The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has proposed eliminating the Children's Autism Program (CAP) in its budget request for the 2028-2029 biennium. CAP, created in 2008, funds focused applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy through 16 contracted providers, charging families based on income and insurance. In the last two years, the state spent $13.7 million on the program, and it served 583 children in fiscal 2026 while contractors report at least 1,000 more children on waitlists.
The proposal follows a directive from Governor Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders to cut state agency spending by 3%. HHSC said it aimed to minimize direct service impact and protect federal funding. But advocates say CAP is uniquely state-funded and covers families who fall through gaps in Medicaid. Although Medicaid began covering ABA therapy for those 20 and younger in 2022, it does not apply to families without insurance or self-funded plans, and low reimbursement rates make providers hard to find.
Families like that of 7-year-old Israel Solis say the therapy is transformative. His mother, Elizabeth Solis, said the program gave her son a communication system and she fears losing access. Jacquie Benestante of the Autism Society of Texas said it was "pretty shocking" to see the line item simply blank. If the Legislature agrees, services would continue through August 2027 before ending.