A publication of the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

Louisiana State Resources

Complete update · 7/2007
Partial update · 4/18/2008

The offices listed on this state sheet are primarily state-level offices. Even if an office is not close to your home, they can usually put you in touch with resources in your community, as well as provide you with information and assistance about disability issues in your state. If you find that an address or number has changed or is incorrect, please e-mail us at nichcy@aed.org and let us know.

State Agencies and Organizations

Age of Eligibility

Each state sets eligibility ages for services to children and youth with disabilities. For current information concerning this state, please contact the office listed under Department of Education: Special Education.

United States Senators
Honorable Mary Landrieu (D)
724 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5824
(202) 224-9735 (Fax)
E-mail Web Form: http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
Web: http://landrieu.senate.gov

Honorable David Vitter (R)
516 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4623
(202) 228-5061 (Fax)
E-mail Web Form: http://vitter.senate.gov/?module=webformiqv1
Web: http://vitter.senate.gov

United States Representatives
To find the contact information for your representative in the House of the U.S. Congress, visit the House’s Web site at: www.house.gov, or call: (202) 225-3121; (202) 225-1904 (TTY).

Governor
Honorable Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 94004
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9004
(225) 342-0991; (866) 366-1121
E-mail Web Form: www.managekeelson.com/websites/la.gov/index.cfm?md=form&tmp=home&cfmid=282
Web: www.gov.state.la.us/

Official State Web Site
Web: http://louisiana.gov/wps/portal

Governor's Office of Disability Affairs
Matthew Rovira, Executive Director
Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs
P.O. Box 94004
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9004
(225) 219-7550
E-mail: matt.rovira@la.gov
Web: www.gov.state.la.us/disabilityaffairs/default.asp

State Department of Education: Special Education
Dr. Susan Aysene, Director
Division of Educational Improvement and Assistance
Louisiana Department of Education
1201 N. 3rd Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-3513
Web: www.louisianaschools.net/lde/index.html

State Coordinator for NCLB (No Child Left Behind)
Dr. Scott Norton, Assistant Superintendent
Office of Student and School Performance
Louisiana Department of Education
1201 N. 3rd Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-3355; (877) 453-2721
Web: www.louisianaschools.net/lde/index.html

Programs for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth through 2
Brenda Sharp, Program Manager
Louisiana Part C Early Intervention
Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities
Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals
P.O. Box 3117, Bin 21, 682 N. 4th Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-8820
E-mail: bsharp@dhh.la.gov
Web: www.dhh.louisiana.gov/offices/?ID=334

Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages 3 through 5
Mary Louise Jones, Ed.D., 619 Coordinator
Linda Champion, Program Consultant
Division of Standards, Assessments and Accountability
Louisiana Department of Education
P. O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
(225) 342-3366
E-mail: marylouise.jones@la.gov
E-mail: linda.champion@la.gov
Web: www.louisianaschools.net/lde/index.html

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency
Roseland Starks, Director
Department of Social Services
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services
P.O. Box 91297
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9297
(225) 219-2225; (800) 737-2958 (in LA)
E-mail: roseland.starks@dss.state.la.us
Web: www.dss.state.la.us

Coordinator for Transition Services
Keita O. Rone, Supervisor
Division of Educational Improvement and Assistance
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-0520
E-mail: keita.rone@la.gov
Web: www.louisianaschools.net/lde/index.html

Office of State Coordinator of Vocational Education for Students with Disabilities
Patricia Merrick, Section Supervisor
Career and Technical Education
Division of Family, Career and Technical Education
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 219-9333
E-mail: Patricia.Merrick@la.gov
Web: www.louisianaschools.net/lde/index.html

State Mental Health Agency
William E. Payne, Jr., Acting Asst. Secretary
Office of Mental Health
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
628 N. 4th Street, 4th Floor
P.O. Box 4049
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4049
(225) 342-2540
E-mail: wpayne@dhh.la.gov
Web: http://www.dhh.la.gov/offices/?ID=62

State Mental Health Representative for Children and Youth
Brandon P. Romano, Psy.D., CCHP
Coordinator of Child, Youth and Family Services
State Child, Youth, and Family Planner
Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist 3
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
Office of Mental Health
Bienville Building
628 N. 4th Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-0590
E-mail: bromano@dhh.la.gov
Web: www.dhh.state.la.us

Programs for People with Developmental Disabilities
Kathy Kliebert, Assistant Secretary
Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities
P.O. Box 3117, Bin 21
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3117
(225) 342-0095
E-mail: kklieber@dhh.la.gov
Web: www.dhh.louisiana.gov

Councils on Developmental Disabilities
Sandee Winchell, Executive Director
Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council
P.O. Box 3455
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3455
(225) 342-6804; (800) 922-3425 (In LA)
E-mail: swinchel@dhh.la.gov
Web: www.laddc.org

