The Advocacy Center advocates and protects the rights of people with disabilities and people over the age of 60 throughout Louisiana through the following programs: CLIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CAP) – Offers assistance to persons seeking, receiving or who have been denied rehabilitation services from Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) or other projects, programs or facilities funded under the Rehabilitation Act (such as vocational Rehabilitation, Independent Living or Supported Employment). Must be a LA resident and have a physical or mental disability. Provides advice, consultation, negotiation, mediation, advocacy an/or administrative appeal instruction and/or representation (as appropriate), information and referral, technical assistance, special subject speakers, and staff/professional training. ELDERLY LEGAL SERVICES (ELS) – provides advocacy for legal rights, for LA residents 60 years or older with developmental disabilities, persons with other severe disabilities, persons with mental illness diagnosis in residential treatment facilities, clients or applicants of vocational rehabilitation services, nursing home residents. Priority issues include special education, abuse/neglect, access to public services, financial entitlements, legal status and assistive technology. Also legal assistance to elderly residents of Allen, Jefferson Davis, Orleans and Plaquemines Parishes. OMBUDSMAN LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (OLAP) – Offers legal and advocacy services to elderly persons 60 or older and persons with disabilities residing in or seeking admission to Louisiana long term care facilities such as nursing home or board and/or in-home care. Provides legal representation, counseling, information and referral, technical assistance, special subject speakers, conference training, and staff/professional training. PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY (PAAT) – Offers legal and advocacy services and training for individuals requiring assistive technology. Provides legal representation, counseling, information and referral, technical assistance, outreach, special subject speakers, and staff/professional training. Must be a Louisiana resident, with a disability, and qualify under another Advocacy Center program such as CAP, PADD, PAIMI, OLAP or PAIR AND require legal assistance obtaining assistive technology equipment or related services. PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY FOR PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (PADD) – Offers legal and advocacy services and training to persons whose legal issue is directly related to their disability and has been designated an Advocacy Center priority issue. Provide legal representation, counseling, information and referral, outreach, technical assistance, special subject speakers, and staff/professional training. Must be a Louisiana resident, have a physical or mental disability which occurred before the age of 22 and have a disability which limits the ability to perform 3 of the following functions: language learning, mobility, self-care, self direction, independent living, economic self-sufficiency AND need long term care or services. Children under 5 years of age who are Louisiana residents are eligible if: they have a substantial developmental delay or have a condition which is expected to cause a development delay unless they receive services. PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS (PAIR) – Offers legal services and training to people Louisiana resdents whose legal issue is directly related to their disability and has been designated an AC priority issue. Must have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits at least one major life activity, such walking, learning, working, seeing OR have a record of such impairment OR be regarded as having such an impairment AND not otherwise be eligible for legal advocacy services from the Advocacy Center. Program also provides legal representation, counseling, information and referral, outreach, technical assistance, special subject speakers, and staff/professional training. PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS (PAIMI) – Offers legal services to people whose legal issue is directly related to their mental disability, reside in Louisiana and has been designated an Advocacy Center priority issue. Provides legal representation, counseling, information and referral, outreach, technical assistance, in-services training, parent training, special subject speakers, staff/professional training, and conference training. COMMUNITY LIVING OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM (CLOP): To be eligible for CLOP services, an individual must reside in a residential facility for individuals with developmental disabilities (an ICF/MR) that is funded through the state but privately operated (this includes most group and community homes and some large facilities); AND reside in a parish of the state for which the Advocacy Center is currently funded to provide CLOP services (Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9 OR reside in a parish of the state for which AC receives funds to provide services on a “Roving” or “call as needed basis” (Beauregard, Allen, Calcasieu, Jeff Davis, Cameron, Rapides, Avoyelles, Grant, LaSalle, Catahoula, Concordia, Winn,)
LONG TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM (LTCOP): To be eligible for OMB services from the AC, an individual must be at least 60 years old OR have an issue which affects others in the facility; AND reside in a Louisiana long term care facility, such as a nursing home, skilled nursing facility, or board and care home: AND reside in a parish which AC has a contract to provide ombudsman services (Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Felicana, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St Helena, St. James, St. John, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana).