Day Programs for Adults with Disabilities in Houston, TX
Day habilitation programs in the Houston area for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism: supervised days with life skills, community outings, and social and work-skills activities.
Pursuit Learning Academy at Pursuit Center
Pursuit Learning Academy is Pursuit Center's licensed weekday adult day program in Houston's East End for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with classes, specialty clubs, METRO-supported outings and a Young at Heart group for adults 55 and up.
Services & Care
Life skills, cooking, technology and arts clubs, self-advocacy lessons, adaptive fitness and community outings.
Practical Info
Open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults with IDD. Outings use METRO-provided transportation.
nonPareil Houston
nonPareil Houston is a weekday, tuition-based post-secondary program in west Houston for adults 18 and older on the autism spectrum, offering technical training in areas like digital art, animation and media alongside work-readiness and social programs.
Services & Care
Technical training tracks (digital art, animation, media), work-readiness skills and social engagement programs.
Practical Info
Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults 18+ with an autism diagnosis. Tuition varies by track.
Special Angels of The Woodlands
Special Angels of The Woodlands is a faith-based nonprofit day activity center in Spring for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, running weekdays for 22 years with crafts, gardening, bowling and community outings for under $45 a day.
Services & Care
Crafts, cooking, gardening, games, dancing, service projects and outings to libraries, parks, bowling and movies.
Practical Info
Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Adults with IDD. Under $45 per day; tuition assistance available.
Julian's House Day Habilitation Center
Julian's House is a state-licensed day habilitation program in Cypress for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism, focused on independence, social skills, volunteering and community outings, with HCS, TxHmL and CLASS accepted.
Services & Care
Life skills, social and communication skills, fitness, technology, money management, volunteering and monthly community outings.
Practical Info
Open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ages 15 and up. HCS, TxHmL, CLASS or private pay.
The Arc of Katy Adult Day Program
The Arc of Katy Adult Day Program in Brookshire serves adults 18 and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities with more than 200 community outings a year, fitness activities and volunteer service, for $40 a day with tuition help available.
Services & Care
Community outings, Be Strong fitness and aquatics, volunteer service, life skills and social activities.
Practical Info
Adults 18+ with IDD. $40 per day plus $75 annual membership; tuition assistance available. Visits by appointment only.
Hours not available
Hours not available
The H.E.A.R.T. Program
The H.E.A.R.T. Program on Lehman Street in north Houston is a weekday job-training day program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, where trainees learn life, social and work skills and run vending machines and concession stands for pay.
Services & Care
Life and social skills, job readiness, vending and concessions training, retail and pharmacy technician training, transport to job sites.
Practical Info
Participants attend Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., plus some evening and weekend work events. Houston residents with I/DD; grant-funded for most.
Holden's Place Day Habilitation
Holden's Place is a small day habilitation center in Katy for young adults with special needs, started by a special education teacher from local 18+ transition programs and his wife to give graduates a place to keep growing after high school.
Services & Care
Life skills, social and emotional growth, academic work at each person's level, arts and crafts and community outings.
Practical Info
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Closed on major holidays.
Above and Beyond Caring Day Habilitation Center
Above and Beyond Caring runs a day habilitation and ISS center in Angleton for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Brazoria County, with arts, cooking and life skills, weekly community outings and full- or part-day options.
Services & Care
Creative arts, cooking and life skills, social skills groups, weekly community outings and behavior support.
Practical Info
Program hours Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., full or part day. Texas HCS and TxHmL. Transportation available in the area.
Home Place of Texas
Home Place of Texas is a small nonprofit day program in Spring, off Louetta Road, for adults with developmental disabilities, open weekdays and serving northwest Houston families since about 2008.
Services & Care
Day habilitation with life skills, job skills, recreation and Bible study.
Practical Info
Open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adults with developmental disabilities.
How to get a place and funding in Texas
In Texas, day habilitation is mostly paid for through the HCS and TxHmL Medicaid waivers. Both have an interest list, so it helps to sign up early.
In Harris County, the way in is The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, the local intellectual and developmental disability authority (LIDDA). It adds people to the HCS and TxHmL interest lists and helps with eligibility. Outside Harris County, contact your county's LIDDA.
Many programs also accept private pay, so families can often start while waiting for a waiver.
Official sources: The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, Texas HHS: local IDD authorities.