Protection and Advocacy Agency
Stephanie Patrick, Director of Outreach & Training
The Advocacy Center
1010 Common Street, Suite 2600
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 522-2337; (800) 960-7705 (in LA)
E-mail: spatrick@advocacyla.org
E-mail: advocacycenter@advocacyla.org
Web: www.advocacyla.org

Client Assistance Program
Diane Mirvis, Director
Client Assistance Program
The Advocacy Center
2620 Centenary Boulevard, Suite 248
Shreveport, LA 71104
(318) 227-6186; (800) 960-7705 (in LA only)
E-mail: dmirvis@advocacyla.org
Web: www.advocacyla.org

Programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs
Susan Berry, M.D., Director
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
Office of Public Health
Children’s Special Health Services
1450 L & A Road
Metairie, LA 70802
(504) 568-5055
E-mail: sberry1@dhh.la.gov
Web: www.oph.dhh.state.la.us/childrensspecial/index.html

State CHIP Program
(health care for low-income uninsured children)
Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program
LaCHIP Processing Office
P.O. Box 91278
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9278
(877) 252-2447
Web: www.dhh.state.la.us/MEDICAID/LACHIP/Index.htm

Programs for Children and Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired
Kevin Monk, Executive Director
Blind Services
Department of Social Services
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services
P.O. Box 91297
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9297
(225) 219-2943
E-mail: kmonk@dss.state.la.us

Division of Educational Improvement and Assistance
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-3513
Web: www.louisianaschools.net/lde/index.html

Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
June Street, Supervisor
Programs for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-0520
E-mail: June.Street@la.gov

Telecommunications Relay Services for Individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or with Speech Impairments
(800) 947-5277 (V)
(800) 846-5277 (TTY); 711 (TTY)
(888) 550-5277 (ASCII)
(888) 272-5530 (Speech to Speech)
(800) 737-1813 (Spanish)

Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf-Blind
Joyce Russo, Director
Deaf Blind Project
Division of Educational Improvement and Assistance
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-0520; (877) 453-2721 (in LA)
E-mail: Joyce.Russo@la.gov
Web: www.doe.state.la.us

State Education Agency Rural Representative
Cheryl Crawford, Supervisor
Richland Parish School Board
Special Education
P.O. Box 599
Rayville, LA 71269
(318) 728-5964
Web: www.richland.k12.la.us

Regional ADA & IT Technical Assistance Center
Wendy Wilkinson, Director
DBTAC - Southwest ADA Center
Independent Living Research Utilization
2323 S. Shepard Boulevard, Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 520-0232 (V/TTY); (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY)
E-mail: dlrp@ilru.org
Web: www.dlrp.org

University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Philip Wilson, Director
LSUHSC-Human Development Center
University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Room 1036 Allied Health/Nursing Building
1900 Gravier Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 556-7573
E-mail: pwilso2@lsuhsc.edu
Web: www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu

Technology-Related Assistance
Julie Nesbit, President/CEO
Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network
P.O. Box 14115
Baton Rouge, LA 70898
(225) 925-9500; (800) 270-6185 (V/TTY)
E-mail: cpourciau@latan.org
Web: www.latan.org

State Mediation System
Abie Dupont, Coordinator
Legal Services Division
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-4482
E-mail: abie.dupont@la.gov
Web: www.louisianaschools.net/lde/index.html

Special Format Library
Margaret Harrison, Librarian
State Library of Louisiana
Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
701 N. Fourth Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-0035; (800) 543-4702
(800) 543-4702
E-mail: sbph@state.lib.la.us
Web: http://test.state.lib.la.us/VisImpaired/visimp_dyn_templ.cfm?doc_id=99

Disability-Specific Organizations

Attention Deficit Disorder
To identify an ADD group in your state or locality, contact either:

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
8181 Professional Place, Suite 150
Landover, MD 20785
(301) 306-7070
(800) 233-4050 (Voice mail to request information packet)
Web: www.chadd.org

Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)
P.O. Box 543
Pottstown, PA 19464-0543
(484) 945-2101
Web: www.add.org

Autism
Division of Educational Improvement and Assistance
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-3513
Web: www.louisianaschools.net/lde/index.html

Louisiana State Autism Chapter
5430 S. Woodchase Court
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(800) 955-3760
E-mail: pjmanco@cox.net
Web: www.lastateautism.org

Blind/Visual Impairments
Jaclyn Packer, Ph.D., Director of Information Center
American Foundation for the Blind
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300
New York, NY 10001
(212) 502-7600; (800) 232-5463
E-mail: afbinfo@afb.net
Web: www.afb.org

