State & City Resources
New Orleans, Louisiana: Disability Resources
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New Orleans residents can use separate local entry points for support planning, accessible transportation, and affordable housing. A referral from one organization does not enroll you in the others. Start with your most immediate need and ask what must happen before services can begin.
ADRC Support and Benefits Navigation
New Orleans Council on Aging ADRC provides options counseling, referrals, and help with Medicaid and Medicare information. This ADRC serves Orleans, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines parishes. Explain whether you need long-term support planning, coverage guidance, or help identifying a service; ask what information to prepare for the conversation.
RTA Paratransit Applications
New Orleans RTA Paratransit serves eligible riders whose disability prevents use of standard buses or streetcars. Its application has applicant and professional-verification parts. Both must be complete. Approval and an RTA Paratransit Card come before use; a reduced-fare card is a different application. Confirm the trip addresses and reservation procedure.
HANO Housing Options
Housing Authority of New Orleans provides public and affordable housing opportunities, including communities for seniors and people with disabilities. Use its applicant links to distinguish housing communities from voucher programs. Ask which waiting lists accept applications and how to request an accessible unit or application assistance; a property listing does not establish an available apartment.
Before You Contact a Program
- State your parish and the kind of help needed.
- For RTA, describe the actual difficulty using a bus or streetcar.
- Keep housing application details and updated contact information.
Federal Benefits and Next Steps
Apply for SSDI[1] or SSI[2] through the Social Security Administration. Local resource programs have separate applications and do not decide federal disability benefits.
For the federal process, read our Disability Application Guide and Document Preparation Checklist.
See Louisiana Resources and the State Resource Directory.
Educational directory. Not affiliated with the Social Security Administration or listed organizations. Inclusion is not an endorsement. Eligibility and availability are determined by each program; no result is promised.
Official Sources and References
These SSA.gov links support the explanations above. Official applications, account services, and agency forms are completed through SSA.