Local and state agencies

Adult Protective Services
Texas Adult Protective Services receives and investigates reports of suspected adult or elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. To make a report, call the 24-hour, toll-free hotline.
1-800-252-5400
www.dfps.state.tx.us/Contact_Us/report_abuse.asp
Texas Abuse Hotline:
https://www.txabusehotline.org/Login/Default.aspx

Area Agency on Aging /Aging and Disability Resource Center
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission administers and supports people who are aging and people with intellectual and physical disabilities. Staff can provide information about aging and disability services and whether there are any support groups for fiduciaries or caregivers.
1-512-424-6500
hhs.texas.gov/services/aging 

Texas Attorney General
The Office of the Attorney General has a Consumer Protection Section. It operates the Texas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline.
1-800-621-0508
texasattorneygeneral.gov/cpd/consumer-protection

Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau (“BBB”) can help consumers with complaints against businesses.
bbb.org/file-a-complaint

BBB of Abilene, 13 Mid-West Texas Counties
1-325-691-1533
bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-of-abilene

Better Business Bureau Serving the Concho Valley, San Angelo
1-325-691-1533
bbb.org/local-bbb/better-business-bureau-serving-the-concho-valley

BBB serving North Central Texas, Dallas, Lubbock, & Wichita Falls
1-214-220-2000
bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-north-central-texas

Better Business Bureau in Southeast Texas
1-409-835-5348
bbb.org/local-bbb/southeasttexas

BBB serving the Heart of Texas, Austin, Bryan, Corpus Christi, Fort Worth, Midland, San Antonio, and Waco
1-844-477-1099
bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-the-heart-of-texas

BBB of Greater Houston and South Texas, Austin, Brazoria, Brooks, Cameron, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Matagorda, Montgomery, Starr, Waller, Wharton, Willacy, and Zapata Counties
1-713-868-9500
bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-of-greater-houston-and-south-texas

BBB Serving Northeast and Central Louisiana and the Ark-La-Texas (including Bowie and Cass County, Texas)
1-318-797-1330
bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-northeast-and-central-louisiana-and-the-ark-la-tex

BBB El Paso
1-915-577-0191
bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-of-el-paso

BBB serving Central East Texas, Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Morris, Panola, Rains, Red River, Rusk, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood Counties
1-903-581-5704
bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-serving-central-east-texas

BBB of Amarillo, Texas Panhandle
1-806-379-6222
bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-of-amarillo

Texas Veterans Commission
The Texas Veterans Commission is a state-appointed advocate for Texas veterans. The Commission assists veterans to secure benefits rightfully earned in exchange for service in the armed forces.
1-800-252-8387
tvc.texas.gov
info@tvc.texas.gov

Texas Veterans Portal
The Texas Veterans Portal is a resource that compiles helpful information from many government agencies to help veterans, their families, and their survivors find the assistance, services, and benefits they need.
1-800-273-8255 or 2-1-1 (option 1)
https://texvet.org/partners/texasgov

Local Resources
Eldercare Locator is a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging that connects older Americans and their caregivers with information on senior services.
1-800-677-1116
eldercare.acl.gov

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Contact the Office of the State Long-term Care Ombudsman to find state and local long-term care advocates. Ombudsmen identify, investigate, and resolve complaints about long-term care.
1-800-252-2412
apps.hhs.texas.gov/news_info/ombudsman/

Texas Association of Mediators
Find a listing of local mediators in Texas. Mediation can help resolve disputes and may sometimes be an alternative to legal action.
txmediator.org
(click on "Member Locator" then "View All Members" for lists of Texas mediators)

 

Medicaid/medical assistance

Texas Medicaid Information
hhs.texas.gov/services/health/medicaid-chip/medicaid-chip-programs-services

Texas Health and Human Services Commission -Your Texas Benefits
yourtexasbenefits.com/Learn/Home

Texas Health Options
This state resource can help you understand how to find and use health insurance.
1-800-252-3439
texashealthoptions.com
ConsumerProtection@tdi.texas.gov

Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of Texas
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, in the Office of the Attorney General, investigates and prosecutes abuse and fraud by healthcare providers.
1-800-252-8011 (Main agency)
mfcu@oag.texas.gov

Austin Field Office
1-512-371-4700

Corpus Christi Field Office
1-361-851-8440

Dallas Field Office
1-817-385-2200

El Paso Field Office
1-915-881-2100

Houston Field Office
1-713-225-0691

Lubbock Field Office
1-806-765-6367, ext. 101

Pharr Field Office
1-956-683-7095

San Antonio Field Office
1-210-653-9001

Tyler Field Office
1-903-593-4644

 

Police or sheriff

Find a law enforcement agency by checking your local directory.

