Governor's Office of Disability Affairs Newsletter
February 2022
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2021 Governor's Outstanding Leadership in Disabilities (GOLD) Awards &
Inclusive Art Contest
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On December 8, 2021 at the Old State Capitol, the Governor's Office hosted the Governor's Outstanding Leadership in Disabilities (GOLD) Awards. The GOLD Awards ceremony was established to honor the accomplishments, dedication, and outstanding efforts of individuals who benefit the disability community in Louisiana. The GOLD Awards' Statewide TV broadcast is now airing on public stations across the state.
The GOLD Awards ceremony can be also viewed below with closed captioning.
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Dr. Adren Wilson to Lead My Brother’s Keeper Alliance for The Obama Foundation
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Gov. John Bel Edwards announces that he has accepted the resignation of Deputy Chief of Staff Dr. Adren Wilson who has led the Office of Programs and Planning within the Office of the Governor since 2018. Dr. Wilson will become the new executive director of My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (MBKA) – the Obama Foundation beginning in March 2022.
“Dr. Wilson has served admirably during his tenure with my administration, and his leadership will be greatly missed,” said Gov. Edwards. “Adren led the largest portfolio in the Governor’s Office and brought the expanse of his knowledge, expertise and experience in government, non-profit and public policy, all of which played a pivotal role in helping communities statewide during many challenging times. In addition, he helped to advance important policies to help address some of the greatest needs of our citizens. I have every confidence that he will bring that same vigor and commitment to My Brother’s Keeper Alliance and the Obama Foundation. Donna and I will always be grateful for his service, counsel and friendship.”
Under Dr. Wilson’s leadership, the Office of Programs and Planning successfully led efforts to establish more diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the administration by the creation of the Latino Commission, The Native American Commission and the Louisiana Council for the Success of Black Men and Boys; created the Community Mobilization Team, which worked to connect Louisianans to needed resources across multiple state agencies and departments; increased program integrity by evaluating and building more capacity for greater outcomes; expanded youth development programming; and strengthened Louisiana’s outreach work among faith leaders statewide.
“I am deeply grateful to Governor Edwards for giving me the opportunity to serve the people of Louisiana as a senior member of his administration,” said Dr. Wilson. “I will always cherish my time on his team working to reach and engage communities across Louisiana. Working closely with the Governor and the First Lady has been one of the greatest honors of my career. I am humbled to join the My Brother’s Keeper community and the Obama Foundation to continue the important work of transforming outcomes for boys and young men of color in our country.”
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Governor's Office of Disability Affairs Welcomes Jordan Brisco as Assistant Director |
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Jordan Brisco, MHA is now the Assistant Director of the Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs. She has 5 years of practical experience in healthcare administration, with the education and training to manage day-to-day clinical operations with an emphasis on high-quality patient experiences and quality/industry compliance. She earned her bachelor's degree in science from Northwestern State University in 2019 and her master's degree in healthcare administration from Louisiana State University at Shreveport in 2021. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc and serves as a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. She is a dynamic, entrepreneurial healthcare administrator with a proven track record as an ambitious, operationally focused, and results-driven leader. She uses clinical goal setting and quality-improvement initiatives to consistently enhance patient health. Brisco has demonstrated a great desire to enhance the places in which she works and, most importantly, to serve the people of Louisiana in order to improve their overall quality of life. |
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No More Surprise Medical Bills:
Five Things To Know about the
No Surprises Act
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Protection from Unexpected Medical Bills for Insured Individuals
The restrictions that went into effect on January 1, 2022, apply to those who receive health coverage through an employer, the Health Insurance Marketplace®, or an individual health plan purchased directly from an insurer:
• Prevents unexpected fees when you obtain emergency treatment, and requires that cost sharing for these services, such as co-pays, be based on in-network rates at all times, even if you receive care without prior permission.
• If you go to an in-network hospital for a treatment, you won't get a surprise cost from certain out-of-network providers.
• Requires providers and facilities to give patients with simple, easy-to-understand letters that describe the applicable billing safeguards and who to contact if they have concerns that a provider or facility has broken the new surprise billing provisions.
