Info and referral, stipends for conferences & workshops

The Advocacy Center has a multi-disciplinary staff of lawyers, paralegals, client advocates and support staff who provide the following services: 1. Legal Representation - The Advocacy Center represents clients in areas of the law designated as priorities by its Board of Directors. Legal representation includes counseling, advice, research, negotiation, administrative review, administrative hearing, state office review, litigation and class action. If a person needs legal representation in a non-priority area, the staff can make referrals to other sources of legal representation. 2. Advocacy Assistance (non-legal) - Many persons with disabilities seek Advocacy Center's help by making a phone call to our office and speaking with Intake Staff. However, we know that it is not always easy to make that call. People in residential facilities, such as group homes, nursing homes and psychiatric hospitals, may not feel safe in calling us, or may not be able to verbalize their needs. So we have Ombudsmen who visit group homes and nursing homes, and Client Advocates who visit psychiatric hospitals. Ombudsmen and Client Advocates help solve problems, make complaints and achieve goals. 3. Information and Referral - The Advocacy Center knows that it is difficult to identify the right resource for each person's needs. Staff help people to access services by providing information about resources, and making referrals to legal, social, health, education, employment, and other related services. 4. Systems Advocacy - The Advocacy Center works to improve systems that are used by people who are elderly and/or have disabilities, including education, health, legal, social services, transportation, and vocational systems. Most of our systems advocacy work is carried out by teams of several staff who meet as needed to achieve a system enhancing objective. Occasionally a team will include persons from outside the agency. Other systems advocacy work may consist of individual Advocacy Center staff participating in task forces outside the Advocacy Center. 5. Education and Training - The Advocacy Center educates others about the legal rights of persons who are elderly and persons who have disabilities, through presentations to groups, participation on committees and task forces, media campaigns, technical assistance flyers, and educational booklets. Training offered by the Advocacy Center may be in response to requests from specific groups; or may be set up by the Advocacy Center in response to needs identified by the staff. 6. Self-Advocacy - The Advocacy Center helps to give clients the skills and knowledge to act on their own behalf. 7. Publications - The Advocacy Center provides a variety of booklets, reports, flyers, and other resources pertaining to persons 60 years or older and persons with disabilities. Special reports are published from time to time and usually focus on a specific issue or problem. An example is the 2003 report, Mental Health Rehabilitation Services: "Rehabilitation" or a "Get Rich Quick Scheme?" that looks at problems with Louisiana's mental health rehabilitation program. 8. Outreach and Training - The Advocacy Center often responds to community groups who ask for someone to talk to them about its work. Outreach includes the visits to residential facilities by ombudsmen and client advocates and various issues affecting people with disabilities. All services are free of charge for persons with disabilities.

