Department of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services

DARS News

ECI Solicits Comments on Application for Federal Funds

The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Division for Early Childhood Intervention, is soliciting comments related to its annual application for federal funds for early childhood intervention. DARS will be requesting funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part C, for federal fiscal year 2007. The funding application will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, on April 20, 2007. If you wish to submit comments or have any questions, contact Shari Waldie at shari.waldie@dars.state.tx.us.  | Texas federal application for FFY 2007

Notice to Bidders for Early Childhood Intervention Contracts

The competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process for ECI contracts that was to begin with contracts awarded for state fiscal year 2008 (SFY 2008) will now begin with contracts awarded for SFY 2009. The department is electing to defer the competitive RFP process at this time because of recent changes in policy definitions, interpretations, and guidelines from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that affect the Medicaid program.  | More information on ECI Bidders for ECI Contracts

2007 State Plan for Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services

The annual update to the State Plan for Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Title VI, Part B, Supported Employment Services has been posted to the DARS/DRS website. This plan was developed with the cooperation of persons with disabilities and their advocates and has been approved by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) for fiscal year 2007. |  More information on 2007 State Plan for Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services

BEI Advisory Committee Seeks New Members

The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitation Services (DARS), Division for Rehabilitation Services, Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) is seeking qualified applicants to fill two unexpired terms for the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI) Advisory Committee. After fulfilling the remainder of each term the applicants may be eligible to serve a full three-year term. |  More information on membership qualifications and Board activities

DARS Council Meets November 17

The Assistive and Rehabilitative Services Council will meet Friday, November 17, at the Crowne Plaza Market Center, 7050 Stemmons Freeway, in Dallas. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. The council was created to help the executive commissioner of health and human services develop rules and policies for the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. Council members and the agenda for November 17 are also available. |  More information the DARS Council Meeting

DARS Division for Rehabilitation Services Consumer Success Story

Virginia Kelley is a single mother of two who experienced hearing loss. The problem had become so severe that it was beginning to threaten her job as assistant to Bexar County's Economic Development Chief David Marquez. Phone calls were the worst as she had to routinely ask people to repeat themselves. |  Continue DARS Division for Rehabilitation Services Consumer Success Story

DARS Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) FY2008-2009

DARS is pleased to present this request for legislative appropriations for the biennium beginning September 1, 2007. This plan was developed in compliance with the requirement to limit the agency baseline request for general revenue related funds to 90 percent of the sum of the amount expended in fiscal year 2006 and budgeted in fiscal year 2007. All files linked from this page are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. If you have special accessibility needs, comments, questions or would like to request a hard copy printout of this report, please contact: DARS Inquiries at 1-800-628-5115. |  Continue DARS Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) FY2008–2009

No sound in a loud shop –– Deaf man excels as truck technician

By Heather Nolan
Odessa American

In a mechanic's garage full of big rigs and loud machines, the humming sounds of truck engines overpower the room. People are yelling to one another over the sound of the engines, their voices echoing. It's noisy at Bruckner's Truck Sales, but Warren Glass can't hear any of it. Glass, 47, is deaf and has been a technician at Bruckner's for more than two years. |  Continue No sound in a loud shop

Interesting Facts About DARS

Statistics from the State Auditor's Office and the DARS Center for Program Coordination offer a demographic profile of DARS employees. Most are female, white, 40+ years of age, and working in social services positions. And most of the employees have 5 or more years of state service. |  Continue Interesting Facts About DARS

Hurricane Preparedness for Texans with Disabilities

The Governor’s Division of Emergency Management has developed new resources to help DARS consumers prepare to safely leave evacuation zones during this year’s hurricane season, which begins June 1 and lasts through November 30. |  Continue Hurricane Preparedness for Texans with Disabilities

DARS Overview

photo of consumers

The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, or DARS, administers programs that ensure Texas is a state where people with disabilities, and children who have developmental delays, enjoy the same opportunities as other Texans to live independent and productive lives.

The department has four divisions:

Through these divisions, DARS administers programs that help Texans with diabilities find jobs through vocational rehabilitation, ensure that Texans with disabilities live independantly in their communities, and assist families in helping their children under age 3 with disabilities and delays in development reach their full potential.

It is a fundamental value of DARS to listen, to learn, and to be responsive to our stakeholders and our consumers in an ongoing effort to make programs and services even better. If you have suggestions or comments, please call the DARS Inquiries Unit at 1-800-628-5115, or email DARS.Inquiries@dars.state.tx.us