Better Advanced Cost Knowledge for Uninsured Individuals
The laws, which went into effect on January 1, 2022, require most providers to offer a "good faith estimate" of costs before providing non-emergency care to persons who do not have health insurance or who pay for their own care (commonly known as "self-paying").
Expected charges for the primary item or service, as well as any other things or services that would be reasonably expected, must be included in the good faith estimate. The cost of surgery, as well as any labs, other testing, and anesthetic that may be utilized during the process, would be included in the estimate for an uninsured or self-pay patient having surgery.
Uninsured or self-pay customers who get a final bill that is $400 or more higher than the good faith estimate can contest the charges.
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2022 African American Conference on Disabilities
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The African American Conference on Disabilities is the country's most comprehensive disability conference, focusing on the confluence of race and disability. The conference looks at how African Americans and people with disabilities can use self-advocacy to guarantee that services, resources, and civil rights are provided effectively.
The conference is open to the public, FREE, and includes 12 extremely educational workshops.
Please contact Natalie Luna Rose at nlunarose@azdisabilitylaw.org for further information about the 2022 conference.
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Louisiana Council's Advocacy Network |
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Katie Kroes, Louisiana Council's Advocacy Network (LaCAN) Region 2 Team Leader, will be conducting a series of sessions on Thursdays at noon that will allow LaCAN members to meet with legislators. It is her goal to link families and persons with developmental disabilities with policymakers, as well as to facilitate discussion of LaCAN's advocacy themes for our community! You can join the meetings at this link: https://tinyurl.com/LaCAN2Meet
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Youth virtual hangout is an opportunity for youth with disabilities and special healthcare needs to network, build friendships, share their experiences and learn from each other. Ages 16-26. (If you have registered for a previous Hangout session, you do not need to re-register for a future session.) Register here!
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Exceptional Lives Webinars |
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Exceptional Lives will be hosting webinars that will run through April 2022. The topics are geared to families, particularly those of color, and caregivers of both children and young adults with disabilities. Hear from providers and educators on topics like building life skills, addressing mental health, becoming a great parent advocate, and the crossed paths of Black history and disability history. Take a look at the entire list of webinars on the Webinar Page. All webinars are FREE. Pre-registration is required.
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Newsletter for Disabled Americans |
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Free, At-Home COVID-19 Rapid Tests Delivered to Your Door
Americans are able to order free, at-home COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov. Tests will usually ship within 7-12 days of ordering. Those without internet access and those needing assistance may order by calling 1-800-232-0233.
Please note: both sites are updated frequently
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Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program that helps low-income households pay their home heating and cooling bills. It operates in every state and the District of Columbia, as well as within most tribal reservations and U.S. territories.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, LIHEAP agencies across the country have made necessary changes to their typical operations to accommodate the circumstances caused by the pandemic.
To apply for LIHEAP or to learn more, you can either:
Call 1-877-674-6327,
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EEOC and OFCCP Launch “Hire” Initiative
to Advance Equal Opportunity
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) launched a new initiative to reimagine hiring practices to advance equal employment opportunity. The goal of the initiative is to identify innovative and evidence-based practices that will help workers access good jobs and help employers utilize the talent across America’s workforce. The agencies will host a virtual roundtable on January 19 to kick off this initiative.
The Hiring Initiative to Reimagine Equity (HIRE) is a multi-year collaborative effort that will engage a broad array of stakeholders in expanding access to good jobs for workers from underrepresented communities and help address key hiring and recruitment challenges. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underserved communities, the growing recognition of systemic inequality, and calls for racial justice have brought national attention to the unfinished business of equal opportunity. HIRE will identify strategies to remove hiring barriers that limit opportunity along the lines of race, color, ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ+ status, religion, disability, age and veteran status. Many employers have recognized that they have an important role to play by strengthening their diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility efforts in their workplaces. As our nation recovers from the pandemic, HIRE reflects the agencies’ commitment to building an inclusive economy that works for everyone.
The first in a series of roundtables, “Building on Dr. King’s Legacy: Launch of HIRE, a Hiring Initiative to Reimagine Equity,” will focus on strategies for advancing racial equity and will bring together employers and worker organizations to explore how we can work together to promote recruitment and hiring practices that advance racial equity and create pathways to good jobs for workers from underserved communities.
For more information, please visit eeoc.gov.
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Customized Employment:
It Works!
