Disability Rights Louisiana

12/17/2025

Incredible news: We exceeded our year-end goal—raising $15,542!

Because of you, we’re building the donor support needed to power our work at a critical moment—while community needs grow and federal funding becomes increasingly uncertain. Thank you.

Your support helps us answer nearly 10 calls every day from people fighting for their rights to live safe, healthy, and integrated lives. Together, we are:

ADVOCATING for the services and conditions people need to live safely and independently
PROTECTING our community from abuse and holding institutions accountable
EMPOWERING people through training, policy change, and legal action

The fight ahead is real: Medicaid cuts are coming. Special education protections are weakening. New regulations are promoting institutionalization. Our federal funding uncertainty remains.

Every dollar donated beyond our goal helps us meet this moment.

Haven’t donated yet? There’s still time to stand with our community and make a tax deductible donation here: https://disabilityrightsla.networkforgood.com/projects/172183-support-disability-rights-louisiana

12/16/2025

Happy Holidays! DRLA offices will be closing from December 19 through December 26, so any calls for assistance received during that time will have a delayed response.

While our offices are reopening on December 29, DRLA will be closed for New Year’s Day.

Thank you for your patience during this holiday season. DRLA offices will resume normal hours of operation on January 5th and our team will ensure all calls received during our time away are returned.

We wish you a safe and happy holiday season!

12/10/2025

Medicaid cuts are coming, and the disability community is preparing to fight harder to get the care they need.

A man fought for over a year to get a power wheelchair through Medicaid. A case manager found her client lying on the floor after his Medicaid-funded home health services were suddenly terminated.

After partnering with DRLA, both clients got the services they deserved.

Cases like these will multiply because of a new law that significantly cuts federal Medicaid funds.

Your gift helps us train people to access the care they need, win legal cases that protect hundreds facing similar Medicaid barriers, and advocate for policies that expand access to critical services.

We were made for this moment. Join us:

Join us in holding the line for the civil rights of people with disabilities in Louisiana. Since 1977, Disability Rights Louisiana has been fighting for the rights of people with disabilities across our state. Today, our disability community is facing some of the greatest threats we've seen in decad...

12/09/2025

Help shape our work – take DRLA’s Community Input Survey!

This an opportunity for you to honestly tell us about the needs of individuals with disabilities throughout Louisiana, and how Disability Rights Louisiana (DRLA) can help.

You can take the survey by clicking on this link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QP8LRWQ

DRLA is a not-for-profit organization that protects and advocates for the human and legal rights of people with disabilities of all ages across our state. We work to empower the disability community to live an integrated life, free from abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Your responses to this survey will be anonymous. Nothing you say in this survey will affect your ability to participate in Disability Rights Louisiana’s services in any way.

Thank you for your input!

12/04/2025

Special thanks to our U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy for his work representing Louisiana in championing this resolution to recognize the 50th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)!

The IDEA helps to protect the rights of students with disabilities to learn in inclusive, supportive schools and to guarantee students with disabilities a free appropriate public education (FAPE) tailored to their individual needs. For more information on this resolution, you can read the press release here: https://ow.ly/KjZL50XBxXw

Read more from our parent network National Disability Rights Network at the story attached to this post.

Thank you to U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, Chris Van Hollen, Friends of Glenn Thompson - Team GT & Congressman Jared Huffman for championing the IDEA 50th Anniversary Resolution.

Your leadership uplifts students with disabilities and protects the right to learn in inclusive, supportive schools.

https://ow.ly/KjZL50XBxXw

12/03/2025

10 new calls for help came in today.

Every day we hear from more people facing discrimination—children denied their right to education, people fighting for critical medical services, people facing abuse in institutions.

We were made for this moment—to fight alongside people with disabilities when systems are mistreating them.

Just 6 hours left of , and $5,295 left to reach our $15,000 goal.

We're fighting for the Louisiana all of us want to live in.

12/02/2025

Grateful for everyone who's already stepped up for disability rights on !

We're just over $5,400 away from our $15,000 year-end goal, which will help us begin building the donor support we'll need as federal funding becomes uncertain.

There's still time to join us in holding the line for Louisiana's disability community.
https://disabilityrightsla.networkforgood.com/projects/172183-support-disability-rights-louisiana

Join us in holding the line for the civil rights of people with disabilities in Louisiana. Since 1977, Disability Rights Louisiana has been fighting for the rights of people with disabilities across our state. Today, our disability community is facing some of the greatest threats we've seen in decad...

12/02/2025

Right now, a mother is refusing to give up.

Her 7-year-old son with autism keeps getting sent home early from school. The district wants him attending school 3-hours a day instead of 6. This puts her job and his education in jeopardy.

We receive hundreds of calls like hers every year—and more are coming as special education protections and Medicaid access weaken.

We can't solve these problems one family at a time. That's why we're taking on strategic legal cases, pushing for policy changes, and training staff in the districts that break the rules most often.

We were made for this moment.

This , help us hold the line for disability rights across Louisiana. We need $7,000 more to reach our year-end goal.

We know how to win. Will you join us?

https://disabilityrightsla.networkforgood.com/projects/172183-support-disability-rights-louisiana

Join us in holding the line for the civil rights of people with disabilities in Louisiana. Since 1977, Disability Rights Louisiana has been fighting for the rights of people with disabilities across our state. Today, our disability community is facing some of the greatest threats we've seen in decad...

11/19/2025

Right now, a mother is refusing to give up.

Her 7-year-old son with autism keeps getting sent home early from school. The district wants him attending school 3-hours a day instead of 6. This puts her job and his education in jeopardy.

We receive hundreds of calls like hers every year—and more are coming as special education protections and Medicaid access weaken.

We can't solve these problems one family at a time. That's why we're taking on strategic legal cases, pushing for policy changes, and training staff in the districts that break the rules most often.

We were made for this moment.

This , your tax deductible donation helps us hold the line for disability rights across Louisiana — in schools, institutions, and communities. We need $7,000 more to reach our $15,000 year-end goal.

We know how to win. Will you join us?

Join us in holding the line for the civil rights of people with disabilities in Louisiana. Since 1977, Disability Rights Louisiana has been fighting for the rights of people with disabilities across our state. Today, our disability community is facing some of the greatest threats we've seen in decad...

11/17/2025

Our disability community is greatly saddened by the loss of Alice Wong, a groundbreaking activist and founder of the Disability Visibility Project, whose passing at 51 leaves an irreplaceable legacy in disability justice.

Daughter of immigrants advocated for people with disabilities to have full autonomy over their lives

11/16/2025

It’s a beautiful day out at Oak Street Po-Boy Festival! We’re hosting an art market today in our parking lot at our office located at 8325 Oak St, in New Orleans. Come by our resource table and say hi!

11/14/2025

Thanks so much to Beignet Fest for including us in their Resource Walk! As you're enjoying the fest tomorrow (Saturday, 11/15), come stop by our table and say hi!