Disability Rights Louisiana

06/06/2025

Disability Rights Louisiana (DRLA) has an immediate opening for a Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (“PABSS”) focused Staff Attorney to join our Legal Team.

Are you passionate and dedicated to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities? The ideal candidate has demonstrated a strong commitment to public interest law and social justice, an interest in learning disability rights law, an understanding of social security law, and exceptional legal and advocacy skills.


RESPONSIBILITIES

The PABSS focused Staff Attorney is responsible for assisting in the development and ex*****on of DRLA’s individual and systemic litigation, providing legal advice and assistance, including direct representation in court and administrative proceedings, in accordance with DRLA’s priorities to individuals seeking assistance from the DRLA particularly for PABSS eligible matters, and maintaining an active caseload on disability-related PABSS-eligible issues in administrative, state. and federal court.

CORE JOB DUTIES

• Assist in the development and ex*****on of DRLA’s individual and systemic litigation:
• Assist in the identification of litigation opportunities across the state.
• Promote and assist in ongoing development of litigation on disability rights issues.
• Provide legal advice and assistance, including direct representation in court and administrative proceedings, in accordance with DRLA’s PABSS priorities to individuals seeking assistance from the DRLA. Services offered through the PABSS program include, but are not limited to: (https://www.ssa.gov/work/protectionadvocacy.html)
• Securing services from community agencies, including Employment Networks providing services under the Ticket to Work program;
• Helping people who are entitled to benefits understand Work Incentives and issues with their disability benefits;
• Protecting beneficiaries’ rights regarding conditions of employment;
• Helping beneficiaries understand and protect their employment rights, responsibilities and reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable laws;
• Protecting rights to transportation;
• Protecting access to housing assistance; and
• Obtaining vocational rehabilitation and employment related services and supports.
• Maintain an active caseload of representation on behalf of people with disabilities on disability-related PABSS eligible issues in state and federal court.
• Stay current with relevant changes in state and federal law.
• Maintain continuing legal education requirements as required by the Louisiana Bar and attend trainings to maintain and improve or refine advocacy skills and substantive knowledge.
• Provide necessary direction and supervision for non-attorney legal advocates as needed.
• Provide input in the planning and evaluation of the legal work of the agency as requested.

To apply for a position, please submit a cover letter and resume with the Position title in the subject line to [email protected].

For a full job description, including compensation and benefits, visit: https://disabilityrightsla.org/who-we-are/employment/


EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Disability Rights Louisiana values diversity among our employees and is an equal opportunity employer. DRLA hires without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, age (over 40), disability (mental and physical), s*x, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), s*xual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military and veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply.

Disability Rights Louisiana endorses and supports the intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are applicants or employees needing accommodations.

06/06/2025

A Powerful Day at the Capitol!

This past Monday, DRLA was proud to participate in the Disability Awareness Day at the Capitol. Our team joined fellow advocates and organizations to raise awareness, share stories, and speak up for the change we want to see. Together, we're making sure every voice is heard, and every issue gets the attention it deserves. We are so grateful for the opportunity to share our work and advocate for the needs of the disability community.

Thank you to The Split Second Foundation and the Governor’s Advisory Council on Disability Affairs for responding to the need in such an amazing way. Events like these are essential for fostering understanding and driving positive change. We are grateful to have been included and look forward to future opportunities.

05/08/2025

Don’t miss today's Free Legal Workshop starting at noon!

Melanie Bray, DRLA’s Director of Legal Programs and Advocacy, joins the Louisiana State Bar Association's “Law Talks” educational series for “Disability Awareness & Rights,” discussing what you need to know about your rights under disability laws.

Click on the link below for Zoom registration:
https://bit.ly/LawTalksDisabilityRights

OR you can use the link below to attend via Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/events/606201775126422/?rdid=W83HrVwYDLN1XOAT&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1D3NJ6uuFJ%2F #

Click the link below to download an event flyer in PDF format:
https://www.lsba.org/documents/ATJ/LawTalksDisabilityRights.png

This is the next event as part of the Louisiana State Bar’s Access to Justice Commission's Justice For All Project, “Law Talks." This educational series of virtual presentations on important legal topics is hosted quarterly by legal aid & volunteer attorneys. Presentations will be via Zoom & streamed on the Louisiana Lawyers in Libraries page. Also, you can check with your local library to see if they are hosting an in-person watch party.