Cerebral Palsy/Developmental Disabilities
Janet Ketcham, Executive Director
UCP/Baton Rouge--McMains Children's Development Center
1805 College Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(225) 923-3420
E-mail: jketcham@mcmainscdc.org
Web: www.mcmainscdc.org

Jo Bugg, Executive Director
United Cerebral Palsy of Greater New Orleans
2200 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Suite 103
Kenner, LA 70062
(504) 461-4266
E-mail: info@ucpgno.org
Web: www.ucpgno.org

Down Syndrome
Karen Scallan, President
Down Syndrome Association of Greater New Orleans
P.O. Box 748
Destrehan, LA 70047
(504) 251-8953
E-mail: kscallan@dsagno.org
Web: www.dsagno.org

Epilepsy
Dorothy Martino, LCSW, Executive Director
Epilepsy Foundation of Louisiana
3701 Canal Street, Suite H
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 486-6326; (800) 960-0587
E-mail: epileps@bellsouth.net
Web: www.epilepsylouisiana.org

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Laura Brackin, Executive Director
The Arc of Louisiana
8336 Kelwood Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
(225) 303-0463
E-mail: lbrackin@thearcla.org
Web: www.thearcla.org

Learning Disabilities
Kristina Braud, Educ. Program Consultant 2 - Mild/Moderate
Bonnie Boultan, Ph.D., Education Program Consultant 3 - Mild/Moderate
Division of Educational Improvement and Assistance
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-0576
E-mail: kristina.braud@la.gov
E-mail: bonnie.boultan@la.gov
Web: www.louisianaschools.net/lde/index.html

Barbara Duchardt, Associate Professor of Special Education
Northwestern State University
Teacher Education Center, Room 104J
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-5154
E-mail: duchardt@nsula.edu

Mental Health
Yakima Black, Executive Director
Mental Health America of Louisiana
660 N. Foster Drive, Suite C-201
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
(225) 201-1930
E-mail: yblack@mhal.org
Web: www.mhal.org

Jennifer Jantz, Executive Director
NAMI Louisiana
P.O. Box 40517
Baton Rouge, LA 70835
(225) 926-8770; (866) 851-6264
E-mail: namilouisiana@bellsouth.net
Web: www.namilouisiana.org

Verlyn "Vee" Boyd, Executive Director
Louisiana Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health
5627 Superior Drive, Suite A-2
Baton Rouge, LA 70816-6085
(225) 293-3508; (800) 224-4010
E-mail: vboyd@laffcmh.org
Web: www.laffcmh.org

Special Health Care Needs
Phyllis Landry, Executive Director
Family Voices Louisiana
1539 Jackson Avenue, Suite 200
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 299-9175
E-mail: familyla@bellsouth.net
Web: www.familyvoices.org

Speech, Language, and Hearing
Bland O'Connor, Director
Louisiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association
8550 United Plaza Boulevard, Suite 1001
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
(225) 922-4512
E-mail: lsha@pncpa.com
Web: www.lsha.org

Spina Bifida
Spina Bifida Association of Greater New Orleans
P.O. Box 1346
Kenner, LA 70063
(504) 737-5181
E-mail: sbagno@sbagno.org
Web: www.sbagno.org

Tourette Syndrome
Linda Saunders, Program Manager
Tourette Syndrome Association Mid-South Regional Office
(Serving Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia)
423 Summertrees Drive
Auburn, AL 36832
(334) 502-0055
E-mail: tsamidsouth@bellsouth.net
Web: http://tsa-usa.org/TSANatlLocal/Chapters/Midsouth.htm

Organizations Especially for Parents

Parent Training and Information Center (PTI)
Cindy Arceneaux, Director
Project PROMPT
201 Evans Road, Building 1, Suite 100
Harahan, LA 70123
(504) 888-9111; (800) 766-7736 (in LA)
E-mail: info@projectprompt.com
Web: www.projectprompt.com

Community Parent Resource Center
(Serving greater New Orleans area)
Ursula Markey, Project Director
Pyramid Community Parent Resource Center
3132 Napoleon Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70125
(504) 899-1505
E-mail: pyramidcprc@aol.com

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Chris Cohea, President
Louisiana Parent-Teacher Association
1543 Del Plaza, Suite 13
Baton Rouge, LA 70815
(225) 927-7382
E-mail: la_office@bellsouth.net
Web: www.lapta.org

Other Parent Organizations
Karen Scallan, Executive Director
Families Helping Families of Louisiana
(a statewide network of ten regional family resource centers)
P.O. Box 626
Thibodaux, LA 70302
(504) 430-3604
E-mail: fhf-la@cox.net
Web: www.fhfla.org

Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans, Inc.
(504) 888-9111; (800) 766-7736
E-mail: info@fhfgno.or
Web: www.fhfgno.org

Families Helping Families of Greater Baton Rouge, Inc.
(225) 216-7474; (866) 216-7474
E-mail: info@fhfgbr.org
Web: www.fhfgbr.org

Bayou Land Families Helping Families, Inc.
(985) 447-4461; (800) 331-5570
E-mail: blfhf@bellsouth.net
Web: www.blfhf.org

Families Helping Families of Acadiana, Inc.
(337) 984-3458; (800) 378-9854
E-mail: fhfacad@cox-internet.com
Web: www.fhfacadiana.com

Families Helping Families of Southwest Louisiana, Inc.
(337) 436-2570; (800) 894-6558
E-mail: fhfswla@xspedius.net
Web: www.fhfswla.org

Famiies Helping Families at the Crossroads of La., Inc.
(318) 641-7373; (800) 259-7200
E-mail: fhfxroads@aol.com
Web: www.familieshelpingfamilies.net

Families Helping Families of Northwest Louisiana
(318) 221-0315; (888) 989-0315
E-mail: fhfofnwla@networktel.net
Web: www.fhfnwla.org

Families Helping Families of Northeast Louisiana, Inc.
(318) 361-0487; (888) 300-1320
E-mail: info@fhfnela.org
Web: www.fhfnela.org

Northshore Families Helping Families, Inc.
(985) 875-0511; (800) 383-8700
CSHS (985) 345-8300; (877) 537-8700
E-mail: jgarlanda@aol.com
Web: www.fhfnorthshore.org

Other Disability Organizations

Daniel Underwood, President/CEO
Easter Seals Louisiana
305 Baronne Street, Suite 400
New Orleans, LA 70112-1617
(504) 523-7325 (Voice/TTY)
(800) 695-7325 (Voice/TTY in LA only)
E-mail: dunderwood@laeasterseals.com
E-mail: contact@laeasterseals.com
Web: www.louisiana.easterseals.com

Kay Marcel, Statewide Coordinator
Louisiana Citizens for Action Now (LACAN)
2313 Blue Haven Drive
New Iberia, LA 70563
(337) 367-7407
E-mail: kay.marcel@cox.net
Web: www.lacanadvocates.org

Direct Support Prof. Workforce Development Initiatives
University Centers for Excellence in Dev. Disabilities
1900 Gravier Street, 8th Floor, Room 817
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 556-7558
E-mail: sdelvi@lsuhsc.edu

Toni Potts, President
Linda Alwood, Club Administrator
Louisiana Occupational Therapy Association
P.O. Box 14806
Baton Rouge, LA 70898
(225) 291-4014
E-mail: lotassoc@aol.com
Web: www.lota.org

Soundra (Temple) Johnson, Chief Executive Officer/CEO
Louisiana Health and Rehabilitation Center, Inc.
1033 N. Lobdell Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
(225) 231-2490
E-mail: soundrajt@aol.com
Web: www.lahealthandrehab.org

Pat Carpenter, President/CEO
Special Olympics Louisiana
1000 E. Morris Avenue
Hammond, LA 70403
(985) 345-6644; (800) 345-6644
Email: pcarpenter@laso.org
Web: www.laso.org

Mazie Malveaux, Executive Director
VSA arts of Louisiana
2758-D Brightside Lane
Baton Rouge, LA 70820
(225) 761-4243 (V/TTY)
E-mail: vsalouisiana@bellsouth.net
Web: http://vsalouisiana.org

Independent Living
To find out the contact information for the Statewide
Independent Living Council (SILC) in your state, contact:
Independent Living Research Utilization Project
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research
2323 South Sheppard, Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 520-0232 (V); (713) 520-5136 (TTY)
E-mail: ilru@ilru.org
Web: www.ilru.org

To find out the contact information for centers for
independent living (CILs) in your state, contact:
National Council on Independent Living
1710 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 207-0334 (V); (202) 207-0340 (TTY)
E-mail: ncil@ncil.org
Web: www.ncil.org

This information is copyright free. Readers are encouraged to copy and share it, but please credit the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY).
NICHCY State Resources are listings of selected state-wide organizations that can refer people to organizations in their area. We update our state resources continuously; however, the addresses and telephone numbers of these selected groups are constantly changing. If you find that an address or number has changed or is incorrect, please e-mail us at nichcy@aed.org and let us know.
Publication of this document is made possible through a Cooperative Agreement between the Academy for Educational Development and the Office of Special Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.	NICHCY P.O. Box 1492 Washington, DC 20013 (800) 695-0285 · v/tty (202) 884-8441 · fax e-mail: nichcy@aed.org web: www.nichcy.org