Council Approves 2027 Legislative Advocacy Agenda

The Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council and its statewide advocacy network, LaCAN, will focus on three priorities during the 2027 Legislative Session:

• Increase funding for home and community-based services and Direct Support Worker pay.
• Help more people with disabilities get the services they need to find and keep jobs.
• Support Families Helping Families Centers across Louisiana.

These priorities build on progress made in 2026 and address the ongoing needs of people with disabilities and their families.

Increase HCBS Waiver Rates and Direct Support Worker Pay

Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers help people with disabilities live at home and in their communities instead of institutions. These services depend on Direct Support Workers (DSWs), who provide daily, hands-on support.

In 2026, the Legislature provided an additional $10.7 million in state funding (about $33 million with federal funds) to increase waiver rates and DSW pay. This funding allowed many waiver rates to increase by about 3% beginning October 1, 2026. The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) also plans to raise the DSW wage floor (the minimum hourly pay required for these workers) from $9.00 to $9.27.

While this was an important step forward, more funding is needed. A 2026 rate study found that waiver rates do not fully cover the cost of providing services. The study also estimated DSW wages at $11.48 per hour, compared to the planned wage floor of $9.27.

Without enough funding:

• Providers struggle to hire and keep qualified workers.
• People with disabilities may go without needed services.
• Families may have to provide care when workers are unavailable.

An estimated $42.9 million in additional state funding is needed to address the remaining funding gap. LDH plans to update the rate study in early 2027, so this amount may change.

The Council and LaCAN will advocate for additional funding to increase waiver rates and raise the DSW wage floor to $11.48 per hour. These changes would help providers cover the cost of services and attract and keep qualified workers.

Read the HCBS Waiver Rates and DSW Pay Fact Sheet

Increase Funding for Louisiana Rehabilitation Services

Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) helps people with disabilities prepare for work, find jobs, and keep working. LRS receives state and federal funding, but Louisiana cannot receive all available federal funds because the state does not provide enough matching funds.

In 2026, the Council and LaCAN successfully advocated for an additional $2 million in state funding for LRS. This was an important step toward helping more people with disabilities get the services they need.

LRS also reported progress from state fiscal year 2025 to 2026:

• 17% more people completed vocational rehabilitation services with a job outcome.
• 11% more people received services paid for by LRS.
• Spending on services for people with disabilities increased by 21%.

Despite this progress, more funding is needed. Since 2021, Louisiana has missed out on approximately $180 million in federal funding that could have supported employment services for people with disabilities.

Additional state funding would help LRS:

• Serve more adults and students with disabilities.
• Help more people prepare for work, find jobs, and keep working.
• Address staffing shortages that can delay services.

The Council and LaCAN will advocate for approximately $6 million in additional state funding to help Louisiana receive all available federal matching funds for these services.

Read the LRS Funding Fact Sheet

Maintain Funding for Families Helping Families Centers

Families Helping Families (FHF) is a statewide network of nine centers that help people with disabilities and their families find services, understand their options, and get support.

The Council receives $1,007,517 in state funding, all of which supports FHF Centers. Maintaining this funding would help the centers continue providing services that people with disabilities and their families rely on.

In fiscal year 2026, FHF Centers provided:

• 59,557 contacts to share information and help people find services.
• 28,353 instances of support from people with similar experiences.
• Training for 8,740 people.

These numbers reflect only the services tracked through the Council’s funding and do not include all the work FHF Centers do.

Maintaining current funding would help FHF Centers:

• Keep staff and services available to families.
• Continue reaching people in rural communities.
• Provide training and one-on-one support.
• Help families find the services they need.

The Council and LaCAN will advocate to maintain the full $1,007,517 in state funding for all nine FHF Centers in the FY28 state budget.

Read the Families Helping Families Funding Fact Sheet

Get Involved

The 2027 Legislative Session begins April 12, 2027, and is scheduled to end June 10, 2027. This is a shorter session that focuses mainly on the state budget, taxes, and other funding issues.

People with disabilities, family members, and other advocates are encouraged to get involved through legislative visits and regional roundtables.

Legislative Visits

Share your story and help legislators understand how these issues affect people with disabilities and their families. Contact your LaCAN Leader to learn how you can participate in visits with legislators in your area. Visits will begin soon and continue throughout the legislative session.

Legislative Roundtables

LaCAN will hold roundtables across the state before the 2027 Legislative Session starts. These meetings are an opportunity to learn about the Council’s priorities, share your experiences, and connect with legislators from your area.

Watch for an email from the Council with the roundtable schedule after the holidays.

Want to learn more or get involved?

Contact your LaCAN Leader or local Families Helping Families Center for information about roundtables, legislative visits, and other advocacy opportunities.