76710
Phone: 254-752-8644
Email: Reception@raineyandrainey.com
Website: https://www.raineyandrainey.com/
Rainey & Rainey have over 40 years of experience dealing with estate planning, elder law, and creating special needs plans that work for individuals and their loved ones.

Ryan Law
600 Austin Avenue
Suite 14
Waco, Texas 76701
Phone: 254-300-7525
Website: https://ryanlaw.org/
Legal Counsel for you and your family.

Attorneys

Carlie E. Gause, J.D.
400 Austin Avenue
Waco, Texas 76701
Phone: 254-379-9720
Email: gause@pakislaw.com
Website: https://www.pakislaw.com/attorneys/carlie-c-gause/
Carlie’s preferred area of practice involves assisting families who have children with special needs. This includes Guardianships, Supplemental Needs Trust Planning, and Long-term Succession Planning.

Partners Resource Network
3 Butterfield Trail, Suite 128A
El Paso, TX 79906
Phone: 915-259-8717
Toll Free: 1-833-847-2686
Email: penprntx@gmail.com
Website: https://prntexas.org/about-prn/find-your-pti/
A non-profit agency that operates the federally funded Texas Parent Training and Information Centers: PACT, PATH, PEN & TEAM.

Saba Toor
Special Education Law Attorney
600 Austin Ave
Suite 14
Waco, TX 76701
Phone: 254-300-7525
Email: sabatoor@ryanlaw.org
Website: https://www.ryanlaw.org/saba-toor
Saba’s mission is to help fellow disability families on the Special Education path. She offers not only legal representation but also various services in the form of guidance, education, and support.

Texas Education Agency (TEA)
1701 N. Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas, 78701
Phone: 512-463-9734
Email: sped@tea.texas.gov
Website: https://tea.texas.gov/academics/special-student-populations/special-education
TEA is committed to providing families, students, and schools with high quality supports to enable students with disabilities to achieve the highest outcomes.

Camps/Sports

Churches

Clinicians/Counseling

Day Habilitations/ Individual Socialization Services (ISS)

Doctors

Dentists

Equine Therapy

Feeding

Grants

Local Organizations (Texas)

The ARC of McLennan County
4901 Lakewood Drive
Waco, Texas 76710
Phone: (254) 756-7491
Email: info@wacoarc.org
Website: https://wacoarc.org/

Autism Society of Texas
300 E. Highland Mall Blvd, Suite 205
Austin, Tx 78752
Phone: (512) 479- 4100 Ext 1
Website: https://www.texasautismsociety.org/

Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing
Hillcrest MacArthur Clinic
2201 Macarthur Drive Suite 101
Waco, Texas
Phone: (254) 710-7677
Email: bcdf@baylor.edu
Website: https://disability.research.baylor.edu/

Children’s Special Needs Network
204 North East Street Suite F
Belton, Tx 76513
Phone: (254)- 933-7597 or (254)-933-7213
Toll Free: (800) 600-3940
Fax: (254) 933- 7313
Website: https://ctadvrc.org/blog/projects/childrens-special-needs-network/

Easterseals- North Texas/Central Texas offices
4443 North Josey Lane
Carrolton, Tx 75010
Phone: (972)-394-8900
Website: https://www.easterseals.com/northtexas

Education Service Center Region 12 Training Services
2101 West Loop 340
Waco, Tx 76712
Phone: (254) 297-1210
Fax: (254) 297-2960
Website: https://www.esc12.net/professional-development/trainings
2023-24 Region 12 Regional School Directory: https://www.esc12.net/about/who-we-serve

The Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network
110 S 12th St, Waco, TX 76701
Phone: (254) 752-3451
Fax: (254) 752-7421
Website: https://www.hotbhn.org/services/intellectual-development-disabilities

Mobilize Waco
Website: https://mobilizewaco.org/
Mobilize Waco is a disability justice coalition working toward full participation and leadership by people with disabilities in the Waco area. They advocate for access, increase disability visibility, and launch disabled residents into the leadership pipeline.

Navigate Life Texas
Website: https://www.navigatelifetexas.org/en/
The Navigate Life Texas (NLT) website, a project supported by the Texas Health and Human Services (HHS), was created to inform and empower parents of children with disabilities or special health care needs. Health care, education, insurance, transition to adulthood and how to connect with other parents are among the many topics found on NLT. Here, parents share their perspectives on challenges and rewards they have faced revealing their valuable first-hand experience.

Disability Rights Texas
Phone: 512- 454-4816
Website: https://disabilityrightstx.org/en/home/
Attorneys and advocates work to impact the lives of Texans with disabilities in the following ways: legal assistance, protect rights, educate policymakers, inform about rights, and referrals.

