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Our Services


Lighthouse Louisiana offers a variety of services to help individuals of all ages who are blind, visually impaired and who have other disabilities. Our mission is to provide the tools for independence, self-reliance and success, regardless of disability.

Your support allows us to provide over 6,000 services annually that help individuals regain and maintain their independence.

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Low Vision Clinic

When your vision is changing and there's nothing left your eye doctor can do,  the Lighthouse can help.

We’re here to help you cope with and maximize your ability to use your remaining vision. Our Low Vision Clinic is staffed by Occupational Therapists that specialize in low vision. They will help you get the most out of your remaining vision through the use of magnification, visual aids training or adaptation.

All you need is a referral from your eye doctor.

View our privacy practices.

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Adult Vision Services

Lighthouse Louisiana offers a full roster of services to meet the needs of adults who are blind or visually impaired in our community. An overview of our offerings is below, but you can get more information about any of our services by calling (504) 899-4501 ext. 245.

New Vision Program

We offer hands-on assistance to help develop the basic adaptive techniques necessary to function independently with vision loss. Topics include meal preparation, money management, organizing your home and more.

Next Step Program

This program helps participants achieve advanced independence by developing orientation and mobility skills, community integration skills and recreational interests.

Orientation & Mobility

Let Lighthouse Louisiana help you safely navigate your world and take back control of your life with orientation and mobility training. The way you travel affects every aspect of your life, including your ability to care for yourself, your job options, your social life and both your mental and physical well-being.

Does your visual impairment cause you to:
- Lean over to see the ground?
- Worry about bumping, tripping or falling?
- Feel anxious about going out of the
house or beyond familiar areas?
- Avoid crowds, parties and other gatherings?
- Depend too much on others
to help you run errands?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may wish to pursue Orientation & Mobility (O&M) training. This is training specifically for people who are visually impaired to teach the skills needed to move and travel safely and independently.

Learning to use a long white cane is an option but not a requirement of O&M training. You can choose the skills you want to work on.

*Lighthouse provides instruction in O&M at the New Orleans and Baton Rouge campuses and on-location at individual homes, schools or businesses.

Social Services

Losing your sight is a frustrating experience. If you’re at a loss as to how to move forward, you’re not alone. Our licensed social worker is available to help you connect with community resources, learn self-advocacy and manage personal issues related to vision loss including issues with housing, transportation, mental health and public benefits.

Support Group

We also host a monthly support group.  The group is facilitated by a licensed social worker who plans each discussion around the needs and interests of the group participants. Topics include fears after sight loss, changes in friend or family relationships after sight loss, changes in personality and appearance after sight loss and more. The support group is ongoing and clients are welcome to attend as often as they choose.

Assistive Technology

There’s no need to feel intimidated by computers or smartphones, or feel like your blindness or vision loss prevents you from using the Internet.

The world of technology is rapidly evolving, but Lighthouse is here to help you feel confident when you use a computer or smartphone and to help you decide which piece of technology will benefit you most. We offer free typing classes, customized technology assessments and training to help narrow down which types of technology will most benefit you. You’ll then receive personalized training on its hardware and software.

 

Fun 101

We love providing an environment that fosters meaningful relationships between clients in our programs, and we don't want to see those relationships end when programs are completed. Fun 101 is a monthly art & recreation program for participants in vision rehab programs who are interested in maintaining social contact with their friends at Lighthouse. The program includes guest speakers, interactive activities, exploration of the arts, performances, parties, and more. Application required.

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"The Lighthouse is a Godsend... such a blessing in my life. The resources, support, offerings, and personnel are wonderful." - a grateful service recipient 

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Youth Services

Lighthouse Louisiana offers a variety of programs to assist children with disabilities in developing their skills and preparing for a lifetime of success.

To learn more about Youth services or programs offered by Lighthouse Louisiana, please call 504-899-4501 x. 245 or info@lighthouselouisana.org.

 

Services for Students with Visual Impairments

Orientation & Mobility Training

Your child’s ability to safely and confidently navigate through their environment will go a long way toward ensuring their social, mental, and physical well-being. Does your child have difficulty navigating unfamiliar areas? Follow others, rather than lead the way? Or seem apprehensive about walking alone? It is possible that these behaviors are due to visual impairment and that he or she could benefit from an O&M evaluation. 

