Narrative: m. 1. B.

The lack of full funding available from the state to match the total federal dollars available has impacted LRS’ overall ability to effectively serve many individuals with disabilities in Louisiana who could potentially become employed.

LRS continues to have difficulty maintaining adequate staff, resulting in reduced capacity to administer the program and serve consumers. In 1988, when the Order of Selection (OOS) was implemented, LRS had approximately 565 staff members on hand to administer the programs under the auspices of LRS. In PY 2021 this number declined to 157 (72% decrease). Specifically, Rehabilitation Counselors have decreased by 51% over the last sixteen years (from 142 in 2002 to 69 in 2021).  LRS’ goal, as positions have been lost due to budget cuts, has been to maintain counselors above all other positions as indicated by the slower decline in counselor numbers as compared to other staff.

On March 20, 1988, LRS moved to providing Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services statewide through an OOS. This enabled LRS to continue providing services to those eligible, preserve its ability to accept applications, to provide diagnostic studies, to provide trial work experiences and to determine placement in the OOS.

LRS previously had five OOS Categories and the following numbers served fell under this classification system.  On February 14, 2019, LRS opened Category IV and served 30 individuals in Category V.  In October of 2019, 2 more were served from Category V.  In January 2, 2020, 2 more individuals were served in Category V.  As of March 2022, the Order of Selection was consolidated from five to three categories.  Effective August 15, 2022, all 3 priority categories will be open to serve all eligible applicants. There are no individuals on the waiting list and all consumers who have been determined eligible are being served.