Jefferson Transit Offers Mo Mobility for the Deaf-Blind & Low Vision

JEFFERSON, LA – Jefferson Transit, in partnership with local disability advocacy nonprofit organization Lighthouse Louisiana, is excited to announce the launch of the  “Mo Mobility” Assistance Card Program. This program benefits riders of public transportation who are blind, deaf-blind, or have low vision.

The program is part of an on-going collaboration with Jefferson Transit to increase the accessibility of bus and paratransit systems for people with sensory disabilities. The color-coded cards make it easier for a rider to communicate their needs, while reminding the transit operator how to help them get to the right destination.   

Louisiana Deaf Education Newsletter

The November Louisiana Deaf Education Newsletter provides support and resources for serving the Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and hard of hearing (DDBDDHH) students throughout Louisiana. In the newsletter, you will find:

• Service request forms and intake forms
• Upcoming events and training opportunities
• Additional resources
• How to know if a Deaf/HOH Child is Bluffing
• Statewide Book Drive Information
• Information about learning sign language
• Information about literacy for students who don’t speak or sign
• ASL Classes & Resources
• Support for families
• Updates and Professional Development re: DeafBlind Students
• Information on assessing students’ sign language skills
• LA Deaf and Hard of Hearing Resource Binder
• Louisiana School for the Deaf (LSD) Outreach Vision

HDC Spotlight: Ray Leger, BA, CWIC

Because October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), this spotlight has a special focus on employment. Visit the NDEAM homepage to learn how you can help build an inclusive workforce.

Donald “Ray” Leger has worked as a Certified Work Incentives Counselor (CWIC) for the Human Development Center’s Work Incentives Planning and Assistance project (funded by the Social Security Administration) since 2006.  Ray is passionate about being of service to others and has loved every minute of his role helping people understand how work affects their benefits. Today, he is Project Manager of the West South Central Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WSC WIPA) program.

Concentration in DeafBlindness Series

The Louisiana DeafBlind Project for Children and Youth (LADBP) is offering professional development opportunities for educators and related service providers with a concentration in deaf blindness and high intensity support needs. This training opportunity is available through a the University of South Dakota (USD) Deaf-Blind Program and the National Center on Deaf-Blindness. If you are interested in registering, please email Dr. Michael Norman for the application packet at mnorm2@lsuhsc.edu. The deadline to register for Spring 2022 classes is January 4^th. 

Free Webinar: Introduction to ABLE

Registration is open for a free information session on Thursday, October 28, at 11 a.m. ET. This webinar will cover the advantages of ABLE accounts and the ABLEnow program.

NOTE: ABLEnow is the name of the ABLE account program administered by the Commonwealth of Virginia. The ABLE account program administered by the State of Louisiana is available here.

LRS Statewide Needs Assessment Survey

As part of its state planning process, Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) is conducting a Statewide Needs Assessment and is looking for feedback from you! A survey has been created to help LRS gather valuable information about the needs of individuals with disabilities in the state, especially as it relates to employment. The information and feedback you provide will be used to drive the department’s goals and strategies over the next three years and help LRS improve service delivery. 

Those interested in participating in the survey have until Friday, November 12^th, to submit their feedback. Additional questions or comments should be submitted to LRS_Survey@lac.la.gov.

About LRS

Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) assists persons with disabilities in their desire to obtain, maintain or advance in competitive integrated employment and achieve independence in their communities by providing rehabilitation services and working cooperatively with business and other community resources.

The Difference between “Special Needs” and “Disability”

Confused about the terms “Special Needs” and “Disability?” Meriah Nichols of the blog Unpacking Disability has an explanation here:

The site strives to “unpack” – or better understand – disability by trying to go deeper into disability thought, culture, opinions and experience through interviews, essays and media.

PUBLIC NOTICE: OCDD HCBS Focus Groups and General Stakeholder Meeting on Post-COVID-19 Waiver Exceptions

The Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) will be hosting Focus Group meetings regarding important Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Flexibility. The Focus Group meetings are for stakeholders including individuals with developmental disabilities and their families who participate in one of the four OCDD Waivers, i.e., NOW, Children’s Choice, ROW, and Supports Waiver. During the Focus Group meetings OCDD will share their research and engage in a collaborative discussion with stakeholders on how they can best move forward with making three of the Appendix K COVID19 Exceptions permanent in the four OCDD waiver programs and in a manner that is in compliance with regulations. Each Focus Group meeting is limited to 25 participants, except for the General Stakeholder meeting scheduled for November 10th.

Discussions on the Future of Social Security

The Bipartisan Policy Center recently hosted a virtual panel discussion on Social Security’s Cost of Living Increase for 2022 and the Future of the Program. You can watch the recording here:

The Social Security Board of Trustees recently released its annual report on the program’s current and projected financial status, which clarified that while COVID-19 has not dramatically affected Social Security’s finances, its primary trust fund remains just over a decade away from depleting its reserves. Moreover, based on the Social Security Administration’s announcement of next year’s cost-of-living adjustment, beneficiaries will see one of the greatest increases in monthly benefits in nearly 40 years. These developments carry significant implications for how the program’s financing gap should be addressed, especially in the face of an economy and labor market still in recovery. This virtual panel discussion breaks down the key takeaways from the 2021 Trustees Report, the program’s cost-of-living adjustment for 2022, and what’s ahead for the future of Social Security.

Related to this discussion, find two attached documents: one from the National Association of County Behavioral Health & Development Disability Directors and the other from the Urban Institute. Both documents address significant and necessary reforms for the Supplemental Security Program that will reduce poverty.

USM Transfer Student Overcomes Disabilities, Pursuing Support from MS Hearing-Vision Project

HDC Louisiana DeafBlind Project wishes to share the inspiring story of Willicia McClendon, a University of Southern Mississippi transfer student who is profoundly deaf and also has night and peripheral vision problems. McClendon sought out the help of the Mississippi Hearing and Vision Project (MSHVP), Mississippi’s equivalent of LADBP, and after graduation, she plans to open a daycare center for children who are DeafBlind like her.