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Louisiana Commission for the Deaf

The Louisiana Commission for the Deaf provides accessibility services for persons whom are Deaf, Deaf/Blind, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment to gain equal access to any public or private service.

What services are available?

Accessibility services include, but are not limited to:

Interpreting
Document Interpretation
Telecommunication Interpretation
Telecommunications and general accessibility equipment
Hearing Aids
Information and referral
Advocacy
Consumer Training
Public Service Announcements

How do I qualify for services?

Any Louisiana citizen who is deaf, deaf/blind, hard of hearing or has a speech impairment, is encouraged to apply for accessibility services.

Where do I apply for services?

Applying for LCD services means locating your LCD Regional Service Center. There are eight Regional Service Centers. Simply locate your parish below and contact the Regional Service Center staff. You can call, TDD, e-mail or drop-in to make an appointment to complete an application and have a caseworker determine eligibility.

Alexandria Visual Communication Services 3656 Government Street Suite B Alexandria, LA 71306 318-473-0308 V 318-473-0398 TDD/FAX 866-473-0308 Toll-Free 866-629-1815 Toll-Free vicomm@centurytel.net Parishes: Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine, Vernon and Winn	Baton Rouge St. Francis de Sales Catholic Deaf Center 2585 Brightside Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70820 225-766-9320 V/TDD 225-766-6615 FAX 888-834-7955 V/TDD cdcstfdsp@aol.com Parishes: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge,East Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, St. James, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana
Baton Rouge - Interpreting services Deaf Services Center 4939 Jamestown, Suite 101 Baton Rouge, LA 70808 V/TDD: (225) 756-5339 Fax: (225) 925-0098 Fax Web: www.deafservicesinc.com Email: info@deafservices.net Parishes served: Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. James, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.	Lafayette Deaf Action Center - Lafayette 1408 Carmel Lafayette, LA 70501 337-232-3463 V/TDD 337-233-1916 FAX 800-463-6010 Toll-Free V/TTY daclaf@bellsouth.net (Parishes: Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary and Vermilion)
Lafayette - Support Service Provider services for individuals who are deaf-blind Affiliated Blind of Louisiana 409 W. St. Mary Boulevard Lafayette, LA 70506 V: (337) 205-0375 TDD: (337) 264-9259 ext. 162 Fax: (337) 232-4244 VP: (866) 866-1063 Web: www.affiliatedblind.org Parishes served: Acadia, Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, EBR, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. James, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, Vermillion, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana	Lake Charles Southwest LA Independence Center 1202-C Kirkman Street Lake Charles, LA 70601 337-477-7194 V 337-477-7196 TDD 337-477-7198 FAX 888-403-1062 Toll-Free mitch@slic-la.org Parishes: Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron and Jefferson Davis
Monroe Visual Communication Services 1300 Hudson Avenue Suite 3 Monroe, LA 71201 318-387-1911 V 318-387-1912 TTY/FAX 866-872-1911 Toll-Free vicomm@centurytel.net Parishes: Caldwell, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union, and West Carroll	New Orleans Deaf Action Center - New Orleans 1000 Howard Avenue, Suite 1200 New Orleans, LA 70113-1916 504-615-4944 V/Text 504-615-7122 V/Text 504-736-9103 FAX sabernius@mycingular.blackberry.net jguerrieri@mycingular.blackberry.net Parishes: Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John, and Terrebonne
Northshore Deaf Action Center - North Shore 19352 N. 2nd St., Suite 2 Covington, LA 70433 985-892-2581 V 985-892-2658 TTY/FAX 866-825-2639 Toll Free deafactioncntrns@bellsouth.net Parishes: St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington	Northwest Deaf Action Center - Shreveport 601 Jordan Street Shreveport, LA 71101 318-425-7781 V/TTY 866-495-3323 Toll-Free 318-226-1299 FAX david@deafactioncenter.org Parishes: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Clairborne, De Soto, Red River, and Webster
You can also contact: Louisiana Commission for the Deaf 627 N. Fourth Street, 2nd Floor Baton Rouge, LA 70802 1-225-219-2404 or 1-800-256-1523

Louisiana Commission for the Deaf Frequently Asked QuestionsTelephone and Video Relay ServicesTelephone Relay Service is provided for anyone who has a Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD), who calls a Relay Service and the Relay Service, receives the TDD message and then calls and speaks to the person while “relaying” the conversation between them. Video Relay Services allow a Deaf person using American Sign Language to sign into a camera, mounted on their TV or computer, again sending that communication to a Relay Service, who then interprets what the Deaf person is saying into English on a phone with the party that the Deaf person wants to talk with.

Louisiana Relay Service: 800-846-5277 (tdd) or 800-947-5277 (voice)

History of the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf
In 1980, the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf (LCD) was established by RS 46:2351 of the Louisiana Legislature to:

to promote, coordinate and facilitate accessibility of all public and private services to Deaf people, Deaf/Blind people, hard of hearing and speech impaired people;
serve as advocate for the needs and rights of deaf people;
collect information concerning deafness and provide for the dissemination of this information;
develop and implement a statewide program to insure continuity of services to deaf people;
inform deaf citizens, parents, and families of the availability of programs and services for deaf adults and children at all levels of state and local government;
promote the training of interpreters and assist in the establishment of interpreter training programs;
certify interpreters and maintain a registry of certified interpreters;
provide all services of the Commission to deaf people with visual impairments;
provide interpreter services to Deaf people in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Commission;
establish, administer, and provide a statewide program to provide access to all public telecommunications services by Deaf people, Deaf/Blind people, hard of hearing and speech impaired. Louisiana citizens with hearing or speech disabilities that require the use of a text telephone, telebrailler, or amplification equipment are eligible for the Telecommunication Access Program.

Publications

Statistics

Each year over 40,000 residents benefit directly from services contracted for by the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf (LCD). LCD has eight (8) community-based Regional Service Centers who ensure accessibility is provided to all consumers.