After more than 30 years of serving families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or IDD, the Houston-based nonprofit Family to Family Network has announced it will permanently close due to funding shortages, officials announced in a July 9 news release.
“For many families, we were the only place they could turn,” Executive Director Mary Jane Williams said in the release. “We helped them feel seen, heard and empowered—and that impact doesn’t disappear with our closure. I hope our work inspires others to keep fighting for families who need support the most.”
About the organization
Founded in 1990, the nonprofit became a resource for thousands of Texas families navigating such as special education planning and Medicaid waivers for adults with IDD, per the release.
Williams said the organization connected with families from Katy, Cy-Fair, Houston, Klein and Spring Branch ISDs, in addition to 40 other school districts across Houston and the state.
“The organization’s impact across the Greater Houston area and Texas has been extraordinary, but despite our best efforts, we were unable to secure the long-term funding needed to sustain our work,” board Chair Bryan Smith said in the release. “Family to Family Network gave parents the tools and confidence to advocate for their children and build better futures.”
By the numbers
The organization focused heavily on underserved populations, particularly single-parent households and families living at or below the poverty line, per the news release.
“Public education is free, but you still have to advocate significantly as a family member to get services,” Williams said in an email. “Everything else costs money, especially adult services.”
Williams said the closure leaves a significant gap in services at a time when families continue to face challenges accessing disability-related services, especially for the 57% of families helped between 2024-25 who had incomes below $50,000, Williams said.
Between 2024 and 2025, the organization:
- Responded to more than 600 calls and emails from families seeking support
- Trained over 1,000 individuals through its community events, online sessions and the annual Autism 101 Academy
- Provided services to 51% of referrals that were high school-aged or adult individuals with IDD
- Served a population that was 43% Hispanic or Latino
Willams said funding shortages are due to losses in a combination of federal funding, state contracts and local grant money, adding that there was no additional funding for IDD health authorities such as The Harris Center and Texana during the 89th Texas legislative session.
Additionally, she said there were no more Medicaid waiver slots added to the current 10-to-15-year waitlist for services such as health care, job training and housing for adults with IDD, which she estimates is now 20 years long.
“The funding for any disability programs is going to be tight,” Williams said in an email. “It is a sad day when systems for individuals with IDD and autism that keep people in community are not valued as important."
Similarly, the Texana Center servicing Fort Bend County announced in June that the organization would be discontinuing home and community-based services and Texas home living due to inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates that don’t cover the cost of care as of Sept. 19.
While school districts are now required to refer students with IDD to health authorities in order to facilitate the transition to adulthood, Texana representatives have said that they will manage as best they can without additional funding from the state.
What’s next
While its operations will cease at the end of the month, families can continue to access resources at www.f2fn.org and www.texasprojectfirst.org for bilingual information on navigating the special education process in Texas, per the release.
- Closing July 31
- 16225 Park Ten Place, Ste. 500, Houston
- www.f2fn.org
