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Governor's Office of Disability Affairs Announces Annual Conference
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2024 GODA Conference
Friday, August 23, 2024
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
The Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs will host its annual conference Friday, August 23, 2024 virtually via Zoom. The conference addresses issues that are impactful for people with disabilities. This year's slated speakers are subject matter experts and bring a wealth of knowledge to the conference.
Topics include
- Independence for people with disabilities
- Practical tools and practices for addressing hazards
- 2024 Legislative Recap: victories for students with disabilities
- CAP Information Session
- Estate planning for disabled individuals and their families
- Youth Leadership Forum
This event is FREE but will require a ticket to attend. Click the button below to register for the conference.
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Anyone needing accommodations, should reach out to:
Liam Doyle - GODA Assistant Director
liam.doyle@la.gov
(225) 219-7553
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Cajun Wheelers To Host Fundraiser | |
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Cajun Wheelers Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that offers the opportunity for young athletes with lower limb disabilities to play competitive wheelchair basketball. The aim is to create an environment that inspires personal growth and develops perseverance by encouraging the athletes to pursue freedom and enjoyment. The Cajun Wheelers are members of the Junior Division of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) and the only youth team in the State of Louisiana. Boys and girls ages 6-18 are welcome to participate on the prep and varsity teams.
Developed for youth with permanent lower limb disabilities, Cajun Wheelers strive to provide the opportunity for a program that develops fundamental skills needed in basketball and everyday life. Their vision is for the athletes to go far beyond basketball and apply the skills they learn to all aspects of life. The team members develop friendships, build courage, and experience freedom, joy, and independence.
Cajun Wheelers will host their 4th Annual Buckle Sporting Clay Shoot Fundraiser to support this remarkable team. All proceeds benefit youth with lower limb disabilities. There will be sporting clay shoots, wild game cook-off, live music, and awards.
Date: Saturday, August 10, 2024
Time: Registration - 7:30 am
Safety Discussion- 8:30 am
Clay Fly - 9:00 am
Place: Wilderness Gun Club
7 Teurlings Dr.
Lafayette, LA 70501
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DOJ Publishes Compliance Guide for Small Government Entities on Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) published a guide to help people who work for or with small state and local governments understand requirements for making sure their government’s web content and mobile applications (apps) are accessible.
The DOJ recently updated its regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The final rule has specific requirements for making sure that web content and mobile apps are accessible to people with disabilities and this new guide explains what those requirements mean for people working for or with small state and local governments.
Small state and local governments have until April 26, 2027, to make sure that their web content and mobile apps meet the requirements in the rule. The specific technical standard that state or local governments must follow to meet their obligations under Title II of the ADA for web and mobile app accessibility is WCAG 2.1, Level AA. WCAG, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, is a set of guidelines that say what is needed for web accessibility, such as requirements for video captions.
Some materials will not need to meet the new requirements. Those include:
- Archived web content
- Preexisting conventional electronic documents
- Content posted by a third party where the third party is not posting due to contractual, licensing, or other arrangements with a state or local government
- Individualized documents that are password-protected
- Preexisting social media posts
State or local governments may use conforming alternate versions as an alternative to inaccessible content only in very limited circumstances. This is only allowed when there is a technical or legal limitation that prevents inaccessible web content or mobile apps from being made accessible.
For strategies, standards, and supporting resources to help make the web more accessible to people with disabilities click here.
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NCIL Presents: Systems Change Coffee Chats!
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The National Council on Independent Living will be hosting two one-hour monthly "Coffee Chats" for Independent Living Advocates working on systems change. One chat will be for community organizers, systems change advocates or any other non-management IL staff working on systems advocacy. The second chat will be for management-level staff or Executive Directors either working on systems change issues or looking to get more involved in systems change and grassroots organizing. Join the NCIL for a chat.
Coffee Chats for Community Organizers, Systems Change Advocates, and Non-Management CIL Staff:
August 30, 2024 - 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST
September 13, 2024 - 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST
Coffee Chats for Executive Directors and Management-Level Independent Living Staff
August 30, 2024 - 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST
September 20, 2024 - 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm. EST
More information on The National Council of Independent Living can be found here.