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With the enactment of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in 2014, Customized Employment (CE) became a part of federal law. Customized Employment is a hiring, retention, and return-to-work strategy that aligns a job seeker's strengths, the conditions in which they will succeed, and their interests with an employer's demands. It has the potential to attract people from all walks of life into the workplace, including those with disabilities, to contribute their skills to satisfy key corporate demands.
CE takes a one-on-one approach to career planning and development, working with one person and one company at a time. Because CE positions are a good fit for both the employee and the company, employee happiness and productivity are higher, leading in increased employer retention and profitability.
This video produced by the LSU HSC Human Development Center highlights Sam's employment utilizing Customized Employment.
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LaCAN Legislative Roundtables |
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The Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council’s 2022 Legislative Advocacy Agenda will be shared across the state at virtual LaCAN Regional Roundtables. Individuals with disabilities, their families, and advocates are urged to attend to learn more about the Council's advocacy agenda and how to participate in other advocacy events such as legislative visits, yellow shirt days, and public testimony.
Take advantage of this great opportunity to learn about activism and remotely engage with your local legislators.
The following is a list of the dates, times, and LaCAN Leader contact information.
Region 1/10
Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, & St. Bernard Parishes
(504) 943-0343 | (877) 243-7352
Region 2
Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, & West Feliciana Parishes
(225) 978-2752 | (866) 216-7474
Region 3
Assumption, Lafourche, St. James, St. John, Terrebonne, St. Charles, & St. Mary Parishes
Thursday, March 10, 2022 | 10:00am | Register at this link
(985) 447-4461 | (800) 331-5570
Region 4
Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Martin, & Vermilion Parishes
Tuesday, February 22, 2022 | 1:00pm | Register at this link
(337) 492-3110 | (337) 984-3458
Region 5
Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, & Cameron Parishes
TBD
(337) 436-2570 | (800) 894-6558
Region 6
Avoyelles, Concordia, Catahoula, Grant, LaSalle, Rapides, Vernon, & Winn Parishes
Friday, February 25, 2022 | 10:00am | Register at this link
(318) 641-7373 | (800) 259-7200
Region 7
Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, DeSoto, Natchitoches, Red River, Claiborne, Sabine, & Webster Parishes
Thursday, March 3, 2022 | 10:00am | Register at this link
(318) 560-3629 | (877) 226-4541
Region 8
Caldwell, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union, & West Carroll Parishes
(318) 547-9379 | (888) 300-1320
Region 9
Livingston, St. Tammany, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, & Washington Parishes
(985) 264-1186 | (800) 383-8700
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Interrupting Racism & Implicit Bias - Louisiana Children's Trust Fund Lunch Speaker Series |
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Interrupting Racism & Implicit Bias in the world of Child Abuse Prevention, Child Welfare and the Judicial System:
Join us for February 2022 LCTF Child Abuse Virtual Speaker Series, February 16, 2022 at 12:00 PM. The guest speaker for this session will be Dr. Jessica Jones. Dr. Jones is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services.
Space is limited. All sessions are held online via Zoom. Your link to join the session will be in your confirmation email.
RSVP here: http://bit.ly/LCTFFeb2022
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Louisiana Commission for the Deaf Strategic Planning Report |
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The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf (LCD) is excited to share with you a few important and exciting updates! In partnership with a Deaf-owned consulting company, Innivee Strategies, we are thrilled to provide you the results of a comprehensive, stakeholder-led endeavor, which has helped us define a new Mission, Vision, and Values for LCD. Because we recognize the need for improving and strategizing the work of the Commission in order to best support the needs of the community, we believe this a critical step in helping our organization obtain its goals and helps us stay committed to reflecting a strong, community-focused/led organization. In addition, Innivee Strategies worked with members of the community via focus groups and surveys to help us identify six (6) Strategic Priorities to work on over the next three (3) years.
Click here to view the Strategic Planning Report.
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Media of the Month:
It's Just a Disease
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Claire Wineland was a public speaker, chronic illness advocate, and nonprofit founder. She built a platform based on two simple ideas: that sick people deserve respect and dignity, and that they can build fulfilling and satisfying lives despite being ill. Here, she gives a presentation about these topics at an event hosted by the Essentials of Emergency Medicine. |
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