The Advocacy Center has a multi-disciplinary staff of lawyers, paralegals, client advocates and support staff who provide the following services: 1. Legal Representation - The Advocacy Center represents clients in areas of the law designated as priorities by its Board of Directors. Legal representation includes counseling, advice, research, negotiation, administrative review, administrative hearing, state office review, litigation and class action. If a person needs legal representation in a non-priority area, the staff can make referrals to other sources of legal representation. 2. Advocacy Assistance (non-legal) - Many persons with disabilities seek Advocacy Center's help by making a phone call to our office and speaking with Intake Staff. However, we know that it is not always easy to make that call. People in residential facilities, such as group homes, nursing homes and psychiatric hospitals, may not feel safe in calling us, or may not be able to verbalize their needs. So we have Ombudsmen who visit group homes and nursing homes, and Client Advocates who visit psychiatric hospitals. Ombudsmen and Client Advocates help solve problems, make complaints and achieve goals. 3. Information and Referral - The Advocacy Center knows that it is difficult to identify the right resource for each person's needs. Staff help people to access services by providing information about resources, and making referrals to legal, social, health, education, employment, and other related services. 4. Systems Advocacy - The Advocacy Center works to improve systems that are used by people who are elderly and/or have disabilities, including education, health, legal, social services, transportation, and vocational systems. Most of our systems advocacy work is carried out by teams of several staff who meet as needed to achieve a system enhancing objective. Occasionally a team will include persons from outside the agency. Other systems advocacy work may consist of individual Advocacy Center staff participating in task forces outside the Advocacy Center. 5. Education and Training - The Advocacy Center educates others about the legal rights of persons who are elderly and persons who have disabilities, through presentations to groups, participation on committees and task forces, media campaigns, technical assistance flyers, and educational booklets. Training offered by the Advocacy Center may be in response to requests from specific groups; or may be set up by the Advocacy Center in response to needs identified by the staff. 6. Self-Advocacy - The Advocacy Center helps to give clients the skills and knowledge to act on their own behalf. 7. Publications - The Advocacy Center provides a variety of booklets, reports, flyers, and other resources pertaining to persons 60 years or older and persons with disabilities. Special reports are published from time to time and usually focus on a specific issue or problem. An example is the 2003 report, Mental Health Rehabilitation Services: "Rehabilitation" or a "Get Rich Quick Scheme?" that looks at problems with Louisiana's mental health rehabilitation program. 8. Outreach and Training - The Advocacy Center often responds to community groups who ask for someone to talk to them about its work. Outreach includes the visits to residential facilities by ombudsmen and client advocates and various issues affecting people with disabilities.

Information, legal advice and referral

The Arc of Louisiana advocates with and for all people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities and their families that they shall live to their fullest potential

Offers support groups in the Central Louisiana/Alexandria area, and information and referral services. ARISE’s mission is to assist parents of children with autism by providing knowledge, training, and behavioral services.

More than 10 national autism leadership organizations have come together to form AutismCares, a nationwide disaster relief effort that will potentially assist thousands of Katrina families living with autism. To address the most immediate needs, ”AutismCares – Katrina” is coordinating support for the unique needs of families affected by autism through facilitating temporary / permanent relocation support, mobilizing specialty assistance teams and providing autism-conscious supplies directly to these families and the professionals caring for them.

The goal of the Baton Rouge Autism Society of America's Website is to provide easy access to the most current information about resources, publications, news releases, events and other activities related to Autism Spectrum Disorder throughout the city of Baton Rouge and surrounding areas.

The Bayou Chapter is a local chapter affliated with the Louisiana State Autism Chapter (LSAC). We provide a network of families who offer support and experience.

To promote and advocate for the general welfare of persons with autism, to support the families of individuals with autism spectrum disorders and to raise awareness of all aspects of autism which affect the families.

The Center provides multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment for children with cerebral palsy, developmental delays, and learning disabilities.

I have created this group to help parents find out more about this disorder. If anyone has information please feel free to post. We are here to help each other and be there so we are not alone in this.

Live ONLINE radio talk show focusing on disabilities hosted by Monica Moshenko, advocate and parent of son with ASD. Listen online each Sunday at 10 PM Eastern and Tuesday at 11:30 AM Eastern. Unique guests and topics educate, and inspire listeners. Past shows available online. For more information or to be a sponsor of this radio network call 716-522-9185 Our TALK makes a difference!

Family Support

Family Support

Family Support

We are the parents and family members of individuals with disabilities. These disabilities include physical, mental, emotional, behavioral and/or other health impairments. Families Helping Families of Northeast Louisiana, Inc. is a network of families in the Northeast Louisiana area who, because of their own experiences, have become committed to reaching out to individuals with disabilities and their families. The mission of Families Helping Families of Northeast Louisiana, Inc. is to provide information and referral, education and training, and peer to peer support to individuals with disabilities and their families. The vision is to strengthen, support and empower individuals with disabilities and their families.

LSAC provides information and referrals, advocacy, and training for parents, teachers, and service providers. We help families identify qualified professional and service providers in their community and assist them in securing benefits and services provided by law. We provide a network of families who offer support and experience.

Volunteer support and advocacy group for those dealing with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and/or Learning Disabilities.