Program Authorization: The Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-112) as amended. R.S. 36:477 (B)
The mission of the Specialized Rehabilitation Services Program is to provide an orderly sequence of rehabilitation services to eligible physically and/or mentally disabled citizens of Louisiana to include community rehabilitation program services, independent living services, personal care attendants, telecommunication services, interpreter services, and supported living services.
The goal of the Specialized Rehabilitation Services Program is to provide rehabilitation services to eligible physically and/or mentally disabled persons who are not served by the traditional vocational rehabilitation program in order to live independently in the community of their choice.
Major activities of the Specialized Rehabilitation Services Program are the Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund, the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf, Personal Care Attendant, Community and Family Support, Independent Living for Older Blind, Orientation and Mobility, and State funded Independent Living Services.
Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund (THSCI) provides services designed for Louisiana citizens who experience impairment of cognitive abilities or physical functioning as a result of an external physical force to enable them to continue to live in the community. This activity also assists individuals to reach their highest possible level of independence in the community.
Louisiana Commission for the Deaf provides accessibility to public and private services for Louisiana citizens who are deaf, deaf-blind, multi-disabled, and hard of hearing through non-vocational rehabilitation related services and activities. Included are community interpreting services, advocacy activities, training and certification of interpreters, distributions of telecommunications devices, support for a dual party relay system, and other services that will insure community and communication access.
Personal Care Attendant services allow persons with the most severe disabilities, who do not fall within the scope of vocational rehabilitation services, to live independently in the community as opposed to institutional care.
Community and Family Support provides customers, with the most severe disabilities, and whose disability occurred between the ages of 22 and 55, with support in a flexible, individualized manner to assist them in exiting institutions and living in a less restrictive environment in the community.
Independent Living for Older Blind provides specialized services to eligible older individuals who are blind, severely visually impaired or deaf-blind.
Orientation and Mobility grants address the critical shortage of professionals in the state who provide cane travel instruction for individuals who are blind or deaf-blind. This is accomplished through a masters level training program offered at Louisiana Tech University in collaboration with Louisiana Center for the Blind and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services.
State funded Independent Living Services provide, through an Independent Living Center, services to individuals not traditionally eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, including advocacy and training in self-help skills to enable the very severely disabled to become more independent and active in their communities.
OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Unless otherwise indicated, all objectives are to be accomplished during or by the end of FY 1999-2000. Performance indicators are made up of two parts: name and value. The indicator name describes what is being measured. The indicator value is the numeric value or level achieved within a given measurement period. For budgeting purposes, performance indicator values are shown for the prior fiscal year, the current fiscal year, and alternative funding scenarios (continuation budget level and Executive Budget recommendation level) for the ensuing fiscal year (the fiscal year of the budget document).
RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR THE PROGRAM
This program is funded with General Fund, Self-generated Revenue, Statutory Dedications, and Federal Funds. Self-generated Revenue is obtained from deaf interpreter certification fees. The Statutory Dedications include the Telecommunications for the Deaf Fund and the Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund, (see table below for a listing of expenditures out of each statutory dedicated fund.) Federal funds are obtained from: Title I, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 110; Independent Living Part A, Title VII, Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Independent Living Part B, Title VII, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Supportive Employment, Title VI, Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
The total means of financing for this program is recommended at 86.9% of the existing operating budget. It represents 73.6% of the total request ($49,597,988) for this program. Major changes include: decreased funding in the amount of $709,879 for nonrecurring carry forwards; and $150,000 to non-recur funding for independent living services for 6 to 8 residents of nursing homes in the Baton Area added by line item amendment during the FY 1998-99 appropriations process. These decreases were partially offset by an increase of $100,000 for additional telecommunications equipment for the deaf from the Telecommunications for the Deaf statutory dedication fund
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
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This program does not have funding for Professional Services for Fiscal Year 1999-2000. |
OTHER CHARGES
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Louisiana Commission for the Deaf for deaf interpreter services |
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This program does not have funding for interagency transfers for Fiscal Year 1999-2000 |
ACQUISITIONS AND MAJOR REPAIRS
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This program does not have funding for Acquisitions and Major Repairs for Fiscal Year 1999-2000. |