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Family Caregiving:
$600 Billion in unpaid health care services
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The impact of the nation’s aging population on state budgets and policies cannot be addressed without understanding the needs of family caregivers. Across the nation, state health programs depend on caregivers who provide critical support to help relatives, friends, and neighbors age in place while contributing about $600 billion in unpaid health care services. To better support family caregivers, Congress passed the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act in 2018, which established the Family Caregiving Advisory Council tasked with creating the country’s first national Family Caregiver Strategy. The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) supports the council’s work by providing resources, convening experts, and supporting states as they develop policies.
In September 2022, the RAISE Act Family Caregiving Advisory Council and the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Children, with input from family caregivers and the people they support, released the 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. The Strategy includes actions to ensure that family caregivers have the resources they need to maintain their own health, well-being, and financial security while providing crucial support for others.
Families are the primary source of support for older adults and people with disabilities in the U.S. Many caregivers work and also provide care, experiencing conflicts between these competing responsibilities. Research indicates that caregiving also exacts a significant emotional, physical, and financial toll. With nearly half of all caregivers older than age 50, many are vulnerable to a decline in their own health. Studies have shown that coordinated support services can reduce caregiver depression, anxiety, and stress, and enable them to provide care longer, which avoids or delays the need for costly institutional care.
The Administration of Community Living (ACL) programs, councils, and research projects help support and empower those caring for older adults and people with disabilities. Today, those programs continue and include:
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The Lifespan Respite Care Program works to improve the delivery and quality of respite services for caregivers of older adults and people with disabilities.
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The RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council - The Council is charged with providing recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on effective models of family caregiving and support to family caregivers, as well as improving coordination across federal government programs.
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National Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Family Support partners with government, academia, and the broad family support stakeholder community to translate state-of-the-art research and training into services and support programs to improve the care, health, and quality of life of all persons with disabilities and the families who support them.
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RESILIENCE Rehabilitation Research and Training Center’s mission is to improve the health and function of people with disabilities and their caregivers by adapting and scaling two award winning evidence-based programs for children and older adults with disabilities (Chicago Parent Program and CAPABLE) and to design new approaches using key attributes of effective and sustainable programs to ensure program effectiveness, relevance, utility, and scalability.
More information may be found here.
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LAD's School Supply & Book Drive | |
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The Louisiana Association of the Deaf (LAD) is conducting a school supply and book drive for the deaf, deaf-blind, and hard of hearing students. The association believes in Free and Appropriate Public Education with an emphasis on early access for establishing a language foundation for every deaf child, and the promotion of lifelong learning for all adults.
The association is the oldest, largest, and premier nonprofit organization for the Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing (DDBHH) citizens in the state of Louisiana. The vision of the LAD is a society in which the language, culture, and heritage of deaf Louisianans are acknowledged and respected. As a result, deaf people will have the fullness of life, liberty, and equality.
Contributions are needed to support the students of the DDBHH community.
Items needed:
No. 2 Pencils, Paper, Pens, Notebooks, Backpacks, Crayons, Markers, Colored Pencils, Erasers, Scissors, Calculators, Sharpies, Glue, Tape, Paper Clips, Folders, Composition Notebooks, Binders, Tabs/Dividers, Rulers, Pencil Case, Index Cards, Clorox Wipes, Hand Sanitizers, and most of all, ASL Books!
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Drop off location:
LAD Office
3112 Valley Creek Dr. Suite E
Baton Rouge, LA
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Office Hours:
Monday- Friday
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
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Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with the
Mental Illness Advisory Council
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Disability Rights Louisiana (DRLA) is seeking mental health advocates for PAIMI Advisory Council membership. This Advisory Council supports DRLA by working with its staff and Board of Directors to develop priorities for the agency’s PAIMI program and work to ensure necessary changes to Louisiana’s mental health system. Everyone has the opportunity to make a difference and share issues and concerns most important to the mental health community.
If interested in joining the PAIMI Council, email a completed application to:
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More information about the PAIMI Advisory Council can be found here. | |
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Programs for People Living With Dementia
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Tuesday, August 27, 2024
1:00 pm CST
Join the ACL-funded National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center (NADRC) to learn how cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) programs are helping people living with dementia.
ACL’s Alzheimer’s Disease Programs Initiative grantees are expanding their services by providing these small-group, evidenced-based programs. Through virtual and in-person sessions held over seven weeks, participants strengthen their retained cognitive abilities and decrease depressive symptoms, while gaining confidence and social connection and improving their well-being.
