Developmental Disabilities

Louisiana Contacts

State Agency Responsible for Providing Services to the Developmentally Disabled

The vision of the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) is to make a difference in the lives of people with developmental disabilities by providing the necessary leadership for the development of a full array of integrated and accessible MR/DD supports and services which offer opportunities to achieve personally defined outcomes in pursuit of quality of life, well being and meaningful relationships. The OCDD contributes or provides supports and services focused on promoting community participation and self-advocacy. These include, but are not limited to, vocational supports to promote independence, financial support to families who have a child with profound or severe disabilities, and assistance to individuals and families to help maintain themselves or a family member in the home. The OCDD serves as a resource for assisting individuals and families in obtaining information and services about other state and federal programs.

State Agency Responsible for Overseeing Employment Opportunities for the Developmentally Disabled

Vocational Rehabilitation, the flagship program of Louisiana Rehabilitation Services, is a one-stop career development program that offers individuals with disabilities a wide range of services designed to provide them with the skills, resources, attitudes, and expectations needed to compete in the interview process, get the job, keep the job, and develop a lifetime career. This program provides comprehensive rehabilitation services that go far beyond those found in routine job training programs. This frequently includes work evaluation and job readiness services; assessment for a provision of assistive technology, such as customized computer interfaces for persons with physical or sensory disabilities; job counseling services, and medical and therapeutic services. To learn more about the Vocational Rehabilitation program, write or call:

Competitive Employment

Vocational and Habilitative Services are provided to individuals over the age of 22 through contractual agreements with private providers throughout the state of Louisiana. Services include individual and group employment in the community or at various work sites and facilities, training in vocational and social skills needed to gain and sustain employment, and daytime activities.

Health and Safety

Using a free consultation service largely funded by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employers can find out about potential hazards at their worksites, improve their occupational safety and health management systems, and even qualify for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA inspections. Primarily targeted for smaller businesses, this safety and health consultation program is completely separate from the OSHA inspection effort.

The Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Louisiana Area Office provides safety and health protections to most private sector workers and state and local government employees within the state. OSHA investigates complaints about workplace safety and health hazards. For further information contact:

Reporting Abuse and Neglect

The Bureau of Protective Services (BPS), Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, serves adults ages 18-59 and emancipated minors who have a mental or physical disability that substantially limits their ability to provide for their own care or protection and who live in the community either independently in their own home or with the help of others or in any other place that is not licensed by a governmental regulatory agency. BPS is responsible for investigating and arranging for services to protect disabled adults at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or extortion. BPS clients may include people who are mentally retarded, mentally ill, or have substance abuse problems, and those with medical problems or physical disabilities.

Protection and Advocacy

The Advocacy Center is the Protection and Advocacy System for the State of Louisiana. The Advocacy Center believes in the dignity of every life, and in the freedom of all people to experience the highest degree of self-determination. Embracing this philosophy, the Advocacy Center protects and advocates for the human and legal rights of persons living in Louisiana who are elderly or disabled.