The Supported Independent Living Advocacy Program provides free services to persons with developmental disabilities residing in supported independent living environments in Human Services Districts I, II, and X.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for services, an individual must:
- Have a developmental disability. People with developmental disabilities have lifelong, severe, and chronic intellectual or physical disabilities that started before they turned 22 and impact their ability to care for themselves, communicate, learn, move, or make decisions.
- Receive Medicaid-funded waiver services. Medicaid waivers provide people with home-and-community-based supportive and healthcare services that enable them to live in the community.
- And reside at home in one of the following parishes: Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, Point Coupee, St. Bernard, West Baton Rouge, or West Feliciana.
SERVICES
INDIVIDUAL CASE ADVOCACY
- Help clients make requests of their support teams
- File complaints when clients’ rights are violated
- Speak with clients’ service providers and family members to share and advocate for their goals, issues, and rights;
- Teach clients to make informed decisions and to advocate for themselves
- Help clients understand their rights
- Connect clients to other resources that will help them solve problems, like DRLA’s legal services, job training services, educational programs, and more
SYSTEMS ADVOCACY
Through SILAP, we collect information about the common issues that people with developmental disabilities are facing in the community, when they are using Medicaid waiver services. We offer recommendations to service providers and the Office of the Attorney General on changes that could improve the quality of life for Medicaid waiver recipients with developmental disabilities.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
We offer trainings to people with developmental disabilities, their families, and their service providers about:
- the community-based services available to people with developmental disabilities, and how they should work;
- and where to get help when people with developmental disabilities are facing issues that make it difficult for them to live happily, independently, and safely in the community
*This program is funded by the State of Louisiana, through a contract with the Attorney General’s Office
