2024 Regular Legislative Session Update | | |
Governor Jeff Landry signed the following disability related legislation during the 2024 Regular Legislative Session:
House Bill 322 by Rep. Joe Stagni
Bars school administrators from discouraging teachers who wish to recommend discipline for students who violate school policy or disrupt the classroom.
House Bill 335 by Rep. Kim Carver
Provides relative to mandatory reporters of child abuse.
Senate Bill 61 by Senator Franklin Foil
Provides relative for limited or full continuing tutorships.
Additional updates on Gubernatorial bill signings will be added to July newsletter.
| | GODA Conference Proposal Deadline For Presenters Extended to July 1st | | |
The deadline for interested parties to submit proposals to present during the 2024 GODA Conference has been extended.
Please click here to gain access to the application to formally submit a proposal to present in the 2024 GODA Conference. All interested parties must complete the request form in its entirety. Interested Parties who would like to present on multiple subject matters, are asked to submit a separate proposal for each topic.
Priority for selection will be given to proposals that include people with disabilities.
The 2024 GODA Conference is scheduled to take place in August- the conference date will be announced in July.
For more information, please contact Liam Doyle, Assistant Director of Disability Affairs, at liam.doyle@la.gov or (225) 219-7553.
Please click here to access recordings from the 2023 GODA Conference:
2023 GODA Conference
| | Governor's Office of Disability Affairs Selected to Participate in Governor's Fellow Program | | |
The Governor's Office of Disability Affairs welcomes Jaden York via the 2024 Governor's Fellowship Program.
The Governor’s Fellows Program in Louisiana Government is an opportunity for college and university student leaders to experience public policy in action, learn the rich history and current affairs of Louisiana government, and earn three hours of academic credit through LSU’s Department of Public Administration.
Each Fellow is assigned to a cabinet-level agency in Baton Rouge. Fellows will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by collaborating with agency leaders on existing projects, observing firsthand the Governor’s leadership strategies and learning how state policies are developed.
Jaden possesses a rare combination of natural leadership abilities, resilience, and the capacity to connect with others on a profound level. Throughout his time at Southern University, Jaden has demonstrated exemplary leadership skills in various capacities. He has been the Chief of Staff for Southern's Student Government Association, an Activities Coordinator of the Men's Federation Organization, and is even Mr. NAAHP of the National African American Association of Honors Program.
Jaden consistently exhibits the ability to motivate and inspire their peers to achieve their best. One of Jaden's most admirable qualities is their resilience in the face of challenges despite encountering obstacles. As an advocate for people with disabilities and a lack of resources, Jaden approaches every situation with a positive attitude and an unwavering determination to succeed. One of Jaden’s main motives towards contributing to the Department of Disability Affairs is his mother who was affected by disabilities.
Edna York, Jaden’s mother, was a strong and driven woman who battled daily tribulations to still provide and support Jaden’s dreams. His ability to persevere in difficult circumstances serves as a testament to his strength of character and his commitment to personal and academic growth. Moreover, Jaden possesses exceptional people skills that allow them to effortlessly connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds. His empathetic nature, coupled with excellent communication skills, enables him to build meaningful relationships and foster a collaborative environment wherever he goes. Jaden's genuine interest in understanding others' perspectives and willingness to lend a helping hand make him an invaluable asset to any team or community.
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The ARC of Louisiana to Host Advocacy In Education and Employment Training in
Region Two
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The Arc of Louisiana will be conducting in-depth trainings across the state that will enhance your knowledge and advocacy skills in Employment and Special Education. The first in-person training will be in Baton Rouge (Region 2). Louisiana Lighthouse for the Blind will present on the Work Incentives, Planning and Assistance program (WIPA).
Individuals with disabilities, their families, and other interested organizations and stakeholders are encouraged to attend. Other locations and training opportunities will be added to the Council’s website as scheduled. These trainings are free to attend, but registration is required.
To register for the free training opportunity, please click here
| | Louisiana Makes Efforts To Expand Resources for Mental Health | | |
The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) is taking a key step to increase the availability of mental health providers in the state with a plan to expand Medicaid reimbursement eligibility to provisionally licensed mental health professionals (PLMHPs) while they are seeking full licensure.
