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Governor's Office of Disability Affairs
April 2023
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2023 Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs Conference Call for Speakers is OPEN! | |
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Proposals to speak at the 2023 GODA Annual Conference are due by April 24, 2023. Complete the form in its entirety. If you have multiple ideas, please submit a separate proposal for each. Priority selection will be given to proposals that include people with disabilities. The Annual GODA Conference is scheduled for July 24 - 27 to coincide with the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Email us if you're interested in being a panelist on any of the following panels:
- Multi-generational caregiving panel (i.e. child and spouse, or child and parent, etc)
- Single fathers to children with disabilities
- Experience of women with disabilities accessing healthcare
- Intersectionality of disability and any of the following:
race, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, etc.
Contact KJ Henry, Assistant Director of Disability Affairs, at
keandria.henry@la.gov or 225.936.1742 if you have any questions or confirm your intent to submit a proposal.
Click here to access recordings from past GODA Conferences: 2022 and 2021.
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GODA Welcomes Liam Doyle as Senior Coordinator | | |
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Liam Doyle is longtime disability affairs advocate and nationally certified ADA Coordinator. Starting as a volunteer in 2015, he quickly became involved with Lafayette and the larger Acadiana region through his work with the Mayor-President's Awareness Committee for Citizens with Disabilities which he served on for nearly three years.
Beginning in November 2017, Doyle became the first Disability Affairs Coordinator for Lafayette Consolidated Government under the Robideaux Administration. During his time in that position, he worked on projects ranging from downtown accessibility improvement, emergency preparedness, early voting accessibility, and countless others.
As a result of this position, Liam was able to become a frequent collaborator and partner to the GODA staff in various iterations. In 2019, Liam decided to become a certified ADA Coordinator, working through the Great Plains ADA Center.
A frequent public speaker, Doyle has given talks around the country that include giving a 2016 Tedx talk entitled “The View From Here: My Path to Disability Advocacy”, serving as a panelist at the 2017 GODA ADA Symposium, and being selected as a featured speaker for the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity in 2020.
Two of his proudest achievements include being a member of Leadership Lafayette Class XXXI and being selected as the recipient of the 2015 Ken Vince Memorial GOLD Award for Advocacy.
After graduating from UL Lafayette with a bachelor’s in political science in 2021, Doyle moved to Tampa FL, serving as the first ADA Coordinator for Tampa General Hospital. Presently, Doyle is looking to begin a graduate school program to obtain his master's in public administration.
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GACDA Legislative Committee | |
2023 Legislative Session: Disability Related Legislation | |
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The 2023 Regular Legislative Session began on Monday, April 10, 2023, at the Louisiana State Capitol.
The Governor's Advisory Council on Disability Affairs will make recommendations on some bills and resolutions which can be found on the Governor's Office of Disability Affairs' tracking document for disability related legislation. Legislative instruments are currently being tracked and updated daily.
Click here to visit the Louisiana Legislative webpage.
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Governor's Office
of
Elderly Affairs
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Take look inside of The Govenor's Office of Elderly Affairs (GOEA) Spring 2023 Newsletter. This newsletter includes updates from the Director's Chair, the Louisiana Executive Board on Aging, Spotlight on the Aging Network and Staff Announcements.
Click here to access the GOEA Spring Elder Newsletter
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Medicaid has released information regarding their program. To learn how on facts about Medicaid unwind, Ending Medicaid Continuous Coverage, how to not risk losing health coverage, and their toolkit, select the links below:
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Louisiana Selected for SNAP Mobile Payment Pilot | |
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DCFS Seeks Retail Partners to Help Implement Contactless EBT Option
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service has selected Louisiana as one of five states to test mobile payment technology for EBT cardholders in the next few years, and the Department of Children and Family Services is now seeking retail partners to help implement the new option for recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The SNAP Mobile Payment Pilot will allow recipients of SNAP and other EBT benefits to use mobile payment methods - like tapping or scanning their personal mobile device - as an alternative to their physical EBT card. The new option also will allow SNAP and Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) recipients to have immediate access to their benefits when approved and issued, eliminating any delay resulting from waiting for a mailed card.
DCFS will work with the Louisiana Retailers Association to identify potential retail partners for the project. While most of the design and system work will be done by the State and EBT vendor Inmar, it is important that retailers participate throughout the entire process. Joining the pilot early will allow retailers to acquire insight into the pilot process and timeline updates. Also, retail system changes could potentially be minimized for retailers who participate from design to implementation.
Read the full announcement below:
Louisiana Selected for SNAP Mobile Payment Pilot.