For more details, a list of upcoming Law Talks events, or to register your library, go to www.LouisianaLawyersinLibraries.org.

During this presentation, an attorney from Disability Rights Louisiana will discuss what you need to know about disability laws and your rights. Disclaimer: The LSBA’s inclusion of a program in its programming is not to be deemed a statement or an endorsement of the views expressed therein by the ...

05/07/2025

We are filled with so much gratitude this morning!

Last week, we set out with a goal of raising $7,000 for GiveNOLA Day — and thanks to your overwhelming generosity, we surpassed that goal and reached $11,000 by midnight!

Every dollar raised goes toward expanding access to critical opportunities, ensuring safety, and supporting independence for the disability community. We are deeply grateful for our supporters — especially our clients, who bravely and proudly shared their stories to spread awareness and help open doors for others.

From all of us at Disability Rights Louisiana, thank you for standing with us. Together, we are making a difference.

05/06/2025

We're only about $1,000 away from raising $10,000 through GiveNOLA Day! Will you help us get there by midnight?

You can make your tax-deductible donation here: https://www.givenola.org/organization/disabilityrightsla

People come to us during some of the hardest moments of their lives, and your support helps us take action when it matters most.

• A $50 donation can support an hour of individual advocacy services.
• A $100 donation can support training for community members on their rights.

Together, we can help people with disabilities access:

• critical healthcare services;
• jobs and financial independence;
• education services that will help them learn and thrive;
• decision-making power; and
• safety from abuse and neglect.

Thank you for standing with the disability community—today and every day!

GiveNOLA Day, an initiative of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, is a one-day online giving event. For 24 hours, everyone who loves our region can support their favorite local causes by donating to one or more of 700+ participating nonprofit organizations.

05/06/2025

Your tax-deductible GiveNOLA Day donation can help more kids access the services they need to thrive in school and prepare for their bright futures.

Read the story of how we partnered with Victoria and her grandson, to get a sense of how we can advocate for other kids, with your support.

Please donate here if you can: https://www.givenola.org/organization/disabilityrightsla

Victoria describes her grandson as, "a big boy with the biggest heart. He loves to give you a bear hug." He loves animals, swimming, and exploring Google Maps. He was born with a disability that affects how he communicates and walks.

"When he was little, he made so much progress with ABA therapy—he was learning how to speak and express his emotions," Victoria recalls. "But once he started elementary school, everything changed. He was mistreated by the school, to the point where his speech regressed. He came home with bruises. It just broke my heart."

Victoria initially tried to address these issues on her own. However, when faced with a room of about ten individuals representing the school's interests, she quickly realized she needed DRLA’s help to fight for her grandson's interests.

Throughout elementary and middle school, Victoria and her grandson had advocates and attorneys helping guide them through critical situations:

• We ensured that the school reinstated his ABA therapy.

• After learning that he was going for weeks without instruction from a teacher, we ensured that he was provided with appropriate educational services by teachers and paraprofessionals who were trained to support him.

• We got the school to install cameras in a classroom so that they could identify and prevent the abuse he was regularly experiencing at the hands of his classmates, when left unattended.

• When he developed an injury, we ensured the school installed a ramp and sent an accessible school bus to help him get to and from school.

Nobody should have to fight these battles, and they definitely should not have to do it alone.

"DRLA has been our saving grace," Victoria says. "Every time an attorney showed up for us, it was a weight off my chest. I knew he would be okay."

Pictured: Victoria's grandson as he was just getting started at school

05/06/2025

Today is GiveNOLA Day!

When you make a tax deductible donation to our GiveNOLA Day campaign by midnight, you will help us empower more people with disabilities to access the services they need to live independently. Here is just one example of how we empowered a client to rebuild her life on her own terms.

