Clay County covers 1,117 square miles of ranch and farm country in North Texas, along the Texas-Oklahoma border area. Its five towns are Henrietta, Dean, Petrolia, Bellevue and Byers, and the county is classified as entirely rural. Most people here live in standalone houses on their own land rather than in apartment buildings.
That matters when someone starts having trouble with steps. In a detached house you own, you can usually choose the lift that fits your stairs without asking a building manager. This page walks through the home styles common in Clay County, what kind of lift each tends to need, and where to look for help paying for it.
Single-family homes and detached houses make up most of the housing here. If the stairs inside run in one straight line with no turns or landings, a straight stair lift is the simplest fit. It mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so the home's structure stays as it is.
Split-level homes are a different job. They often have several short flights between levels, and a person may need to cross more than one of them in a day. Depending on the layout, that can mean a curved lift that follows the turns or more than one straight lift.
Ranch-style homes keep most living space on one floor, but many still have steps at the front door, back porch or garage entry. For those outside steps, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure or a vertical platform lift can be the better answer.
Clay County does have some walk-up apartments, where the only way to a unit is a shared stairway. A lift on common stairs needs the property owner's written approval before anything is installed.
Renters should know that one state grant listed below, the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program, accepts applications from both homeowners and renters. It is worth asking about even if you do not own the building.
About 22.8% of Clay County residents are 65 or older, and 77.8% own their homes. For many families, that adds up to a parent who wants to stay in a house they own, with stairs that have become hard to manage.
If the person who needs the lift served in the military, check the veteran options below before paying out of pocket. The Clay County Veterans Service Officer at 101 N. Main Street in Henrietta can be reached at (940) 538-0301.
None of the programs we found names stair lifts as a covered item, so plan to ask each one directly. Several do fund home modifications in general, and a written quote from an installer helps when you make that call.
For adults on Medicaid who meet nursing-facility level of care, the Texas STAR+PLUS HCBS Waiver covers minor home modifications. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities may look at the VA housing grants. For people 60 and older, the Area Agency on Aging of North Texas in Wichita Falls can help sort through what applies.
If a ramp turns out to be the right fit instead of a lift, the Texas Ramp Project builds wheelchair ramps and serves Clay County through its Wichita Falls region. Each program is summarized below.
A state Medicaid waiver for people 21 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid financial limits; it covers minor home modifications, but the source does not list stair lifts, so ask your service coordinator. Call (877) 782-6440.
A one-time state grant of up to $22,500 for households that include a person with a disability and earn no more than 80% of Area Median Family Income; it funds items like ramps, handrails and doorway widening, and stair lifts are not listed. Call (512) 936-7799 to find the administrator serving Clay County.
Federal grants for veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 maximums of up to $126,526 for SAH and up to $25,350 for SHA. The source mentions ramps and doorway widening but not stair lifts, so confirm coverage with a VA Regional Loan Center.
Serves people 60 and older and their caregivers in an 11-county region that includes Clay County, with care coordination, benefits counseling and referrals; no stair lift grant was found, but it can point you to other funding. Call (940) 322-5281.
A nonprofit that builds wheelchair ramps through volunteers and lists Clay County in its Wichita Falls service region; it does not install stair lifts. Call (214) 558-0339 if a ramp is the better fit.
A local senior center serving Henrietta and Clay County since 1981, offering Meals on Wheels and social programs; stair lift help is not listed, but it is a good place to ask for referrals. Call (940) 538-5615.
Older adults
4309 Jacksboro Highway, Wichita Falls, 76302
Veterans
101 N. Main Street, Henrietta, 76365
The Texas STAR+PLUS HCBS Waiver covers minor home modifications for eligible adults 21 and older, but the source does not name stair lifts. Ask your STAR+PLUS service coordinator whether a lift qualifies, or call (877) 782-6440.
Yes. The Area Agency on Aging of North Texas serves people 60 and older and their caregivers in Clay County. Its Wichita Falls office is at 4309 Jacksboro Highway and can be reached at (940) 322-5281.
Start with the Clay County Veterans Service Officer at 101 N. Main Street in Henrietta, (940) 538-0301. VA housing grants may apply for qualifying service-connected disabilities, though stair lift coverage has to be confirmed with a VA Regional Loan Center.
The Amy Young Barrier Removal Program accepts both homeowners and renters whose household includes a person with a disability and meets the income limit. Stair lifts are not on its listed items, so ask when you call (512) 936-7799, and get your landlord's approval before any installation.
Not always. An outdoor stair lift or platform lift can handle porch steps, and in some cases a ramp works better. The Texas Ramp Project builds wheelchair ramps in Clay County and can be reached at (214) 558-0339.
The Clay County Senior Citizens Center has served Henrietta and Clay County since 1981 and runs Meals on Wheels. It does not list stair lift assistance, but staff can point you toward county and regional aging services at (940) 538-5615.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
