Living with a developmental disability can be extremely difficult; thankfully, there are resources out there to make life easier. The Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) is your gateway to disability assistance and services. If you’re ready to apply for OCDD services, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll share with you what the process looks like and how to help things run smoothly.
Contact the Human Services Districts and Authorities
The only way to gain access to OCDD services for people with disabilities is through Human Services Districts and Authorities. These are offices that facilitate the OCDD application process, evaluate your eligibility, and assist you in accessing the services you qualify for.
How to Contact the Districts and Authorities
To locate services, the first step is to go to the Developmental Disabilities Services Directory. It’s a webpage that shows information for all of the human services districts and authorities. They are the single point of entry, meaning that there’s no other way to access OCDD services.
Look under the “Human Services Districts/Authorities” heading and click on the district or authority nearest to you. When you find the right one, click on the name in green. You’ll then be taken to a page with contact information for that district/authority.
You’ll find the following information in particular:
- The parishes the authority/district serves
- The physical address of the authority/district
- Administrator contact information
- Specific services offered at the district/authority
- Any staff contact information available
*You’ll see general OCDD Central Office information on the Developmental Disabilities Services Directory page, but you won’t use it when applying for services.
Go In Person to the District/Authority Office
The Louisiana Department of Health website says to go in to your local human services district/authority. So, you’ll need to travel out there to the office. But before you go, it doesn’t hurt to call and speak to the staff first to confirm whether you need to make an appointment or bring specific documentation with you. The more information you have upfront, the smoother the process should be.
At some point during the process, you’ll be able to choose a Freedom of Choice provider. To get a look at the Medicaid providers in your area, use the Freedom of Choice Provider Listing page. Click your area on the map, select up to 3 service types, and then browse providers that deliver your selected services.
Is There an Online OCDD Application?
There’s no application that all Louisiana citizens can use to apply for developmental disability services. So, there’s no need to devote time to searching for such a form. It’s best to follow the instructions above and go straight to the source – the district/authority office in your area.
We trust that the information in this article is helpful to you, making the process of obtaining OCDD services more straightforward.
