H.C.R. No. 128
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The recent implementation of the federal Americans
1-2 With Disabilities Act (ADA) has focused greater attention on the
1-3 unique needs of persons with physically, mentally, or emotionally
1-4 handicapping conditions; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Such individuals can live productive and fulfilling
1-6 lives when given technical assistance, therapy, training, and
1-7 support, and the State of Texas offers a wide array of such
1-8 services under the auspices of several different health and human
1-9 services agencies; and
1-10 WHEREAS, Simply having these services available, however, is
1-11 not enough; those citizens in need of assistance must be able to
1-12 locate and use the programs that are most beneficial to them, and
1-13 that process is complicated by the current, uncoordinated system
1-14 that houses services in several different state agencies while
1-15 failing to provide a cohesive picture of all available services;
1-16 and
1-17 WHEREAS, Deaf-blind individuals are particularly at risk
1-18 because services for them are offered through as many as five
1-19 different state agencies, each of which has different criteria for
1-20 evaluating persons applying for aid; many of these agencies work
1-21 within certain age limits, and as individuals grow older and age
1-22 out of one program, they often remain unaware that other programs
1-23 exist at different agencies to serve their changing needs; and
1-24 WHEREAS, Moreover, many individuals who are deaf-blind also
2-1 have additional disabilities that qualify them for a variety of
2-2 other services, but persons with multiple disabilities are rarely
2-3 encouraged to pursue all the forms of aid that exist for them and
2-4 often they are unaware that they qualify for additional programs;
2-5 and
2-6 WHEREAS, Even when individuals in need of help are aware of
2-7 the opportunities available to them, they are often impeded in
2-8 their attempts to obtain services by the very disabilities that
2-9 qualify them for the aid; if these individuals are unable to apply
2-10 for services to which they are entitled because they cannot
2-11 communicate with the provider or because they cannot arrange
2-12 transportation to an agency office, then the existing programs are
2-13 not meeting the needs of those whom they are intended to serve; and
2-14 WHEREAS, Service providers must employ more workers, such as
2-15 communication and mobility specialists, who are familiar with the
2-16 specific needs of their clients if they hope to address this
2-17 serious problem, and the provisions of the ADA require that they do
2-18 so in a timely fashion; and
2-19 WHEREAS, State agencies can vastly improve the quality and
2-20 efficiency of current health and human services programs by
2-21 streamlining their operations, by informing their clients of all
2-22 available programs, and by ensuring that all Texans have equal
2-23 access to state services, and in doing so they will bring the
2-24 State of Texas into greater compliance with the tenets of the ADA;
2-25 now, therefore, be it
2-26 RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas
2-27 hereby direct all state agencies that are involved in the provision
3-1 of health and human services to people with disabilities to develop
3-2 and implement policies to improve access to state services by
3-3 persons with disabilities and to monitor compliance with these
3-4 policies by their contracted service providers.
3-5 persons with disabilities and to monitor compliance with these
3-6 policies by their contracted service providers.
3-7 Vowell
3-8 H.C.R. No. 128
3-9 _______________________________ _______________________________
3-10 President of the Senate Speaker of the House
3-11 I certify that H.C.R. No. 128 was adopted by the House on May
3-12 28, 1993, by a non-record vote.
3-13 _______________________________
3-14 Chief Clerk of the House
3-15 I certify that H.C.R. No. 128 was adopted by the Senate on
3-16 May 28, 1993.
3-17 _______________________________
3-18 Secretary of the Senate
3-19 APPROVED: _____________________
3-20 Date
3-21 _____________________
3-22 Governor