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President Biden’s Budget Advances Equity: Spotlight on Support for Children with Disabilities
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2022 GOLD Awards Family of the Year featured in TSA article | |
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Michael Billings, Louisiana TSA Program Specialist, and family awarded Governor’s Outstanding Leadership in Disabilities Family of the Year.
To view this article, select the link below:
Michael Billings
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Volunteer Louisiana is doing an amazing job of instilling equity as a foundation of emergency management by working in the deaf community to do CERT Training, working with the higher ed community for campus preparedness and also supporting Youth Preparedness by partnering with their National Guard.
You can also check out what a CERT Rodeo looks like in the Texas. They, too, are doing amazing things to increase overall resiliency within their communities.
You can watch both episodes by clicking on the below link:
#R6Prepares - YouTube
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Access to Assistive Technology in Disasters Lunch & Learn | |
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The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf is pleased to partner with American Red Cross as they seek to provide free smoke alarms with bed shakers and/or strobe lights specially for d/Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing communities in Louisiana. The smoke alarms are offered on a first come first serve basis.
For those needing accommodations for installations, such as ASL Interpreter, please be to mention in the comment section when they sign up.
Use the link below to sign up:
Smoke Alarms Information
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Arizona Partners in Preparedness Webinar | | |
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What: Arizona Partners in Preparedness Webinar
When: Wednesday, April 5th from 1:00pm – 2:30pm Arizona time.
Topic: The Americans with Disabilities Act and Emergency Management: What is required and what are best practices?
Speaker: Jan Garrett, Program Manager, Pacific ADA Center
Where: Virtual via Zoom:
Register in Advance
*If the Zoom registration link is not working from your email, please copy and paste the link into your browser.
ASL and CART services provided.
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Join the National Weather Service April 5th for Safe Place Selfie Day
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The National Weather Service is asking users to snap a "safe place selfie" and post it to social media on April 5th in an effort to raise awareness for the need to have a severe weather plan. The springtime campaign comes as the country approaches peak tornado season, during which tornados swarm the South and Plains into late April, May and June.
The Weather Service hopes the campaign will prompt users to consciously think about and identify a place of safety in their homes and workplaces, while also raising awareness of social media of the need to do so. Does your safe place include a disaster preparedness kit or are there special considerations for access and functional needs included in your safe place? Be sure to capture those in your selfies as well to increase awareness and provide creative ideas to others who may not have a plan for a safe space or disaster preparedness kit or may be interested in enhancing their own personal and family preparedness.
Make sure to include #SafePlaceSelfie and @NWSNewOrleans in your social media posts.
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What's in Your Disaster Preparedness Kit? | |
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"As I require daily infusions through a medical port, I carry a Command Hook and Velcrow to ensure I am able to infuse in any situation and anywhere. While collapsible IV poles are available, they are expensive, bulky and aren't very study. I find that using Command Hooks and Velcro designed to hold 10-16 lbs. of weight are perfect for infusions and don't use up valuable space in my disaster preparedness kit."
Mollie Tinnin - Kentwood, LA
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Louisiana Children's Trust Fund | |
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The Louisiana Children's Trust Fund (LCTF) is pleased to announce their annual child abuse prevention conference.
The Conference will be held at the Marriott in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on April 11, 2023. There will be two keynote sessions and 9 breakout sessions offered to attendees.
The Opening Keynote will be Lynn Riemer, from Act on Drugs. Lynn brings a fresh and frank discussion about street drugs and youth. She will open your eyes!
To register for this conference, click the link below:
LCTF 2023 Conference
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Coffee and Conversations Speaker Series
Please join LCTF on Wednesday, April 19th at noon for the Coffee and Conversations Speaker series.
Bobbye Matthews will discuss the topic,
Ways to Stop the Child Abuse Cycle: The Effects of Maltreatment on Kids and Families.
Be sure to grab a snack and join us to have a conversation about this extremely important topic.
It’s FREE and offers CLE/CEU (pending approvals).
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LDOE IDEA Grant Application out for Public Comment
The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) is letting the public know it intends to seek approval from the U.S Department of Education for their Fiscal Year 2023 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grant application.
All students deserve an education that prepares them for postsecondary success and a lifetime of unlimited opportunity. To ensure students with disabilities are supported in their journey, the LDOE submits a grant application every year to the U.S. Department of Education for state set aside funding through IDEA. The LDOE is required to actively engage and seek input from the public and other community stakeholders during this application process.
Their grant application draft can be found here. Additionally, a description of the proposed activities with the corresponding funding can be found here.
Those interested in providing public comment should complete this form by Friday, April 21, 2023.
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Louisiana Commission for the Deaf ASL Interpreter Registry | |
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To view the
following information in American Sign Language, please click above.
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Please click above to take a look at the new Interpreter Registry!
You can also access the registry by visiting the LCD’s Program website here.
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The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf (LCD), is excited to announce its latest development of a public-facing, statewide American Sign Language Interpreter Registry in an effort to provide an easily accessible, centralized platform to identify and locate interpreters in your area!
We are inviting all Interpreters to join the registry by completing the application process and creating your own personal account online. Once the application has been successfully submitted, an LCD administrative staff will review and process your application.
LCD is encouraging all interpreters regardless of your availability status to join the growing roster of Registered Interpreters in Louisiana. We are kindly requesting consumers, providers, and interpreters to bear with us as we grow the list of interpreters in the state of Louisiana.
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ExeceptionalLives
2023 March Newsletter
Discussions on topics such as, Women's History Month, Caregivers of Adult Children with Disabilities May Qualify For Time Off Work, Feds Say, and Using Transition Assessments to plan for life after high school
To access this newsletter, click the link below:
Exceptional Lives 2023 March Newsletter
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ExceptionalLives
Disabilities Services Finder
As a parent or caregiver of a child with a disability, navigating the world of services and providers can be daunting. At Exceptional Lives, we understand this all too well, and we're dedicated to making this process simpler and more manageable for families.
To learn more about these services, click here.
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The Special Education Advisory Panel (SEAP) Recruiting New Members - Apply Today | |
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The Special Education Advisory Panel (SEAP) is currently accepting applications for new membership. SEAP advises and assists the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) with the provision of free and appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities and provides guidance on special education programs and services.
SEAP is seeking to fill the following seven (7) vacancies:
· A parent of a child with a disability (birth to 26)
· An individual with a disability
· A higher education institution representative who prepares special educators or service providers
· A state juvenile corrections or adult corrections agency representative
· A private school representative
· A teacher
· An administrator of a program for students with disabilities.
Those interested in serving on SEAP and would like to be considered for membership can fill out the application. Once completed, please email the application to specialeducation@la.gov by April 14, 2023
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App Spotlight - LA Wallet | |
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LA Wallet launched in 2018 as Louisiana's Digital Driver's License App. The app provides users with digital access to their Louisiana state Driver's License or State Identification Card. In times of disaster (hurricane, flood, home fire, etc.) being able to prove your identity or residency is crucial to qualifying for and obtaining assistance and the digital data provided in this app is accepted by law enforcement, businesses and non-profits in the state of Louisiana. Additional features of the app include: the ability to renew their license, digital access to COVID-19 vaccination records, as well as digital access to hunting and fishing licenses.
Did you know that certain disabled Louisiana residents may obtain recreational fishing and hunting licenses free of charge or at reduced rates? Disability license applicants must present a copy of their valid Louisiana driver's license or identification card issued by the Office of Motor Vehicles and appropriate proof of disability along with their license application. Check out the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries website to learn more.
The LA Wallet app is available on both the Apple App store and the Google Play store.
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Lynette Doga Fontenot unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Lynette's life was well lived as a loving wife, daughter, sister and friend. she will be remembered for her strength, determination and loyalty and will be forever cherished for her devotion and unyielding commitment as an accomplished artist, motivational speaker and advocate for disability rights. She served faithfully as the chairperson of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Disability Affairs until her passing. Lynette also served as the chairperson of the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council, served on the Special Education Advisory Panel, and was a current member of the Statewide Independent Living Council. The overall award for the Inclusive Arts Contest hosted by the Governor's Office of Disability Affairs is named the Lynette Fontenot Excellence in Inclusion Award because she was such an accomplished artist and champion for the arts. Go to www.lynettesart.com to view her artwork.
Click on the link below to hear Lynette share her story:
Lynette Fontenot's Story
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Book of the Month:
Breathe and Count Back from Ten
by Natalia Sylvester
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Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester
In this gorgeously written and authentic novel, Veronica, a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia, auditions to become a mermaid at a Central Florida theme park in the summer before her senior year, all while figuring out her first real boyfriend and how to feel safe in her own body.
Veronica has had many surgeries to manage her disability. The best form of rehabilitation is swimming, so she spends hours in the pool, but no just to strengthen her body.
Her Florida town is home to Mermaid Cove, a kitschy underwater attraction where professional mermaids perform in giant tanks...and Veronica wants to audition. But her conservative Peruvian parents would never go for it. And they definitely would never let her date Alex, her cute new neighbor.
She decides it's time to seize control of her life, but her plans come crashing down when she learns her parents have been hiding the truth from her - the truth about her own body.
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