State Agencies and Organizations

United States Senators
Honorable Mary Landrieu (D)
724 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5824
(202) 224-9735 (Fax)
E-mail Web Form: http://landrieu.senate.gov/webform.html
Web: http://landrieu.senate.gov

Honorable John B. Breaux (D)
503 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4623
(202) 228-2577 (Fax)
E-mail: senator@breaux.senate.gov
Web: http://breaux.senate.gov

United States Representatives
To find the contact information for your representative in the House of the U.S. Congress, visit the House's Web site at: www.house.gov, or call: (202) 225-3121; (202) 225-1904 (TTY).

Governor
Honorable Mike Foster, Jr.
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 94004
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9004
(225) 342-0991
E-mail Web Form: http://www.gov.state.la.us/gov_email.html
Web: www.gov.state.la.us/

Official State Web Site
Web: www.state.la.us/

Governor's Office of Disability Affairs
Mary Anne Perault, Executive Director
Governor's Office of Disability Affairs
P.O. Box 94004
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9004
(225) 219-7550
E-mail: Mary.Perault@gov.state.la.us
Web: www.gov.state.la.us/disabilityaffairs/

State Department of Education: Special Education
Virginia C. Beridon, Director
Division of Special Populations
Louisiana State Department of Education
1201 N. 3rd Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-3633
E-mail: VBeridon@doe.state.la.us
Web: www.doe.state.la.us

State Coordinator for NCLB (No Child Left Behind)
Virginia C. Beridon, Director
Division of Special Populations
Louisiana State Department of Education
1201 N. 3rd Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-3633
E-mail: Virginia.Beridon@la.gov
Web: www.doe.state.la.us

Programs for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth through 2
Evelyn D. Johnson, Administrator
Infant/Toddler Program
Division of Special Populations
Louisiana State Department of Education
1201 N. 3rd Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-1190
E-mail: Edjohnson@doe.state.la.us
Web: www.doe.state.la.us

Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages 3 through 7
Evelyn D. Johnson, Administrator
Division of Special Populations
Louisiana State Department of Education
1201 N. 3rd Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-1190
E-mail: Edjohnson@doe.state.la.us
Web: www.doe.state.la.us

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency
James E. Wallace, Acting Director
Department of Social Services
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services
8225 Florida Boulevard
Baton Rouge, LA 70806-4381
(225) 925-4131; (800) 737-2958 (in LA)
E-mail: jwallace@dss.state.la.us
Web: www.dss.state.la.us/offlrs/

Coordinator for Transition Services
Bonnie Wise, Transition Consultant
Division of Special Populations
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-3640
E-mail: Bonnie.Wise@la.gov

Office of State Coordinator of Vocational Education for Students with Disabilities
Patricia Merrick, Section Supervisor
Career and Technical Education
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 219-9333
E-mail: pmerrick@doe.state.la.us
Web: www.doe.state.la.us

State Mental Health Agency
Warren Taylor Price, Jr., Assistant Secretary
Office of Mental Health
Department of Health and Hospitals
P.O. Box 4049 - BIN 12
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4049
(225) 342-9238
E-mail: wtprice@dhh.state.la.us

State Mental Health Representative for Children and Youth
Dr. Cheryl Bowers-Stephens, M.D., Chief
Child and Adolescent Services Development
Office of Mental Health
Department of Health and Hospitals
P.O. Box 4049 - Bin 12
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-4049
(225) 342-2525
E-mail: cstephen@dhh.state.la.us

State Mental Retardation Program
Raymond Jetson, Assistant Secretary
Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities
P.O. Box 3117, Bin 21
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3117
(225) 342-0095
E-mail: rjetson@dhh.state.la.us

State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
Sandee Winchell, Executive Director
Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council
P.O. Box 3455
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3455
(225) 342-6804; (800) 922-3425 (In LA)
E-mail: swinchel@dhh.state.la.us
Web: www.laddc.org

Protection and Advocacy Agency
Lois V. Simpson, Executive Director
The Advocacy Center
225 Baronne Street, Suite 2112
New Orleans, LA 70112-2112
(504) 522-2337; (800) 960-7705 (in LA only)
E-mail: lsimpson@advocacyla.org
Web: www.advocacyla.org

Client Assistance Program
Diane Mirvis, Director
Client Assistance Program
The Advocacy Center
2620 Centenary Boulevard, Suite 248
Shreveport, LA 71104
(318) 227-1489; (800) 960-7705 (in LA only)
E-mail: dmirvis@advocacyla.org
Web: www.advocacyla.org

Programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs
Linda Pippins, Administrator
Children's Special Health Services
Office of Public Health
Department of Health and Hospitals
P.O. Box 60630, Room 607
New Orleans, LA 70160
(504) 568-5055
E-mail: lrose@dhh.state.la.us

State CHIP Program
(health care for low-income uninsured children)
Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program
LaCHIP Processing Office
P.O. Box 91278
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9278
(877) 252-2447
Web: www.dhh.state.la.us/MEDICAID/LACHIP/Index.htm