Donate here: https://www.givenola.org/organization/disabilityrightsla

After surviving an abusive relationship and inpatient treatment, Rickii was determined to rebuild her life on her own terms. A nurse handed her a list of resources—with Disability Rights Louisiana at the bottom. Rickii says that one connection changed everything.

At Disability Rights Louisiana, she met with an advocate who listened to her story, made her feel safe, and helped her access the services she needed to live independently. She navigated complex systems, attended difficult meetings, and ultimately secured the support she needed—with her advocate by her side every step of the way.

“I had to tell my story over and over to prove that I needed services. It meant so much to have someone by my side through that,” says Rickii.

Later, Disability Rights Louisiana helped Rickii address challenges with Social Security and open an ABLE Account so she could use her earnings to build financial stability without jeopardizing the Medicaid services she fought so hard to secure.

"My advocate showed me that I already knew how to speak up for myself—I just needed to learn which rooms to speak in,” Rickii explained.

Rickii has gone on to become a powerful disability rights advocate. She joined the Louisiana Council Advisory Network, accepted a position on our board, and took a job at Families Helping Families, where she helped others access the resources they needed to live independently.

"Disability Rights Louisiana has the most passionate and helpful staff I’ve ever met. They saved my life, gave me back my dignity, and awakened the spirit of advocacy that’s guided me for nearly 15 years.”

05/05/2025

Tomorrow is GiveNOLA Day! Below is just one example of how we helped a client reclaim her independence. Donate today to help more people build pathways to safety and autonomy.

https://www.givenola.org/organization/disabilityrightsla

A woman was referred to Disability Rights Louisiana after her mother began contacting her service providers and making demands about her living arrangements. Her mother presented a Power of Attorney, insisting she had the right to make decisions on her adult daughter's behalf.

In a meeting with Disability Rights Louisiana, the client shared that she was unaware of the Power of Attorney. She shared a long history of emotional, physical, and financial abuse at the hands of her mother and insisted that she did not want her mother to be involved in making decisions about her life.

In response, we provided her with a written revocation of the Power of Attorney, which she was able to present to healthcare providers, banks, and others who might be approached by her mother.

The client was relieved to take these first steps to protecting her privacy and safety, and reasserting her independence. Today, she is building her future by looking for a new job so that she can find a more peaceful place to live, and she looks forward to spending more time with her new grand-baby.

GiveNOLA Day, an initiative of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, is a one-day online giving event. For 24 hours, everyone who loves our region can support their favorite local causes by donating to one or more of 700+ participating nonprofit organizations.

05/05/2025

Don’t miss this Free Legal Workshop on May 8, 2025 12:00-1:00 PM!

Melanie Bray, DRLA’s Director of Legal Programs and Advocacy, joins the Louisiana State Bar Association's “Law Talks” educational series for “Disability Awareness & Rights,” discussing what you need to know about your rights under disability laws.

Click on the link below for Zoom registration:
https://bit.ly/LawTalksDisabilityRights

OR you can use the link below to attend via Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/events/606201775126422/?rdid=W83HrVwYDLN1XOAT&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1D3NJ6uuFJ%2F #

Click the link below to download an event flyer in PDF format:
https://www.lsba.org/documents/ATJ/LawTalksDisabilityRights.png

This is the next event as part of the Louisiana State Bar’s Access to Justice Commission's Justice For All Project, “Law Talks." This educational series of virtual presentations on important legal topics is hosted quarterly by legal aid & volunteer attorneys. Presentations will be via Zoom & streamed on the Louisiana Lawyers in Libraries page. Also, you can check with your local library to see if they are hosting an in-person watch party.

For more details, a list of upcoming Law Talks events, or to register your library, go to www.LouisianaLawyersinLibraries.org.

During this presentation, an attorney from Disability Rights Louisiana will discuss what you need to know about disability laws and your rights. Disclaimer: The LSBA’s inclusion of a program in its programming is not to be deemed a statement or an endorsement of the views expressed therein by the ...