Currently in Louisiana, PLMHPs can practice and provide mental health therapeutic services under the supervision of a fully licensed mental health professional (LMHP); however, these providers cannot receive Medicaid reimbursement. This policy change will allow PLMHPs who provide these critical services to obtain reimbursement from the Medicaid program as they are working toward full licensure.
Under the state’s current framework, only LMHPs— which include licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) and licensed professional counselors (LPCs) — are eligible for reimbursement for these services.
Louisiana, like the rest of the U.S., is facing critical behavioral health workforce challenges, while the need for services is as great as ever. Nationally, one in three people live in areas lacking mental health providers. In Louisiana, the Health Resources and Services Administration estimates only 26% of mental health needs are being met. At the same time, the number of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder has steadily increased over the last five years, with 32.5% of Louisiana adults reporting symptoms in 2021.
One in five Louisiana adults live with mental illness, and Louisiana ranks 35th among all states for its suicide rate. Expanding access to services by increasing the number of providers eligible for Medicaid reimbursement is a critical part of LDH’s priority to address these complex behavioral health challenges. The Department estimates that over 4,000 providers in Louisiana would be newly eligible for reimbursement under this policy change as early as August 1. This includes as many as 1,796 provisionally licensed professional counselors, 137 provisionally licensed marriage and family therapists, and 2,564 licensed master social workers.
LDH is developing the change in partnership with behavioral health leaders from across the state, including the CEOs of Volunteers of
Before this policy is fully effective, rule changes and a state plan amendment (SPA) are required. The Notice of Intent of the proposed rule has been posted and can be accessed . LDH expects publication of the final rule on July 20.
If approved by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, implementation is expected to begin on August 1, 2024.
| | LCD ASL Mentor Program Announced | | |
The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf (LCD) offers a mentorship program for American Sign Language Interpreters.
A skilled American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter workforce is critical to ensuring equitable communication access for all d/Deaf, Deafblind and hard of hearing ASL users. Education alone is not enough to acquire this level of expertise.
Opportunities for practical application with a mentor is essential for skill development, and may also be required for certain levels of professional credentialing.
The various opportunities in which ASL Interpreters can engage in professional mentoring support include:
- Job Shadowing
- Internship
- Pre-certification Practicum
- Coaching
- Professional Development Training
A robust interpreter mentorship system is one of our key strategies to increase the quality and quantity of ASL interpreters working in Louisiana. LCD is proud to announce current mentoring and support opportunities including:
- The K-12 Project: A Roadmap to Professional Excellence - Begins July 2024.
Please follow the LCD Facebook page to stay up to date on available training and CEU opportunities!
| | People First of Louisiana to Host Annual Conference | | |
People First of Louisiana will host its annual conference on June 13, 2024 in Baton Rouge, LA at the Red Cross Building located on Sherwood Common Blvd.
The three hour conference will begin with Presentation by Mark Hublar, "Everyone Has a Story: The Power of Determination and Storytelling"
- How determination has played a crucial role in overcoming personal and social challenges.
- Real-life examples of how embracing one's story can lead to empowerment and change.
- Sharing personal stories and key insights on overcoming barriers through determination.
After the presentation by Mr. Hublar, Katherine Klimitas will give her "Find Your Something" presentation.
- Will challenge the audience to imagine what the world would look like if everyone was able to live up to their full potential.
- Motivate you to try new things, set personal goals, and commit to them.
Katherine will have books priced at $10 available for sale after the event.
For more information, and to register for the conference please click here.
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Tulane Student Seeks Community Input on Disaster Experiences | | |
Are you a survivor of a Hurricane with a disability living in New Orleans or surrounding areas?
If so, Tulane University needs your input regarding your experiences during the Hurricane.
The information collected will not be identifiable and will be used to enhance emergency response services for persons with disabilities during and after a crisis.
Please email apatell@tulane.edu to participate in this survey.
| | My Place Louisiana Program | | |
My Place Louisiana helps to safely transition physically disabled, elderly, and developmentally-disabled adults and children out of qualified institutions.
