OPTIONS INC

OPTIONS provides people with disabilities with meaningful work opportunities through job placement and supported employment. OPTIONS assists with obtaining competitive jobs in the community through OPTIONS job placement, job coaching, and ongoing supports. Individuals work at businesses such as banks, offices, grocery stores, restaurants, retail stores, and government agencies.

OPTIONS Supported Employment Program helps individuals with disabilities have jobs through OPTIONS . These individuals work on OPTIONS Cleaning Crews, Lawn Maintenance Crew, Learning Gardens, and at Fabulous Finds. In our rural community, jobs can be scarce, especially for people with disabilities. Over 80% of people with disabilities in the U.S. are not employed and this program is just one solution to this problem. OPTIONS seeks opportunities and contracts with area businesses or starts
new businesses to directly employ people with disabilities.

OPTIONS operates 4 community homes. Each home provides a nurturing and supportive atmosphere for six individuals with disabilities to call home. Two of the homes are for women and two are for men. The homes provide an opportunity for people with complex needs to live with peers in their communities. The locations were chosen in order to maximize access to the community and provide a unique neighborhood experience for residents. Each home is staffed around the clock to ensure the care and safety needs of residents are met.

All 4 community homes have been successfully operating for over 25 years.

OPTIONS Supported Independent Living program assists individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live in the community as independently as possible. The philosophy of OPTIONS is to support, assist and meet the needs of each person based on his or her unique needs and goals. OPTIONS offers services that are tailored to each person's individual needs, wants, and skills. Program participants receive assistance with finding housing and negotiating lease terms, navigating home ownership, financial case management, health and wellness coaching and support, medical case management, in home personal care, transportation and any other services needed in order to maintain the highest level of independence for that person.

OPTIONS has been meeting the needs of people with disabilities through its Supported Independent Living Program since 1985.

OPTIONS Transportation Program is an essential ingredient to the success of all of OPTIONS programs and services. Most of the people we serve do not drive, so transportation is very important. A fleet of 24 vehicles go the distance with routes that span two rural parishes ( counties ) to bring approximately 160 people with disabilities where they need to go averaging 19,000 miles per month. Careful planning and coordination play a huge role in creating the most efficient and safest routes possible. Specialized training includes, but is not limited to, how to handle seizures, behavioral issues, health and safety, CPR/First Aid, and much more. Transportation is more than a way to get from point A to point B, it’s critical to accomplishing the mission of OPTIONS. It is a lifeline for people with disabilities to access employment, education, health care and community life.

OPTIONS provides individuals with disabilities, who live with their families, with supports that enhance their quality of life and assist their caregivers. Family Support include assistance with activities of daily living, meal preparation, hygiene, light housekeeping, transportation and opportunities to participate in community activities. These services support the family care givers enabling them to maintain their own jobs, care for their other children, and take needed breaks. Participants enjoy the opportunity to pursue interest outside of the family.

OPTIONS has been providing Family Support Services since 1991.

OPTIONS Weaving Studio was founded by volunteers in 2012. Volunteers and staff enthusiastically worked together to develop the OPTIONS Weaving Studio as a wonderful, fun place for people with disabilities to explore their creativity and artistic skills. Today it is both an employment opportunity and an enrichment activity. Several individuals have started their own businesses in partnerships with OPTIONS Weaving Studio. They work with OPTIONS marketing team to develop their business cards, price tags, and marketing materials. They make rugs, table runners, tablet bags, towels, and many other beautiful items. See OPTIONS Weaving Studio Facebook page for more details.

OPTIONS is proud to offer the cutting edge opportunity to people with disabilities to explore their creativity.

OPTIONS Learning Gardens was established in January 2020. The purpose of the Learning Gardens is to focus on nurturing the mind, body, and soul of people with disabilities through therapeutic gardening. The Learning Gardens is an inclusive program that allows participants to engage in gardening activities while learning farm to table concepts. Also, The Learning Gardens continues to provide employment for individuals with disabilities. The individuals with disabilities that are employed by The Learning Gardens assist the Learning Gardens Instructor during activities with their peers. The Learning Gardens Program has been a great success in meeting the needs of those with sensory challenges. The environment created promotes an educational and peaceful atmosphere.

Located in Ponchatoula, OPTIONS Fabulous Finds is a gently used, upscale resale store. People from the community donate clothes and other items and the individuals with disabilities who are employed there sort the donated items, maintain store inventory, and assist customers. The store is open to the public Monday – Saturday. For more information visit OPTIONS Fabulous Finds Facebook page.

OPTIONS has successfully operate the OPTIONS Fabulous Finds since 2012.

OPTIONS has a team of nurses who oversee the proactive/preventative healthcare needs of people with disabilities. Some of the people we serve are non-verbal and vulnerable. Many cannot communicate clearly when they are in pain or having physical or emotional difficulties. It requires keen observation, excellent training, and extensive knowledge of each individual to recognize a potential problem.

Men and women with disabilities can live well into their seventies and beyond. This means that their existing disabilities are compounded by the disabilities of aging including dementia, heart disease and cancer. We oversee the care of these individuals as their healthcare becomes more complicated by the aging process. By providing our staff, clients, and clients’ families with health and wellness education, training, and support, we enable them to make well-informed decisions about their healthcare.