MAKING CONNECTIONS NORTH TARRANT
Saturday, February 21, 2026🔸9 am - 1 pm
Chisholm Trail High School
3100 NW College Drive, Fort Worth 76179
The IDD Council’s Making Connections Disability Resource Fairs bring together the disability resources in our community to one, easily accessed location for families and caregivers to collect information and learn about benefits and services each provide. Making Connections Disability Resource Fairs are held throughout the year in various Tarrant County locations.
Attend Breakout Sessions and Visit with organizations providing services for:
Medicaid Waivers, Social Security, Guardianship/Supported Decision-Making, Behavioral Health, Transition & Employment Services, College Programs, Assistive & Adaptive Technology, Special Needs Trusts / Wills, Assisted Living / Housing, Financial Planning, Recreation & Leisure, Therapy & Camp Providers, Respite/Day Habilitation, and more
VISIT OUR MAKING CONNECTIONS NORTH TARRANT SPONSORS:
9 A.M.
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Exhibitor Area Opens.
Visit with a variety of Exhibitors providing services and resources for people with disabilities and their families. -
Sensory Room Opens
9:30 - 10:15
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Guardianship: Rush to the Courthouse or Last Resort?
10:25 - 10:55
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Interest Lists-The Place to Be: Waiver Overviews
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College Options and Disability Services in Higher Education
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Bring the Fun: Summer Camps Panel Presentation
11:30 - Noon
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Life Planning (Wills, Trusts, ABLE Accounts)
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College Options and Disability Services in Higher Education
12:10 - 12:40
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Interest Lists-The Place to Be: Waiver Overviews (Repeated)
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Bring the Fun: Summer Camps Panel Presentation (Repeated)
12:50 - 1:20
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Life Planning (Wills, Trusts, ABLE Accounts) (Repeated)
12:30 P.M.
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Exhibitor Area Closes
1:30 P.M.
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Sensory Room Closes
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Session Descriptions:
Guardianship and Alternatives: Rush to the Courthouse or Last Resort?
An overview of the laws applicable to guardianship in Texas, the evidence and standard of proof needed to obtain a guardianship and the many alternatives to guardianship. By Tarrant County Probate 2 Court
Medicaid Waiver Programs & Interest Lists / Accessing Services through Your Local LIDDA
As the State’s Local IDD Authority (LIDDA), MHMR is the first point of contact for families looking for services. Learn about Texas’ interest lists, options and benefits, and the criteria for services. Designed to help families, caregivers, and professionals understand how Texas waiver program interest lists work—and why getting on them early matters, this discussion breaks down the different waiver options, what services they provide, how the interest list process operates, and strategies for staying informed while you wait. Attendees will gain clarity, confidence, and actionable steps to ensure their loved one is positioned for the supports they may need in the future. It’s an essential conversation for anyone planning ahead and navigating long‑term services and supports.
College Options and Disability Services in Higher Education
This session will offer families, students, and professionals a chance to explore the many pathways available after high school and the supports that make success possible. Participants will gain a clear understanding of admissions considerations, campus disability offices, academic accommodations, and the wide range of programs designed to help students with disabilities thrive. This informative and encouraging session empowers attendees with practical tools, insider tips, and resources to make confident, well‑informed decisions about the future.
Bring the Fun! Summer Camps!
Discover the wide range of enriching, inclusive camp experiences available in our community. We will highlight day and overnight options, specialized supports, adaptive activities, and the unique benefits camps offer to help build independence and improve social skills.
Saving for Your Loved Ones Future: Special Needs Trusts, Wills and ABLE Accounts
Designed to give families and caregivers the clarity and confidence they need to prepare for the future. This presentation breaks down essential planning tools like special needs trusts, will considerations, and ABLE accounts, in a way that’s easy to understand and immediately useful. Attendees will learn how each option supports long‑term financial security, protects benefits, and empowers individuals with disabilities to thrive.
About our Presenters
Cheriece Overstreet, LMSW
Tarrant County Probate #2 Court
Cheriece Overstreet is a Licensed Master Social Worker, earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Tarleton State University. She has 13 years of experience in the field, including working in mental health with MHMR and school social work with Fort Worth ISD. She is also currently pursuing an advanced licensure in Clinical Social Work.
Cheriece currently serves as an Assistant Court Investigator for Tarrant County Probate Court No. 2 under the Honorable Judge S. Brook Bell, where she supports the court by assessing the need for guardianship and advocating for vulnerable individuals.
Beyond her professional work, Cheriece is a proud mother of two adult children and has been married for 27 years. She enjoys being in nature, traveling and is grateful for the opportunity to speak today.
Jordyn Casto-Fisk, LMSW
Tarrant County Probate #2 Court
Jordyn Casto-Fisk is a Licensed Master Social Worker. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas, with a minor in substance use counseling, and her master’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. Jordyn brings nine years of experience working with diverse populations, ranging from children in foster care to older adults in nursing home settings.
In her role with Probate Court No. 2, Jordyn serves as an Assistant Court Investigator and the Court Visitor Program Manager under the Honorable Judge S. Brook Bell. She oversees all active guardianship cases for the court and supervises social work interns who conduct annual court visits.
Outside of her professional life, Jordyn enjoys spending time with her family and is recently married. She can often be found at a hockey rink cheering on her husband and cousins. She also loves expressing her creativity and making meaningful memories with her loved ones.
Stephanie Morris
My Health My Resources of Tarrant County
Stephanie Morris is the Parent & Family Advocate for Disability Services, at My Health My Resources of Tarrant County (MHMRTC), where she's been employed for over twenty years. As a parent of a young man with special needs, she can relate and listen to your concerns. Stephanie supports families by helping them make decisions and choices regarding services and negotiates families concerns with service providers when requested. She helps educate families to have a clear understanding of their rights and how services should be provided.
TJ Kroehle, AIF
Texas Life Planning for Families with Special Needs