Council Initiatives
The Council’s Five Year State Plan includes numerous federally funded initiatives that benefit Louisiana citizens with disabilities throughout the state. Below are the Council’s major initiatives.
Families Helping Families Regional Resource Centers – is a statewide network of ten family-directed and family-staffed regional centers which provide information on all types of services, goods, technologies, and activities that improve the quality of life in the community; help individuals understand their rights and how to advocate for themselves; and lend support from someone “who has been there”.
LaCAN (Louisiana Citizens for Action Now) – is a grassroots network that works with policy makers to build a better Louisiana. Call for more information if you are interested in joining LaCAN. Sign up to receive LaCAN e-mail alerts.
LaTEACH (Louisiana Together Educating All Children) -promotes appropriate, inclusive education for all students. LaTEACH works to make parents, educators, the general public, and state leadership informed and supportive of research-based and effective practices used appropriately for each student.
Inclusive Schools Art Contest - sponsored annually by the Council in collaboration with LaTEACH, the Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs, the Louisiana Department of Education and other organizations to promote inclusion.
2009 Inclusive Schools Art Contest Winners
Partners in Policymaking – offers monthly weekend sessions over six (6) months for leadership development. Approximately 25 persons are accepted into this program annually.
Class of 2010 Partners in Policymaking Graduates
People First – is a statewide self-advocacy organization made up of and run by people with disabilities, to provide opportunities for self-advocates to speak for themselves on the issues that most impact and affect their lives.
People First of Louisiana board members participating in a training during a board meeting. Pictured from left to right: Wallace Johnson, Nichole Jones, and James Burroughs.
The Autism Early Behavioral Intervention Project is a model program designed to build the capacity of EarlySteps in providing evidence-based interventions for young children with autism. The Autism Project is a joint effort between LSU Human Development Center, the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities and the DD Council.
The Employment Provider Training (Employment Consortium) facilitates employment trainings to build the capacity of employment provider agencies to support individuals with developmental disabilities in finding community employment. The development and dissemination of a Supported Employment Training curriculum will highlight effective strategies for supporting individuals with complex support needs to identify career aspirations and to obtain and maintain community employment.
Employment Outreach Campaign - will educate employers, individuals with disabilities, family members, and provider agencies about the benefits of having people with developmental disabilities as part of the community-based workforce.
The Buddies-At-Work project is a statewide public awareness campaign designed to promote an understanding of the abilities of people with developmental disabilities in occupational, educational, and recreational settings. Best Buddies Louisiana matches high school students and adults with developmental disabilities (Buddies) with an employed professional and their business or organization. Buddies participate in meaningful work activities with their chosen peer buddies at the host employment sites, as well as educational and/or recreational activities.
Pictured from left to right: Shandrekia Shorty, Administrative Assistant; Theodore “TC” Bazile, switchboard; and Jonquoin Williams, Human Resources.
Participants in the Buddies At Work Day assisted staff at the Amelia Belle Casino administrative office in a variety of job duties. This work day event has opened up the possibility of future employment for people with disabilities at the Amelia Belle. To read the article printed in the newspaper click here.
- More Buddies At Work in the news – Click HERE for the transcript of a KPLC news story about Josie Hazelwood who works at a Raising Cane’s in Lake Charles.