 

 

Braille Instruction

With the guidance of a CTVI, a Braillist can assist students with learning Unified English Braille (UEB) and Nemeth Code for Math and Science. This service is available to students in grades K-12.

Refer a Student for Youth Vision Services 

Do you know a student with a visual impairment who could benefit from Lighthouse Louisiana’s vision services? Please click email rweston@lighthouselouisiana.org for a referral.

 

Extra-Curricular Activities for Youth with Visual Impairments

Students Together Acquiring Recreational Skills (STARS)

STARS offers recreational activities on Saturdays during the school year for students who are visually impaired. Activities include pottery, painting, and more! This program is available to students in grades K-8.

Goalball

Goalball is a fun and challenging competitive sport designed for people who are blind. Generously sponsored by area Lions Clubs, games take place on Saturdays during the school year. This program is available to students in grades K-12.

Choice Program

The Choice Program helps adolescents acquire the necessary tools to make meaningful academic, career, and life choices through specialized activities and trainings. Choice events are held on Saturdays during the school year. This program is available to students ages 13-21.

Camp

Camp is a 4-week, action-packed summer camp experience! Campers enjoy a variety of activities, including swimming, horseback riding, laser tag, and more. Camp runs Monday through Friday, 9 am-3 pm, for 4 weeks during the summer. This program is available to students ages 6-12.

 

 

 

 

Services for Exiting High School Seniors with Disabilities

Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) is a one-year program designed to help students with disabilities transition from high school to employment and adulthood. Through participation, students will learn to navigate the interview process and build a resume. They will also explore different careers and options for their futures. Students will learn the soft and hard skills that ultimately not only help them obtain employment, but also maintain it. 

Pre-ETS takes place during the final year of a student’s time in high school. Pre-ETS is designed to reach multiple students at once, so the setting is typically a small or large group. In more cases, students receive services twice a week, in their schools, at a time coordinated with their teachers. 

This program is funded by Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), and students must have a case with LRS to participate. Lighthouse Louisiana Pre-ETS currently serves schools in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. 

Professional Development Training for Educators 

Are you a school staff member interested in receiving professional development from Youth Services Staff? Please click here to complete the request form. A Youth Services staff member will respond to your request within 48 hours.

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Associated Image:An African American lady with short hair and glasses boards a Lighthouse bus with a smile on her face as another passenger looks on.

Transportation Services


Need to get to a doctor’s appointment? We can come pick you up and make sure you get inside safely. Lighthouse Louisiana provides this door-to-door service for a small fee. Services are offered Monday through Friday. Please call (504) 899-4501 ext. 245  to learn more.

Need a ride to the Lighthouse? We can come pick you up.
Transportation is available to and from the Lighthouse for most of the services we offer. Call (504) 899-4501 ext. 245 for more information.

On May 22, 2019  Regional Transit Authority (RTA), in partnership with Lighthouse Louisiana, launched the Assistance Card Program. The program improves communication between the public transit operator and passenger through color-coded cards that signal to the transit operator information regarding the accommodations needed for the passenger. 

The cards can be obtained at Lighthouse Louisiana’s New Orleans location, 123 State Street, or at RTA Headquarters, 2817 Canal Street. To request assistance cards, to ask questions, or to inquire about travel training, contact the Lighthouse Louisiana Information & Referral line at 504-899-4501 x 245. Brailed cards are available upon request.

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Deaf Services

Lighthouse Louisiana’s Deaf Services Department is committed to providing high quality communication access, services, advocacy, and equipment to people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deafblind and people who have hearing loss or speech impairment.  As the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf’s (LCD) Regional Service Center for the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, we are the premier source for services, tools, and equipment for people who are Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing.  These programs are all an integral part of Lighthouse Louisiana’s mission to ensure that all people have the opportunity to succeed.

To learn more about Deaf Services programs please call 504-899-4501 or email deafservices@lighthouselouisiana.org.

Hearing Aids

We administer LCD’s free hearing aid program for low-income residents over 50 years and older. We also provide referrals for anyone who does not qualify for the LCD program.  Please call us with questions you have about getting quality hearing aids that you can afford.

To add your name to the LCD waiting list

Call 800-256-1523

Or visit http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/3558 to complete the form (under household income, click on the “click here” for the form).

