After more than a year in jail, a man with intellectual disabilities has been transferred to a state-supported living center, reuniting with his family and raising broader concerns about gaps in care.

Shawn Fraraccio, 26, was released from the Tarrant County Jail this month and transported to the Mexia State Supported Living Center, a state facility for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

His mother, Christy Bridgman, said the moment marked the end of a painful chapter.

“This is a special day for me. And I’m going to get it tattooed on me,” Bridgman said.

She said it was the first time in more than a year she could hug her son.

“The biggest hug he’s had in a year and four months,” she said.

Bridgman said her son functions at the level of a young child, estimating his intellectual ability between ages 6 and 8.

Fraraccio had been held in the Tarrant County Jail since December 2024 following a domestic violence incident that his mother described as a mental health episode.

“It’s been a total. heartbreaking, traumatizing experience for me,” she said.

Fraraccio is now receiving care at the Mexia facility, but his transfer was delayed due to limited availability at state-supported living centers.

Krish Kundu, co-founder and executive director of the Texas Jail Project, said the case highlights a broader issue.

“Brings us to the larger question of why are there not enough beds for something that is already an entitlement for people like Sean?” Kundu said. “He never needed to be in jail.”

Kundu said other families are facing similar situations. Tarrant County officials said last month that more than 60 people in the county are in comparable circumstances.

“We are putting them in inappropriate placements of care,” Kundu said.

State data shows many transfers into state-supported living centers are coming from county jails.

The Tarrant County sheriff previously acknowledged the challenges in handling such cases.

“It’s a very sad state of affairs,” the sheriff said.

Now, Bridgman said she plans to advocate for other families navigating similar struggles.

“I’m just gonna love him like I always have,” she said.