Programs for Children and Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired
Suzanne Mitchell, Executive Director
Blind Services
Department of Social Services
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services
8225 Florida Boulevard
Baton Rouge, LA 70806-4834
(225) 925-4131; (225) 925-3594
E-mail: smitchel@dss.state.la.us

Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Jan Faulkner, Executive Director
Lousiana Commission for the Deaf
8225 Florida Boulevard
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
(225) 925-4175; (800) 256-1523
(800) 543-2099 (TTY)
E-mail: jfaulkner@dss.state.la.us
Web: www.dss.state.la.us

Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf-Blind
Joyce Russo, Director
Deaf Blind Project
Division of Special Populations
Louisiana Department of Education
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-3640; (877) 453-2721 (in LA)
(225) 219-4588 (TTY)
E-mail: JRusso@doe.state.la.us
Web: www.doe.state.la.us

State Education Agency Rural Representative
Bennie McKay, Supervisor
Richland Parish School Board
Special Education
P.O. Box 599
Rayville, LA 71269
(318) 728-5964

Regional ADA & IT Technical Assistance Center
Wendy Wilkinson, Director
Disability Law Resource Project
2323 S. Shepard Boulevard, Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 520-0232 (V/TTY); (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY)
E-mail: dlrp@ilru.org
Web: www.dlrp.org

University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Robert E. Crow, Director
Human Development Center
School of Allied Health Professions
LSU Health Sciences Center
1100 Florida Avenue, Building 138
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 942-8200; (504) 942-8380 (TDD/TTY)
E-mail: rcrow@lsuhsc.edu
Web: www.hdc.lsumc.edu

Technology-Related Assistance
Julie Nesbit, Executive Director
Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network
P.O. Box 14115
Baton Rouge, LA 70898
(225) 925-9500; (800) 270-6185 (V/TTY)
E-mail: cpourciau@latan.org
Web: www.latan.org

State Mediation System
Ellen Dunlap Spears, Coordinator
Department of Education
Division of Special Populations
P.O. Box 94064
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064
(225) 342-3661
E-mail: EDunlap@doe.state.la.us
Web: www.doe.state.la.us

Special Format Library
Elizabeth Perkins, Librarian
State Library of Louisiana
Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
701 N. Fourth Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-4944; (225) 342-4943
(800) 543-4702
E-mail: sbph@pelican.state.lib.la.us
Web: www.state.lib.la.us/Dept/SpecServ/sbph.htm

Disability-Specific Organizations

Attention Deficit Disorder
To identify an ADD group in your state or locality, contact either:

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
8181 Professional Place, Suite 201
Landover, MD 20785
(301) 306-7070
(800) 233-4050 (Voice mail to request information packet)
Web: www.chadd.org

Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)
P.O. Box 543
Pottstown, PA 19464
(484) 945-2101
Web: www.add.org

Autism
Louisiana State Autism Chapter
4425 Annunciation Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 896-9050; (800) 955-3760
E-mail: bourgeois@lastateautism.org
Web: www.lastateautism.org

Blind/Visual Impairments
Mary Ann Siller, Director
American Foundation for the Blind-Southwest
260 Treadway Plaza, Exchange Park
Dallas, TX 75235
(214) 352-7222
E-mail: dallas@afb.net
Web: www.afb.org

Brain Injury
William E. Moak, Executive Director
Head Injury Foundation
217 W. Buffwood Drive
Baker, LA 70714-3755
(225) 775-2780
E-mail: wmoakbiala@aol.com

Cerebral Palsy
Janet Ketcham, Executive Director
UCP of Baton Rouge - Children's Developmental Center
1805 College Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(225) 923-3420
E-mail: jketchum@ucpbr.org

Paul Bussell, President/CEO
UCP of Greater New Orleans
1000 Leonidas Street and Leake Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 865-0003
E-mail: ucpgno@aol.org
Web: www.ucpgno.org

Epilepsy
Dorothy Martino, LCSW, Executive Director
Epilepsy Foundation of Southeast Louisiana
3701 Canal Street, Suite H
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 486-6326; (800) 960-0587
E-mail: epileps@bellsouth.net
Web: www.noepilepsy.com

Learning Disabilities
Barbara Duchardt, Associate Professor of Special Education
Northwestern State University
Teacher Education Center, Room 103-A, Pod D
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-5154
E-mail: duchardt@nsula.edu

Mental Health
Yakima Black, Executive Director
Mental Health Association in Louisiana
263 Third Street, Suite 103
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
(225) 343-1921
E-mail: MHAL015@aol.com
Web: www.mhal.org

NAMI Louisiana
11762 S. Harrell's Ferry Road, Suite D
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
(225) 292-6928; (888) 343-5864
E-mail: namilaab@bellsouth.net
Web: www.nami.org/laami