This therapy program is geared for a wide range of people, including those with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, primary progressive aphasia, and intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In this webinar, two ACL grantees will share successes, challenges, and lessons learned. CaringKind, a community-based nonprofit organization in New York City, delivers CST both virtually and in person. CareLink in Rhode Island is a provider that delivers CST as an outpatient service. Both organizations seek to build sustainable models of quality care.
Presenters:
- Stephani Shivers, M.Ed., OTR/L, Chief Innovation Officer; VP, Program Development, CaringKind
- Kelsey Akinsinde, M.S., CCC-SLP, Lead Clinician, Center for Brain Health and Cognition, CareLink
NADRC webinars are free and open to the public, although pre-registration is required. The webinars are recorded and will be available for future viewing on the NADRC website. Closed captioning is available during the webinar and will be included in the recording.
If you have questions, please email NADRC-Webinars@rti.org.
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LYFE Request for Proposals:
Title V Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Subgrantee Programs
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Louisiana Youth For Excellence (LYFE) within the Office of Governor Jeff Landry invites eligible organizations to submit proposals for funding under the Title V Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) program. The purpose of this funding is to support initiatives that teach youth to voluntarily refrain from non-marital sexual activity and promote healthy relationships.
The Title V SRAE program aims to empower adolescents to make healthy decisions and avoid risky behaviors. Programs must emphasize sexual risk avoidance and adhere to evidence-based approaches that address the social, psychological, and health gains of avoiding non-marital sexual activity.
Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to: nonprofit organizations, schools, extracurricular activities, community groups, etc. Applicants must demonstrate experience in facilitating age-appropriate lessons to youth and have the capacity to manage grant funds responsibly.
Proposals should focus on the following objectives:
- Address the holistic development of adolescents, including their physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
- Promote healthy relationships and decision-making.
- Educate youth on the benefits of avoiding non-marital sexual activity.
Award Notification: Selected subgrantees will be notified September 1, 2024.
For questions or additional information, contact:
Amanda Shackelford
LYFE Executive Director
(225)506-6437
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Families Helping Families of SWLA – Workshops, Webinars, & Events | |
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Families Helping Families SWLA is the only family directed resource center in Southwest Louisiana. They are a unique agency that can answer specific questions about disabilities from personal experiences and lend a supportive and helping hand to families living with disability issues. Only at FHF SWLA can one get information from another parent or individual with a disability that has accessed the SAME services and learned firsthand how to navigate the many different service systems.
The association serves over 2,000 families each year who are seeking information and referral about specific disabilities and services in the community, education advocacy assistance, systems change advocacy assistance, peer support and other specifics related to various disabilities.
The agency is offering several webinars that will assist families with many aspects of life for individuals with disabilities.
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The Importance of Inclusion Part 1 Webinar
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm CST
Why is inclusion of children with disabilities in schools, classrooms, and communities important? This webinar explores what inclusion is and what it is not, and who is involved in making meaningful inclusion successful.
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Understanding Behaviors Through A Sensory Lens:
Sensory Integration Webinar
Thursday, August 29, 2024
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm CST
Children with sensory integration problems often experience greater difficulty interpreting and reacting to the environment around them. Their external behavior can give us clues to their internal struggle. A key step to helping a child with sensory integration problems is to develop empathy for their struggle and find ways to help them to navigate in an uncertain world.
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April Dunn Act:
A Parent's Guide to Understanding the Law Webinar
Monday, September 16, 2024
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm CST
The April Dunn Act establishes alternative pathways for grade promotion and graduation for students with disabilities. Rebecca Hansberry, a consultant for the Louisiana Department of Education will discuss the purpose of the April Dunn Act, criteria and IEP considerations, and provide information on how the April Dunn Act is used to assist students in reaching their goal of obraining a high school diploma.
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Ready to Vote;
Voting Rights for People with Disabilities Webinar
Thursday, September 26, 2024
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm CST
Join this free webinar where voting rights for people with disabilities will be discussed. The guest speaker is Dr. Ashley Volion from Disability Rights Louisiana.
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Louisiana Emergency Management Disability Awareness Training | |
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One of the most important roles of local government is to protect their citizenry from harm, including helping people prepare for and respond to emergencies. Making local government emergency preparedness and response programs accessible to people with disabilities is a critical part of this responsibility.
