Senior benefits in Williamson County, Texas

Helps offset the cost of a break for an unpaid family caregiver. The Lifespan Respite Grant Program pays toward respite care for a person of any age with special needs, a disability, or a chronic condition — in the home through a home care agency, at an adult or child day-care center, through community activities, or at a camp — when the caregiver has difficulty finding respite and the care receiver is not already enrolled in another government or nonprofit respite program or a Medicaid waiver. Funding is limited and approved case by case. Contact the ADRC of the Capital Area at 855-937-2372 or adrc@capcog.org.

Williamson County's CEAP (Texas LIHEAP) is delivered through Opportunities for Williamson & Burnet Counties (OWBC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Community Action Agency that serves both Williamson and Burnet counties. OWBC provides utility bill payment assistance for electric, natural gas, propane, and butane bills; energy crisis assistance for shutoffs and severe-weather emergencies; and energy education. Eligibility is set at 150% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines ($23,940/year single 2026). Senior-headed households receive application priority. Apply at owbc-tx.org, call 512-763-1400 (Williamson Central Office at the Round Rock Serving Center, also serves Cedar Park area), or pick up an application at OWBC locations across Williamson County. Pedernales Electric Cooperative and Oncor are the primary electric utilities serving Williamson County.

Estimated bill savings: $200–$1,600 a year

In this county: OWBC is a nonprofit CAA serving both Williamson and Burnet counties from a single regional organization. The Round Rock Central Office serves Williamson; Burnet residents use the Burnet location at 830-693-0700. Applications can be submitted online, by mail, fax, or in person.

Williamson County's emergency aid framework relies on a coordination model with OWBC for CEAP utility assistance (tx.williamson.owbc_ceap), AAACAP for senior services (tx.williamson.aaa_capital_area_capcog), WCCHD for WilCo Care healthcare (tx.williamson.wilco_care_cihcp), and faith-based partners (Caritas of Austin, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities Central Texas, churches). Williamson County Commissioners Court does not operate a single integrated emergency aid program — referrals are coordinated through 211 and the WCCHD Healthcare Helpline (512-248-3252). For Williamson seniors needing emergency rental assistance, OWBC and Caritas of Austin are the primary partners; for utility assistance, OWBC CEAP first; for senior services, AAACAP ADRC. The WCCHD Healthcare Helpline acts as a de facto central referral point because WCCHD intake also handles WilCo Care intake.

Estimated bill savings: $200–$2,500 a year

In this county: Williamson County operates a REFERRAL-AND-COORDINATION model — similar to Tarrant and El Paso. Dial 211 first for broad emergency aid information; call OWBC (512-763-1400) for CEAP; call AAACAP (855-937-2372) for senior services; call WCCHD (512-248-3252) for healthcare. Williamson County Commissioners Court allocates some discretionary emergency funds annually but does not operate a direct-aid program at scale.

Williamson County operates its County Indigent Health Care Program (CIHCP) through the Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD), which administers the WilCo Care Card program. Williamson County does not maintain a public hospital district but partners with St. David's Round Rock and St. David's Georgetown hospitals through the Upper Payment Limit (UPL) program (since 2007) to fund inpatient and outpatient hospital services for eligible WilCo Care members. The WilCo Care Card covers: medically necessary doctor visits and annual physical exams, diagnostic testing and imaging, specialist care with primary physician referral, emergency room care, hospitalization (maximum 30 days or $30,000 in eligible expenses per program year, whichever comes first), prescription eyewear every two years, prescription medications (up to three per month, 30-day supply), and mental health services including counseling. WilCo Care pays up to $30,000 of eligible expenses per program year. Eligibility: Williamson County resident, age 18+, household income less than 21% of the Federal Poverty Level (the Texas statutory minimum), countable resources within the Health and Safety Code Chapter 61 limit, and ineligible for Medicaid. Apply by calling the WCCHD Healthcare Helpline at 512-248-3252 or visiting wcchd.org. The same helpline also runs WCCHD's Benefits Enrollment Center, which helps adults 65+ and adults with disabilities apply for Medicare Extra Help, Medicare Savings Programs, Medicaid and SNAP at no cost. The WilCo Care Card is accepted by providers across Williamson and at some providers in Bell and Travis counties.

Estimated bill savings: $1,500–$30,000 a year

In this county: Williamson's 21% FPL income gate is the Texas STATUTORY MINIMUM — only the very poorest Williamson residents qualify for full WilCo Care coverage (those at or near SSI income levels). Hospitalization is capped at 30 days per program year. Williamson does NOT have a public hospital district; the UPL partnership with St. David's Round Rock + Georgetown is the mechanism by which Williamson County pays for hospital care for WilCo Care members. For Williamson residents above 21% FPL, St. David's HealthCare also offers a separate Patient Financial Assistance Program with broader 200%+ FPL sliding-scale assistance. For Medicare-eligible Williamson seniors, MSP pathways (QMB/SLMB/QI) are typically more accessible than WilCo Care.

The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area (AAACAP) serves older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers in Williamson County as part of its 10-county Central Texas region. AAACAP plans and funds services for people 60 and older, including congregate and home-delivered meals, Care Coordination and in-home support, caregiver support and respite, Benefits Counseling for Medicare and public benefits, health and wellness classes, and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. It also runs the Aging and Disability Resource Center of the Capital Area (ADRC), a single place to ask about long-term services and supports. Call AAACAP at 512-916-6062 or toll-free 888-622-9111, or call the ADRC toll-free at 855-937-2372.

Estimated service value: $1,500–$5,000 a year

In this county: Services and wait times vary by service and by part of the county. Some services, such as meals and in-home support, are provided through local contracted agencies.

CARTS (Capital Area Rural Transportation System) serves Williamson County as part of its 9-county Central Texas regional transit district. Services include: (1) Country Bus — general-public demand-response paratransit throughout the district; (2) Interurban Coach — scheduled regional intercity bus from 9 CARTS stations connecting cities including Round Rock, Georgetown, and Taylor to Austin Capital Metro service centers and Amtrak/Greyhound; (3) Municipal Bus services in select cities; (4) Non-emergency medical transportation. Seniors AGE 65+ ride for HALF PRICE on all CARTS services. Country Bus and Community Transit operate ~60 mini-buses and vans flexibly across the region. In Williamson County, CARTS supplements Capital Metro (which serves Cedar Park, Leander, and other Williamson cities that are member cities of the CapMetro district). Apply for CARTS senior fare ID at the Round Rock CARTS station or by calling 512-478-7433.

Estimated service value: $300–$2,500 a year

In this county: Williamson County has DUAL TRANSIT COVERAGE — CARTS (regional rural transit) serves the entire county, while Capital Metro (CapMetro) extends fixed-route service to Cedar Park and Leander (which are CapMetro member cities). Williamson seniors needing Austin-area connections can use either CARTS Interurban Coach OR CapMetro depending on origin/destination. The CARTS demand-response Country Bus model means flexible scheduling — most Williamson rural areas are served. Llano is OUTSIDE the CARTS district despite proximity. status_ceiling=likely_qualifies because senior fare is automatic on age proof.