Adaptive Equipment

Are you having difficulty hearing on the telephone, waking up at the correct time in the morning, or hearing the doorbell ring? 

We distribute a range of adaptive equipment through LCD’s long-term lending program, including amplified telephones, visual alert systems, and more.  Please contact us to learn about your options.

Advocacy & ADA Compliance

Do you have questions about your communication rights as an individual who is Deaf, Deafblind, or Hard of Hearing, or your responsibilities as a business or organization? 

We provide information and advocacy as well as assistance in becoming more ADA compliant and supporting the Deaf community.  Please contact us so that we can help to ensure full communication access for you, your family, or your business.

Deaf Services Interpreting Services

Lighthouse Louisiana Coordinators
(504)899-4501 ext. 244
Video Phone: 225-224-3147 or 504-383-8554
deafservices@lighthouselouisiana.org

Thank you for trusting Lighthouse Louisiana to provide sign language interpreting services.

If you are requesting more information about our Hearing Aids and/or Adaptive Equipment, please contact:
Brett Holland
504-899-4501 x 255
bholland@lighthouselouisiana.org

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"What a wonderful program for hearing aids. I didn't know how much I couldn't hear until I got my hearing aids. I can hear a clock ticking, blinkers, birds chirping and can actually follow a conversation." - a grateful service recipient

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Employment Services & WIPA (Benefits Counseling)

Employment Services

We help unemployed individuals with disabilities get trained, get a job, and keep it.

The meaning that employment gives to a person’s life is profound and powerful. But many employers don’t hire people with disabilities because they simply don’t recognize their potential. Lighthouse Louisiana works with individuals to identify and understand their goals, skills, and challenges related to employment.

We provide Work Readiness Training to prepare people for employment, providing guidance and instruction on soft skills like collaboration, conflict resolution, appropriate dress and behavior, résumé writing, and interview skills.

Once an individual is prepared for successful employment, we search the community for an employment opportunity with requirements that match his or her capabilities and goals.

We connect this work-ready individual with an employer, who will benefit by having the opportunity to hire a prescreened, qualified and reliable candidate that brings diversity to the workforce.

Lighthouse Louisiana continues to support these individuals throughout the duration of a job by assisting with orientation, providing training specific to the job, and offering general guidance.

Learn More:

New Orleans & Baton Rouge  (504) 899-4501 Ext. 259

Ticket to Work (504) 899-4501 Ext. 259

Video Phone (504) 267-2490

If you are an employer interested in hiring people with disabilities, download this brochure here for more information. 

Ticket to Work

Lighthouse Louisiana is also a Ticket to Work provider through the Social Security  Administration.  If you are an individual between the ages of 18 and 64 who are receiving Social Security disability benefits and who is interested in obtaining or advancing in employment, we are here to help! Through the Ticket to Work program, we provide services to help participants achieve greater independence and self-sufficiency through employment.

Work Incentives Planning & Assistance (WIPA)

Lighthouse Louisiana has a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program that provides free assistance to Social Security disability beneficiaries who live in Louisiana and are working or want to work. Our Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWICs) will provide comprehensive benefits counseling and work incentives planning to help beneficiaries make informed decisions about working and understand how earnings from work may impact their benefits.

Lighthouse Louisiana provides WIPA services to the following parishes: Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Washington, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana.

West South Central WIPA (WSC WIPA) is provided by LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, Human Development Center: https://www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu/wscwipa/

If you would like general information about how work might affect your benefits, you can call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you use TTY services, use 1-866-833-2967. If you are working or have a job offer, the Help Line can refer you directly for Work Incentives Planning and Assistance services.

This webpage section was updated at U.S. taxpayer expense.

This material is funded through a Social Security cooperative agreement.  Although Social Security reviewed this document for accuracy, it does not constitute an Official Social Security communication.

I think the most important benefit in working with Lighthouse Louisiana Employment Services is that the Lighthouse Louisiana staff are very involved with the employees they help place in our positions. Having that presence eases the transition for everyone, and everyone that has passed through our doors from the Lighthouse has been a pleasure to work with.

      -Jason at Sodexo

 

Lighthouse is an authorized SSA Ticket to Work Provider

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FAQs

My dad is losing his vision. Can you help him?

Yes! Lighthouse Louisiana has services for people with all different types of vision loss. Many people who use our services are experiencing changes in their vision due to the aging process. We also serve those who have been blind since birth, and people with visual impairments. For more information, call (504) 899-4501 ext. 245 or (225) 275-1200 ext. 245, or visit us here.

Do you have services for kids who are blind or visually impaired?

Yes! Lighthouse Louisiana offers a variety of programs to assist youth who are visually impaired in developing their physical, mental, and social skills. We even contract with area schools to provide services through a teacher for the visually impaired and an orientation and mobility specialist. Call (504) 899-4501 ext. 245 or (225) 275-1200 ext. 245 for more information, or visit us here.

My child is Deaf or hard of hearing. Can you help me?

Yes! We provide education, advocacy and referrals to a number of organizations designed to support parents of Deaf or hard of hearing children. Please get in touch if you need resources and encouragement. Learn more here.

I have a child with a disability. What are my rights as a parent?

You have the right to request an evaluation from your child's school to determine whether your child has a disability. Your child has the right to "free appropriate public education" in the "least restrictive environment." You have the right to dispute resolution, including mediation, complaints, and due process. Your child's school MUST provide these accommodations for students with disabilities if they accept federal funding.

My doctor referred me to the Lighthouse Louisiana Low Vision Clinic. What can I expect?

Our occupational therapist can help you get the most out of your remaining vision. It all starts with an evaluation that lasts approximately one and a half hours. Training sessions to follow can be thirty minutes to an hour long, depending on the individual. Sessions may include: visual skills training, magnification training, and adaptive skills training. The goal of low vision occupational therapy is to help you be as independent as possible in meaningful daily activities like: reading, preparing meals, managing finances, identifying labels, managing medications, grooming and self-care skills, enjoying leisure activities. The number of sessions will depend on each person's goals and amount of vision loss, but the average is four to six sessions. Call our clinic at (504) 899-4501 x 238 for more information.

Is transportation available?

Yes! Learn more here or call (504) 899-4501 ext. 245 or (225) 275-1200 ext. 245.

What type of products do you sell in your visual aids store, and how can I pay for them?

We have two retail stores, one in Baton Rouge and one in New Orleans that sell all types of visual aids from talking watches, electronic magnifiers, and sunglasses. Shop here. At this time, insurance carriers do not pay for optical devices of low vision aids.

I have a disability. Can you help me find a job?

Yes! We help people with all types of intellectual and developmental disabilities find the right jobs for them at no cost. We create jobs in two different ways: 1) Jobs within the Lighthouse and 2) Jobs in the community. To find out if you're eligible call

New Orleans Office (504) 899-4501 Ext. 225 or 259
Baton Rouge Office (225) 275-1200

What kinds of jobs can someone with a disability do?

An individual's ABILITY determines the right job match. With improved access to technology and training, people with disabilities can perform a wide variety of jobs. We have placed people in jobs with a wide variety of employers ranging from large corporations to small locally owned businesses. Each placement is different and the length of time to find a job will depend on employment goals, support needs and job site location.

Do I open myself to liabilities when hiring someone with a disability?

No. National statistics show there is no more liability when hiring someone with a disability than without a disability.

I'm having trouble with my hearing. Can you help?

Yes! We can help connect you with hearing aids and other adaptive equipment. The first step in getting free hearing aids through the Lighthouse is to call the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf to add your name to the waiting list at 1-800-256-1523.
We provide flashing doorbells and amplified phones for those who are hard of hearing to maintain their independence and their ability to communicate with friends and family.
Please call us for additional information about the program and other referrals we can offer you: (504) 899-4501 or (225) 275-1200.

I'm having vision and hearing issues simultaneously. Can you help me?

Yes! Lighthouse Louisiana is uniquely qualified to provide services to people experiencing both vision and hearing loss, and we have resources to help people in the Deafblind community maintain their independence and be successful. Learn more here.

I need a sign language interpreter for an appointment, but I'm having trouble getting one. Advice?

If you're having trouble getting an ASL interpreter for an appointment, please contact us and we can reach out to make sure your doctor, employer, or another institution can provide you with full communication access. Learn more here.

I still have a question!

Call us at (504) 899-4501 x 245 or (225) 275-1200 x 245!

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