The program uses Medicaid funds that would have paid for eligible individuals to receive care in a nursing home, intermediate care facility, hospital, or other qualified facility, and uses those funds to establish them in home and community-based services.
My Place Louisiana can be accessed either through the Office of Aging and Adult Services (OAAS) or the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD).
To gain access to the My Place Brochure, please click here.
| | The 2024 Louisiana Deaf Festival | | |
The Council of Organizations Serving the Deaf, Inc will host the 12th Louisiana Deaf Festival in Louisiana. The Festival will be held at the Castine Center, 63350 Pelican Drive, Mandeville, La on June 8th, 2024.
The COSD, is a non-profit organization operated by and for the Deaf Community and works with collaborating with organizations to educate the public with goal of eradicating misconceptions and moving towards a better understanding for all.
For more information regarding the festival please contact Sherrycosd@gmail.com.
Please click here to gain access to the 2024 Festival's official webpage.
| | Louisiana Medicaid Update Renew Your Benefits | | |
It may be time to renew your Medicaid coverage. Make sure your contact information, including your address, email address and cell phone number, is up to date.
If you get a letter from Medicaid, read it, follow the instructions and send the requested information back to Medicaid.
If you don’t respond, you could lose your coverage even if you are still eligible.
To renew your information online please click here.
| | Virtual Youth Hangout Group | | |
Are you a young adult with a disability between the ages of 16-26?
Hosted by the Louisiana Parent Training and Information Center/Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans, the youth virtual hangout is an opportunity for youth, with special healthcare needs and disabilities to network, build friendships, share their experiences and learn from each other - with an emphasis on self-determination and self-advocacy. Ages 16-26. NOTE: If you have registered for a previous Hangout session, you do not need to re-register for a future session. You will be notified of any upcoming sessions and how to join.
Join in the fun and make friends from all over Louisiana, share experiences, and learn from each other.
Hangouts are facilitated by Steven Nguyen, an adult living with a disability (spina bifida). For more information, please reach out to him at snguyen@fhfofgno.org or at (504) 345-9184.
Join in the fun and make friends from all over Louisiana, share experiences, and learn from each other.
Please visit the following link to register for the virtual hangout sessions. http://bit.ly/YouthHangouts
| | U.S. Department of Justice Publishes Web Accessibility Guide | | |
Recently, the Department of Justice published a Small Entity Compliance Guide to help people who work for or with small state or local governments understand the new web content and mobile application (app) accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
This guide follows the recent publication of a final rule to improve web and mobile app access for people with disabilities. The rule clarifies how state and local governments can meet their existing ADA obligations as many of their activities move to the digital space. The rule adopts a technical standard for web and mobile accessibility to ensure that people with disabilities can better access important public services like health care, voting, and education.
To find out more about the ADA, visit ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY).
| | 2024 Special Education Parent Involvement Survey | | |
Each year, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) surveys parents of children with disabilities who receive special education services to gather information about how well schools involve parents in the education of their children. The LDOE uses this information to guide their efforts to improve services and results for children with disabilities and enhance family involvement.
LDOE uses a sampling method to collect this feedback by selecting certain school districts and charter schools to participate in the survey. Parents in the selected districts and schools should receive participation information from their child’s school, but a list of participating districts and schools and the survey are also available on the Special Education Parent Involvement Survey webpage on the Louisiana Believes website.
Parents who would like to complete the survey, but may not have children in the selected school district or charter school, can still complete the survey. The survey will be available until July 31, 2024.
Click here to complete the survey.
| | Louisiana Retail Food Program | | |
The Retail Food Program objective is to prevent and minimize food-borne disease outbreaks through consulting, monitoring, issuance of permits and regulation of food establishments.
The program also oversees the Food Safety Certification Program which consults with industry, monitors and regulates the Food Safety Certification requirements of retail food establishments.
The mission of the Retail Food Program is to:
- promote health through education that emphasizes the importance of food safety;
- enforce regulations which protect the food supply and investigate food-borne illness outbreaks; and
- provide leadership in food safety for the prevention of disease or injury.
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For more information about the Retail Food Program in Louisiana please click here.
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