Medical Wavier/Assistance

National Organizations

Occupational Therapy

Optometrists/Ophthalmologists

Parent Resources

Physical Therapists

Post-Secondary Opportunities

Think College: Institute for Community Inclusion

Boston, Massachusetts 02125
Phone: (617) 287-4300
Email: thinkcollege@umb.edu
Website: https://thinkcollege.net/about/what-is-think-college
Think College is a national initiative dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving research and practice in inclusive higher education for students with intellectual disability. It is based at the Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston.

Alvin Community College

Strive Program
Post-Secondary Program
3110 Mustang Road
Alvin, Tx 77511
Phone: 281-756-3805
Email: strive@alvincollege.edu
Website: https://www.alvincollege.edu/cewd/strive.html
The STRIVE Program provides adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities post-secondary instruction to facilitate joining the workforce or furthering their education. By exploring each student’s individual strengths and interests, we provide educational enrichment and pre-employment training skills designed to increase student’s independence and lead to employment.

Houston Community College

VAST Academy
1301 Alabama, 101c
Houston, TX 77004
Phone: 713-718-5194
Email: barbara.fields@hccs.edu
Website: https://www.hccs.edu/continuing-education/departments/hcc-vast-academy/
VAST Academy provides post-secondary transition programs and comprehensive support services, which lead to meaningful credentials, employment and independence for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Opportunities include vocational certificates, pre-college and freshman success bridge courses, career readiness credentials, internships and employment assistance offered through an inclusive, relevant and affordable avenue

Texas A&M

Aggie Achieve
Texas A&M College Station, TX
Phone: (979) 458-0297
Email: aggieachieve@tamu.edu
Website: https://aggieachieve.tamu.edu/
Aggie ACHIEVE at Texas A&M University is a comprehensive transition program (CTP) for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who have exited high school.

W.A.C.O Project – FOR ADULTS
Harrington Tower
637 Suite
Texas A&M University
Website: https://cdd.tamu.edu/education/waco-project/
The Work and College Opportunities (W.A.C.O.) project at Texas A&M is a 6-week program held in the summer for adults with a disability.
TWC-VR Transition Services, The Brazos Center for Independent Living (BVCIL) and the Center on Disability and Development collaborate to provide a unique college and employment experience.

Texas State University

Bobcat RISE
601 University Dr.
San Marcos, TX 78666
Website: https://www.education.txst.edu/departments/bobcat-rise.html
Bobcat RISE is Texas State University’s four-year residential inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD).

Texas Tech University

Case
2902 18^th Street
Lubbock, Texas 79409
Phone: 806-742-4561
Email: burkhart.educ@ttu.edu
Website: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/burkhartcenter/case/
The CASE program assists students with Autism and other developmental disabilities to navigate college and empower them to reach their postsecondary academic goals and to find competitive employment after graduation.

University of North Texas, Denton

UNT ELEVAR
1155 Union Circle #311070
Denton, Texas 76201
Phone: 940-565-2000
Email: elevar@unt.edu
Website: https://elevar.unt.edu/index.html
(Empower, Learn, Excel, enVision, Advance, Rise) is a four-year inclusive postsecondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities (ID).

University of St. Thomas, Houston

Pragmatic Studies and PIDD
3800 Montrose Blvd.
Houston, TX 77006
Phone: 713-525-2100
Email: admissions@stthom.edu
Website: https://www.stthom.edu/Visit
The Physically and Intellectually Developmentally Disabled (PIDD) Entrepreneurship initiative was developed for people who march to their own proverbial drummers; this population is full of the most creative people on the planet with the best ideas! This program was specifically designed to address those of us who learn differently and have innovative business ideas with the initiative and gumption to build those ideas into reality.

University of Texas at Austin

E4Texas
2901 Read Granberry Trail
Austin, TX 78758
Joe Tate- Program Manager
joetate@utexas.edu
(512) 232-0772
Destiny Garza- Senior Academic Program
destiny.garza@austin.utexas.edu
(512) 232-0773
Website: Texas E4 Info
E4Texas is a post-secondary opportunity for people with or without a disability, who are over the age of 18, who have a high school diploma, and are employment-focused.

Psychiatrists

Puberty/Sexual Education Resources

Seizures/Epilepsy

Sleep, Respite, Other

Speech Therapy/Pathologists

Support Groups

Telehealth Assessments

Local Resource Guide

Law Offices

Attorneys

Clinics

Professional Counseling Services

Clinicians

Think College: Institute for Community Inclusion

Alvin Community College

Houston Community College

Texas A&M

Texas State University

Texas Tech University

University of North Texas, Denton

University of St. Thomas, Houston

University of Texas at Austin

Clinics

Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing