HOUSTON – A Kingwood family is in fear for their safety while their son is waitlisted for a treatment center to help with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Boarded up windows are an essential at Eileen Simonetty’s Kingwood home.
“My house is like a prison,” said Simonetty.
The arrangements are for her son, 33-year-old Christopher.
”He has profound autism, epilepsy, diabetes, anxiety disorder. When the epilepsy started in high school is when the behaviors became violent and out of control,” said Simonetty.
His violent behaviors picked up over the past year during a medicine change. She said her son has given her a black eye, bloody nose and bruises. Her husband and other family members have also been injured.
“We have to try to physically restrain him. We have to try to give him medication to calm him down,” said Simonetty.
Police have also struggled to detain Christopher, according to Simonetty.
“He’s assaulted two police officers, broke glasses on a police officer, had to be taken out in handcuffs. The state supported living center came out in November, evaluated him in the hospital and told me that they had a bed and he would be admitted,” said Simonetty.
Simonetty said she thought her son was going to be sent to the Richmond State Support Living Center. In February, she learned he was waitlisted. She said it is the only center that can treat his specific needs.
“They said it could take 12 to 18 months,” said Simonetty.
The Harris Center has been a liaison for the family as they wait. Through several email exchanges, Simonetty said she thought she had a glimmer of hope.
“On July 25th, they said they’re going to get to us early last week with a preadmission meeting,” said Simonetty.
Last week, she learned her son was still waitlisted. Now, she feels she has been getting the runaround from officials.
“He can be so good, and he can be very loving and sweet. And we love him. And making a decision to go to a state supported living center is a very difficult thing to do. I’m afraid, you know, it’s not easy when you have someone that is 230 pounds coming at you full force,” said Simonetty.
KPRC 2 Reached out the Harris Center and was sent the following response:
The Richmond State Supported Living Center is operated by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. They also manage the waitlist and would be most appropriate to provide information on the waitlist and wait times. Any Harris County family seeking support, should contact The Harris Center’s Access and Crisis Line at 713.970.7000. At this number families can initiate a discussion of their unique needs. This line is also available 24hrs a day, 7 days a week should individuals and families find themselves in crisis.
The Richmond State Supported Living Center (SSLC) has 21 people on their pending admissions list, 15 of whom have anticipated admission dates. The additional six individuals are dependent on identifying an appropriate bed at Richmond SSLC and may be reviewed for admission to another SSLC. A limited number of SSLC beds are available statewide. Pending admissions lists for other SSLCs vary by location. Richmond is the only SSLC in the Houston metroplex, increasing the number of requests received for this location.
SSLC eligibility is governed by both state law and the Texas Administrative Code. Admissions are based on the availability of an appropriate bed that meets the individual’s unique needs, including placing them in a setting with peers. Once an individual’s admission eligibility criteria is reviewed and they are deemed eligible, staff review the packet of information submitted to the SSLC. They look at available beds at the SSLC and determine if a bed is available that meets the person’s individual needs. If an appropriate bed is not available at that particular location, staff will begin looking for statewide availability. Local intellectual and developmental disability authorities (LIDDAs) serve as the point of entry for certain publicly funded intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) programs (26 TAC Chapter 330).
Based on eligibility requirements, a person may: 1 Receive available general revenue (GR) services offered by the LIDDA; OR 2 Enroll into one of the following Medicaid programs: • Intermediate Care Facilities, which includes state supported living centers
Home and Community-based Services (HCS)
There are additional Medicaid and state-funded programs and services that a person may be eligible for but for which the LIDDA does not provide enrollment activities. Examples include Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) or mental health services through the Local Mental Health Authority or Local Behavioral Health Authority.
An individual may be eligible to receive services and supports offered through the LIDDA’s GR services. These services vary but all LIDDAs must offer service coordination, respite for caregivers and IDD crisis intervention services, which provides assistance to people with significant behavioral and psychiatric challenges. Other GR services that may be available to a person during this time are behavioral supports or crisis respite. Behavioral supports assist a person to increase adaptive behaviors and replace or modify behaviors that interfere or prevent the person from inclusion in home and family life, or community life. Crisis respite is short-term assistance provided in home or out of home.
If the person has access to Medicaid, the LIDDA service coordinator may refer them to CFC, which provides attendant care and habilitation training. A HCS Crisis Diversion slot may also be offered.
The LIDDA service coordinator may assist the family in identifying additional resources for the person outside of the LIDDA’s array of services, such as behavioral health services, neurological services, speech therapy and insurance that may help in providing payment for these services.
KPRC 2 also reached out the Texas Department of Heath and Human Services. They are looking into our request. We will update this article once we hear back.