Why 350,000 People Are on a 20-Year Waiting List in Texas
A deep dive into the disability services crisis in Texas and the systemic issues behind a two-decade waiting list.
This episode is different from my usual content. It's about something happening right here in Texas that most people don't know about — and it should make you angry.
The Crisis
350,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are on a waiting list for services in Texas. The wait time? Up to 20 years. Twenty. Years.
These are people who need basic support — housing assistance, job coaching, therapy, personal care. And they're waiting decades to receive it.
How Did We Get Here?
The waiting list has been growing for years because demand far outpaces funding. Texas has historically ranked near the bottom in per-capita spending on disability services. The result is a system where the most vulnerable people wait the longest.
What Needs to Change
This is a funding problem, a political will problem, and a systems problem all at once: - **Increase funding**: The cost of services is a fraction of the cost of institutionalization - **Modernize systems**: The application and management processes are outdated and inefficient - **Workforce investment**: Direct support workers are underpaid and understaffed
Why I'm Talking About This
Because visibility matters. These 350,000 people and their families deserve better. And as someone who lives in Texas and builds technology, I think about how better systems — including AI and automation — could help organizations serving this population do more with limited resources.
This isn't a tech problem to solve with software. But technology can help stretch limited resources further, reduce administrative burden, and get people connected to services faster.