05/01/2025

Early Giving for GiveNOLA Day 2025 is open now! We need your support, so we can help more people like Tony regain their health, joy, and independence.

Donate here: https://www.givenola.org/organization/disabilityrightsla

Tony’s mom Carol says he has a knack for reading people’s hearts. She explains, “He’ll see someone, get a good sense about them, and just start singing the Spanish songs his grandma sang when he was little. He doesn’t speak a lot, but those songs just come out.”

Today, Tony bikes 5 miles a day, goes to horse therapy, and sees his family all the time. It’s a stark difference from when Carol first contacted DRLA.

At that time, Tony was living in a group home. He had a poor diet, he wasn’t getting exercise, he was allowed to play video games all night long, and he was taking medication that negatively impacted his mood and behavior. The group home kicked him out one day, after he had a major outburst of frustration. “They didn’t go through any protocol or try to help him figure out where he would go—they just sent the discharge paperwork and said he has to go,” Carol describes. When she picked him up, Tony was overweight, having multiple seizures weekly, and was clearly traumatized.

DRLA intervened to hold Tony’s bed at the group home for 6 months. DRLA helped Carol understand Tony’s rights, explore his options, and advocate for his needs. Tony’s parents feared the worst if he stayed in such a restrictive environment at the group home. They decided to apply for the New Opportunities Waiver, to create the best future for Tony. Tony stayed with his parents until he was approved for waiver services.

Tony’s waiver services have empowered him to live in his own apartment, close to his parents. His mom coordinates his team of care attendants who support him 24-hours per day and, “love Tony. One came with him from the group home. Another says that being with Tony helps his depression,” explains Carol. Tony is the healthiest he’s been in 20 years, he’s seizure-free, and now he’s playing Miracle League Baseball.

Pictured at left: Tony before he left the group home.

Pictured at right: Tony, now that he is living in the community with waiver services.

04/30/2025

We’d like to send very heartfelt thank you's to the Autism Society of Acadiana and Autism Society of Greater New Orleans for including DRLA in their events this month!

Autism Acceptance & Family Fun Day Picnic was held on April 6th in Lafayette, at Pathway Church. Pictured are DRLA’s Client Advocates Yvonne Bell and Robyn Blackwell—joined by their sons, Elliot Bell and Rhys Blackwell. They connected with attendees over their table, sharing DRLA resources and information as everyone enjoyed the food, games, costumes, and other fun activities provided.

On April 19th, Autism Society of Greater New Orleans hosted 2025 Autism Fest in the Westwego Farmers’ Market. It was a fun filled day complete with performances, treats, and activities provided by the agencies in attendance sharing helpful information.

DRLA provides free legal and non-legal advocacy for people with disabilities across Louisiana. For Autistic people and caregivers, we help with areas related to special education, supported decision making, Medicaid advocacy, employment and more. If you have questions, please call us at 800-960-7705 or visit our website: DisabilityRightsLA.org.

04/29/2025

Early Giving for GiveNOLA Day is now open!

Last GiveNOLA Day, you helped us raise the funds we needed to hire a new legal fellow—someone who is now fighting every day to protect the rights of children with disabilities across Louisiana.

This year, we need your help again. We expect more than 3,000 people with disabilities across the state to reach out to us for help—and we need to be ready for every call.

We’re the only nonprofit in Louisiana that is here to provide free legal aid and advocacy to people with disabilities when their health, safety, and wellbeing are at risk. Without us, many are forced to face the loss of critical healthcare services, exclusion from schools and jobs, abuse, and neglect.

Nobody should have to face these battles on their own. You can help us make sure they don’t have to.

Please help us raise $7,000 by May 6th, and join us in fighting alongside our clients with disabilities, for the independence, safety, and dignity they deserve.

https://www.givenola.org/organization/disabilityrightsla

GiveNOLA Day, an initiative of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, is a one-day online giving event. For 24 hours, everyone who loves our region can support their favorite local causes by donating to one or more of 700+ participating nonprofit organizations.