Texas Victim Resource Directory
The Texas Victim Resource Directory is a compilation of non-profit and governmental agencies that provide services to crime victims free of charge in Texas. 
https://ivss.tdcj.texas.gov/resource-search/

Sheriffs’ Association of Texas
Find the local sheriff’s office.
txsheriffs.org/texas-sheriffs-list

 

Federal agencies

Numerous federal agencies play a role in combating fraud and abuse and educating consumers. Contact them for more information.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
1-855-411-CFPB
consumerfinance.gov

Do Not Call Registry
1-888-382-1222
donotcall.gov

Federal Bureau of Investigation
fbi.gov/scams-safety

Federal Trade Commission
1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357)
consumer.ftc.gov

Postal Inspection Service
1-877-876-2455
postalinspectors.uspis.gov

Social Security Administration
1-800-772-1213
socialsecurity.gov/payee

Department of Veterans Affairs
1-888-407-0144
benefits.va.gov/fiduciary

 

Legal help

Eldercare Locator
Find local programs that provide free legal help to people over age 60 by contacting the national Eldercare Locator.
1-800-677-1116
eldercare.acl.gov

Legal Services Corporation
Find local programs that provide free legal help to low-income people on the website of the Legal Services Corporation.
lsc.gov/find-legal-aid

State Bar of Texas
Find free legal clinics and other resources for veterans and their families who otherwise cannot afford or do not have access to the legal services they need on the website of the State Bar of Texas.
Lawyer Information Referral Service:
1-800-252-9690
Click here for information about free legal resources.
Click here for information about legal resources for veterans.

Texas Legal Services Center
Any person in Texas who is 60 years of age or older can call the Legal Hotline for Texans for free legal information. The Legal Hotline for Texans has a wide range of brochures on many different legal topics. The Legal Hotline for Texans also serves persons who are eligible for Medicare, regardless of age or income. Services can be applied for online or over the phone.
1-800-622-2520
tlsc.org

Legal Aid of Northwest Texas
This program serves counties from the Panhandle and the High Plains through the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. It has offices in Amarillo, Plainview, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, Brownwood, San Angelo, Wichita Falls, Denton, Weatherford, Fort Worth, Dallas, Waxahachie, and McKinney.
1-888-529-5277
lanwt.org

Lone Star Legal Aid
This program serves Texas counties from the Louisiana and Arkansas border westward to some counties along I-35. It has offices in Texarkana, Tyler, Paris, Longview, Nacogdoches, Beaumont, Conroe, Houston, Galveston, Angleton, Bryan, Belton, and Waco.
1-800-733-8394
lonestarlegal.org

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
This program provides free legal services to low-income residents in 68 counties of Southwest Texas, including Bexar, Cameron, El Paso, Hidalgo, Nueces, Travis, and Williamson counties.
1-888-988-9996
trla.org

Pro Bono Program Listings in Texas
Click this link to access pro bono program listings in Texas.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers
Providing free legal aid to low-income individuals by connecting them with lawyers in the private bar who volunteer their time.
1-713-228-0735
makejusticehappen.org

Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) of Central Texas
Reduced fee program for family law matters, uncontested guardianship cases, and drafting simple wills.
austinlrs.com

Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program
Providing telephone referral of low-income individuals to volunteer attorneys who provide free legal services. Applicants must be Dallas County residents.
1-214-243-2236
dallasvolunteerattorneyprogram.org

Community Justice Program (San Antonio)
Providing free neighborhood-based legal services to individuals who may not otherwise have access to the legal system.
https://sanantoniobar.org/index.cfm?pg=Applying_For_Aid

Fee-for-service lawyers
This is an American Bar Association-sponsored website that provides information about how to find a lawyer in each state.  It also has information about legal resources available in each state, how to check whether a lawyers is licensed, and what to do if you have problems with a lawyer.
findlegalhelp.org