Fully Included: Empowering Louisiana’s Disability Community

“Fully Included: Empowering Louisiana’s Disability Community!” is a video series navigating topics such as advocacy, education, employment and more while featuring Council members, agency leaders and YOU – people with developmental disabilities, family members, and community members – who share their stories about navigating everyday life in Louisiana.

Episode 1: Meet the Council

Self-advocate Jill Hano, parent advocate Bambi Polotzola, Executive Director of Governor’s Office of Disability Affairs and agency leader Julie Foster Hagan of Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities share about the Council and why it’s important to be involved.

Episode 2: Advocating for What's Important

Karen Artus, parent advocate & LaCAN Region 9 Leader; Lillian DeJean, self-advocate; and Rashad Bristo, parent advocate and Partners in Policymaking graduate speak about their path of advocacy and why speaking up and building relationships is really important to move the needle for the disability community.

Episode 3: Planning for Transition

Kristin Victorian, parent advocate; Charles Michel, executive director of Families Helping Families Bayou Land; and Nicole Trumps, a parent advocate, speak about planning for their children’s transition planning for opportunities after high school.

Episode 4: Navigating IEPs for Students with Disabilities

Parent advocates Temisha Victorian, Nicole Trumps, and Kristin Victorian speak about their experiences on preparing IEPs for their students, the process, and their advice to parents.

Episode 5: Honoring April Dunn

April Dunn was a fierce advocate on behalf of people with developmental disabilities across Louisiana! This year marked the one year anniversary of Act 833 being named to the April Dunn Act. The Act will change access to employment and education for students with disabilities, and mostly, it shows us the power of #advocacy. Ms. Joanette Dunn, Mr. Jamar Ennis and Governor John Bel Edwards share their reflections on April’s work and what it means for Louisiana’s disability community.

Episode 6: What are Families Helping Families Resource Centers?

Families Helping Families is a statewide network of 10 family-directed and family-staffed regional resource centers that provide information on all types of services, goods, technologies, and activities that improve the quality of life in the community. Meet some of the people behind these regional centers as they share how FHF Centers support Louisiana’s disability community!

Episode 7: Employment and People with Disabilities

In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Fully Included explores employment for people with disabilities in Louisiana. Hear from experts at Louisiana Rehabilitation Services, human resource professionals, and individuals with disabilities.

Episode 8: Understanding Louisiana's Waivers

“The purpose of the waiver system is really be able to support those individuals to live at home.” – Julie Foster Hagan
This episode Fully Included talks about waivers and how they support individuals with developmental disabilities to live, work, and play in the community of their choice.

Episode 9: Why DSPs are Important for the Disability Community

A Direct Support Provider is an essential professional who provides a range of supports and services to people with developmental disabilities. In the latest episode of Fully Included, we hear from DSPs and why supporting them is important for people with disabilities to live in the communities of their choice!

Episode 10: Navigating an IEP

Meet parent advocate Temisha Victorian, her son and self-advocate Dylan Sonnier, who share their IEP journey, while Ms. Joanette Dunn, special education teacher and April Dunn’s mother, shares the importance of how the IEP can set up students for success post-graduation. And, Meredith Jordan and Dr. Quentina Timoll, of the Louisiana Department of Education, share with us how the state is supporting students with disabilities for success.

Episode 11: Partners in Policymaking

Partners in Policymaking is a long-standing advocacy program with individuals with disabilities and their families that teaches and empowers people to become their own advocates. In this episode, learn about the strong advocacy program from leaders who participated and teach the disability community to become stronger advocates everyday!