This program provides the information necessary to address the need areas of persons with disabilities and access and functional needs as it relates to both legal obligations, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (and other related laws), and moral intentions to serve the whole community. Content includes FEMA Access and Functional Needs guidance and lessons learned from lawsuits and citations levied against municipal EMOs.
LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA
September 9th -10th, 2024 - 9:00 am - 5:00 pm CST
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
OR
September 10th, 2024 - 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm CST
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA
September 11th -12th, 2024 - 9:00 am - 5:00 pm CST
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
OR
September 12th, 2024 - 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm CST
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
For more information contact:
Shannon Barber, Program Manager,
(716) 286-8139
shannonbarber@niagara.edu
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Input Needed To Support Development of National Plan On Aging | |
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On May 30, ACL released “Aging in the United States: A Strategic Framework for a National Plan on Aging.” The Strategic Framework captures the opportunities and challenges created by the aging of the U.S. population and defines goals and objectives for addressing critical aging issues. It provides a road map for developing a national plan on aging that will advance best practices for service delivery, support development and strengthening of partnerships within and across sectors, identify solutions for removing barriers to health and independence for older adults, and more.
The National Plan on Aging Community Engagement Collaborative, which is comprised of three ICC partners — West Health, The SCAN Foundation, and The John A. Hartford Foundation — is seeking input from both individuals and organizations on the Strategic Framework and key aging issues.
Elevate the voices of older adults and community partners by completing the online survey.
Comments may be submitted until Sunday, September 15, 2024
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Meet GACDA Member:
Rocky Fuselier
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Rocky Fuselier, a lifelong resident of Louisiana, was born and raised in Sulphur. He graduated from high school in 1981 and soon began working at W.R. Grace, a local refinery. However, a year later, an accident left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.
Despite this life-altering event, Rocky's determination and resilience shone through. After five months of physical rehabilitation, he pursued higher education at Louisiana Tech University. There, he lived in a special dormitory designed for students with physical disabilities, which provided around-the-clock support. Rocky graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of General Studies toward Sociology.
Continuing his academic journey, Rocky attended McNeese State University and earned an Associate's degree in Computer Information and Technology in 1994. His passion for helping others led him to join the Southwest Louisiana Independent Center (SLIC) in January 1996, where he has dedicated 28 years of service.
Throughout his career, Rocky has been an active advocate for people with disabilities, serving on the State Independent Living Council (SILC) and the Developmental Disability Council (DDC). His unwavering commitment to improving the lives of people with disabilities continues with his service on the Governor's Advisory Council of Disability Affairs (GACDA).
GODA hails Rock Fuselier as the spotlight of the month.
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August Book of the Month
Miracle Wheels
by: Don Schoendorfer
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Miracle Wheels is the compelling account of Dr. Don Schoendorfer, who spent many years pursuing his vision of success until one trip to Africa changed his life forever. The heartbreaking sights he witnessed on the streets of Morocco sent him on an unexpected path of faith, despair, and ultimately, newfound purpose.
Miracle Wheels follows Don's journey from his humble beginnings in the Midwest to his innovative work in the biomedical field, culminating in the founding of a nonprofit organization that has served millions around the world.
Laced with humor while tempered by life's sobering realities, including family hardships, Don's story leads you on an emotional exploration that spans the globe and intersects with world leaders as he strives to overcome challenges and serve some of the most vulnerable among us: people living with disabilities in developing countries.
Dr. Schoendorfer is the president and founder of the original GEN 1 chair and the non-profit Free Wheelchair Mission organization.
In developing countries, people with mobility disabilities face numerous challenges that hinder their ability to access education, healthcare, employment, and other essential services. Wheelchairs provide a crucial means of overcoming these obstacles, empowering people with disabilities to move around independently, engage with their communities, and participate in social and economic activities. Without wheelchairs, people with mobility disabilities may be confined to their homes or dependent on others for assistance, leading to social isolation, loss of autonomy, and reduced quality of life.
The Free Wheelchair Mission is a humanitarian organization that designs and manufactures cost-efficient, durable wheelchairs for individuals living with disabilities in developing countries. Since 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission has distributed more than 1.4 million wheelchairs in 95 countries around the world, providing renewed dignity, independence, and hope through the gift of mobility, all at no cost to the recipient.
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