AdvocacyCenter

"The Disability Rights Auto Fund"

AdvocacyCenter — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:57:00 GMT

"One young person from a rural area (preferred) will be selected to receive approximately $4,500 in order to purchase or modify a vehicle that will make independence and employment possible!"

For the complete application and more information, visit the National Council on Independent Living's Web site.

"Tape shows woman dying on waiting room floor"

AdvocacyCenter — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:55:00 GMT

The Advocacy Center works to protect the rights of people with mental illness and monitor conditions in psychiatric facilities in Louisiana. Click the link for a news article regarding conditions in a psychiatric facility in New York. From CNN

What issues should the Advocacy Center work on?

AdvocacyCenter — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:20:00 GMT

Our current priorities include Education, Self Determination, Employment, Community Integration, Institutions and Entitlements. For more details go to our priorities page. (http://www.advocacyla.org/priorities.php)

"Special Olympics athlete gets special family support"

AdvocacyCenter — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:30:00 GMT

From thetowntalk.com

"House votes to expand disabilities law"

AdvocacyCenter — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:22:00 GMT

From The Associated Press

"Father fights LEAP test criteria to help autistic son"

AdvocacyCenter — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:50:00 GMT

From WAFB

"Holdouts Test Aid’s Limitations as FEMA Shuts a Trailer Park"

AdvocacyCenter — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:29:00 GMT

From The New York Times

Out of Control Report Released

AdvocacyCenter — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:48:00 GMT

Advocacy Center Releases Out of Control: Louisiana’s Failure to Insure the Health and Safety of Children in Residential Facilities

New Orleans, LA, June 24, 2008 - Approximately one thousand Louisiana children live in child residential facilities. They were placed there because they come from abusive homes or from families who can no longer care for them. Yet, many of these children have gone from the frying pan into the fire. A newly released report by the Advocacy Center, Out of Control: Louisiana’s Failure to Insure Health and Safety of Children in Residential Facilities, asserts that many of these facilities provide substandard care.

Click here for full press release.

Click here for report.

"From UT’s Lex Frieden Launches Web Site Offering Hurricane Planning for People with Disabilities"

AdvocacyCenter — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:34:00 GMT

From WebWire.com

Press Conference on June 24, 2008

AdvocacyCenter — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:46:00 GMT

On June 24, 2008, the Advocacy Center will release Out of Control: Louisiana’s Failure to Insure Health and Safety of Children in Residential Facilities.

This report, the result of five years of advocacy on behalf of children, details the horrible living conditions for approximately 1000 children in the residential facilities licensed by the state of Louisiana. Through visits to facilities, review of licensing reports and analysis of regulations, the Advocacy Center discovered that children are at great risk in these facilities, perhaps greater risk than before they were placed in state custody.

The Advocacy Center will be hosting a press conference on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at 10:00 am on the Capitol steps in Baton Rouge.

For more information or to request an accommodation, please call 1-800-960-7705.

Anniversary of Olmstead v. L.C.

AdvocacyCenter — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:41:00 GMT

On June 22, 1999 the Supreme Court published the Olmstead v. L.C. decision, which held that placing people with disabilities in institutions was a form of discrimination and is therefore unlawful under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Furthermore, the Supreme Court mandated that states must develop a plan for the provision of community-based services for people with disabilities.

On the basis of the Olmstead decision, the Advocacy Center filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) called Barthelemy v. Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. This case led to an increased number of waiver slots for the Elderly/Disabled Adults (EDA) Waiver, the Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Waiver and the Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) Waiver. In addition, DHH began the implementation of Long-term Personal Care Services as a Medicaid service, which can provide up to 56 hours/week of personal care services. Waiver reimbursement rates were increased and people are better informed about options for community based long-term care services by DHH. DHH had to develop a new Assessment Process and a Quality Assurance Plan as a result of the case.

For more details about Barthelemy v. Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals go here.

lahousingsearch.org

AdvocacyCenter — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:33:00 GMT

Lahousingsearch.org is a Web site that provides free searches for affordable housing in Louisiana. Visitors can specify if they want to find landlords who accept Section 8 vouchers, housing that already has ramps or other modifications, housing that is near public transportation, etc.

Landlords and other housing providers are encouraged to list the details of their property on this Web site.

The Web site is maintained by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency and the advisory board. (Members of the advisory board include individuals from the Louisiana Recovery Authority, the Louisiana Office of Community Development, the Homeless Continuums of Care in Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Social Services, the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps and advocates for people with disabilities.)

"Play becomes therapy: Woman brings smiles to children in hospital"

AdvocacyCenter — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:39:00 GMT

From TheAdvertiser.com

What is a P&A? What is CAP? What is NDRN?

AdvocacyCenter — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:02:00 GMT

P&A stands for Protection and Advocacy. If you look at our profile, you will notice that we call ourselves a P&A. P&As are agencies that have been established in every state and U.S. territory. There is also a P&A that serves Washington, D.C. and one that serves the Native American community. P&As advocate for the legal rights of people with disabilities at no charge to the individual. If you are looking for help regarding Social Security, transportation, special education, community living, Medicaid/Medicare, employment, housing, etc., then your state P&A is often a good place to go to. You are also encouraged to call your P&A if you feel like you have been discriminated against because of your disability.

Sometimes a state may have another program called CAP or Client Assistance Program. This may be a part of your state’s P&A or it may be a separate organization. The Advocacy Center is Louisiana’s P&A and CAP. You are encouraged to call your CAP if you’re having problems getting services from your Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Services or if you have been denied services. The role of your state’s Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Services is to help you find employment, including helping you get the training you need to prepare for employment.

To contact your state’s P&A/CAP, go here http://www.ndrn.org/aboutus/pwd.htm.

NDRN stands for the National Disability Rights Network. It was established in 1980 as an agency that represents the needs of all P&A agencies throughout the country. NDRN’s office is located in Washington, DC.

NDRN’s Web site is www.ndrn.org.

“A look at the victims of Hurricane Katrina”

AdvocacyCenter — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:54:00 GMT

From ScrippsNews