Mark Terry and Verlyn "Vee" Boyd, Co-Directors
Louisiana Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
P.O. Box 4767
Shreveport, LA 71134-0767
(318) 227-2796
E-mail: mterry@laffcmh.com
E-mail: jboyd@laffcmh.com
Web: www.laffcmh.com

Mental Retardation
Julia Kenny, Executive Director
The Arc of Louisiana
P.O. Box 65129
Baton Rouge, LA 70896-5129
(225) 383-1033
E-mail: jkarcla@bellsouth.net
Web: www.thearcla.org

Special Health Care Needs
Phyllis Landry, Executive Director
Family Voices Louisiana
1539 Jackson Avenue, Suite 200
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 299-9175
E-mail: familyla@bellsouth.net

Speech and Hearing
Judy Fellows, President
Louisiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association
8550 United Plaza Boulevard, Suite 1001
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
(225) 922-4512
E-mail: lsha@pncpa.com
Web: www.lsha.org

Spina Bifida
Spina Bifida Association of Greater New Orleans
P.O. Box 1346
Kenner, LA 70063
(504) 737-5181
E-mail: sbagno@email.com
Web: www.sbagno.org

Organizations Especially for Parents

Parent Training and Information Center (PTI)
Cindy Arceneaux, Director
Project PROMPT
4323 Division Street, Suite 110
Metairie, LA 70002-3179
(504) 888-9111; (800) 766-7736 (in LA)
E-mail: fhfgno@ix.netcom.com
Web: www.projectprompt.com

D.J. and Ursula Markey, Co-Directors
Pyramid Parent Training
2552 St. Philip Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 827-0610
E-mail: DMARKEY404@aol.com

Community Parent Resource Center
(Serving greater New Orleans area)
Ursula Markey, Project Director
Pyramid Parent Training
2552 St. Philip Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 827-0610
E-mail: DMARKEY404@aol.com

Partners in Policymaking
Sharyn Scheyd, Coordinator
Partners in Policymaking
P.O. Box 641642
Kenner, LA 70064
(504) 443-3831
E-mail: sharyn@sharynscheyd.com
Web: www.laddc.org

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Kathy Huse, President
Louisiana Parent-Teacher Association
1543 Del Plaza, Suite 13
Baton Rouge, LA 70815
(225) 927-7382
E-mail: la_office@pta.org
Web: www.lapta.org

Other Disability Organizations

Roni Jo Frazier, Coordinator
Direct Support Professionals Special Interest Group
3705 Prescott Road
Alexandria, LA 71301
(318) 445-4470
E-mail: roji99@aol.com
Web: http://la-dsp.org

Daniel Underwood, President/CEO
Easter Seals Louisiana
305 Baronne Street, Suite 400
New Orleans, LA 70112-1617
(504) 523-7325 (Voice/TTY)
(800) 695-7325 (Voice/TTY in LA only)
E-mail: DanUnderw1@aol.com

Susan Benoit, Executive Director
Diane Hazlewood, Deputy Director
Families Helping Families of Southwest Louisiana
(Part of the statewide network)
2927 Hodges Street
Lake Charles, LA 70601
(337) 436-2570; (800) 894-6558
E-mail: fhfswla@xspedius.net
Web: www.fhfla.org

Kay Marcel, Statewide Coordinator
Louisiana Citizens for Action Now (LACAN)
713 N. Lewis Street
New Iberia, LA 70563
(337) 367-7407
E-mail: kamarcel@bellsouth.net
Web: www.lacanadvocates.org

Darbi Philibert, President
Linda Alwood, Club Administrator
Louisiana Occupational Therapy Association
P.O. Box 14806
Baton Rouge, LA 70898
(225) 291-4014
E-mail: lotassoc@aol.com
Web: www.healthcaresource.com/lota

Shanta Barnes, Director
Louisiana Health and Rehabilitation Center
1033 N. Lobdell Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70812
(225) 343-3438
E-mail: lhrodetox@bellsouth.net
Web: www.lahealthandrehab.org

Danielle Franklin, Coordinator
Louisiana Youth Leadership Forum
150 N. Third Street, Suite 129
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
(225) 219-7555
E-mail: LYLF@gov.state.la.us

Everrett Parker, Executive Director
VSA arts of Louisiana
Department of Education
2758-D Brightside Lane
Baton Rouge, LA 70820
(225) 761-4243 (V/TTY)
E-mail: everrettp@aol.com
Web: www.vsala.org

Independent Living

To find out the contact information for the Statewide
Independent Living Council (SILC) in your state, contact:
Independent Living Research Utilization Project
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research
2323 South Sheppard, Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 520-0232 (V); (713) 520-5136 (TTY)
E-mail: ilru@ilru.org
Web: www.ilru.org

To find out the contact information for centers for
independent living (CILs) in your state, contact:
National Council on Independent Living
1916 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 209
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 525-3406; (703) 525-4153 (TTY)
E-mail: ncil@ncil.org
Web: www.ncil.org

© 2003