Louisiana State Policies & Resources
Policies:
Louisiana Rehabilitation Services SE policy:
The purpose of a self-employment goal is to establish an individual with a disability in a small business enterprise that will provide sufficient income to support the individual and their family, thereby enabling the individual to meet ordinary daily living expenses and business costs.
Eligibility Requirements:
LRS desires to make self-employment an available option only when it is clearly demonstrated that self-employment is the best choice for the individual. LRS considers the following when determining the potential for an individual to succeed in small business:
- Does the individual have a clear understanding of the business they want to start and the extra demands of operating a business?
- Can the individual perform the essential (physical/psychological) requirements needed to own and operate the proposed business?
- Is the self-employment venture a business that meets the definition of competitive integrated employment or will the business venture be a hobby?
When it is determined by a Counselor and an eligible individual that self-employment, through the establishment of a small business enterprise, is the best option for the individual, the following apply:
- The Counselor will give the Self Employment Small Business Assessment Checklist to the person that expresses interest in self-employment prior to being referred to a business development program.
- The individual must present evidence of a record of recent success or training in the industry pertinent to the products and/or services the individual plans to offer in this particular self-employment venture; or evidence of training and experience that has prepared them for business ownership (i.e. worked in the industry for money, trained in vocational-technical school/college/apprenticeship for a sufficient amount of time to learn the essential functions of the business. The individual should be able to identify the key tasks and functions.)
- The individual must develop a thorough and realistic business plan.
Financial Considerations:
- LRS can contribute reasonable start-up costs, not to exceed $20,000, for a small business establishment.
- The cost of any training/workshops relative to establishing the participant in a small business and/or disability-related assistive technology devices is not included in the $20,000 limit.
- Commitment by the participant to make a minimum cash capital contribution of 20 percent of the total transaction. In-kind contributions will not be counted as part of the cash capital contribution. Such funds can be from the participant’s personal resources, loans, etc. The participant will need a statement of line of credit, savings, credit report or other financial resource from a financial institution.
VR website: https://www.laworks.net/workforcedev/lrs/lrs_rehabilitation.asp
Policy link: https://www.laworks.net/Downloads/LRS/LRS_TandG_Manual.pdf
Resources:
The following downloadable PDF contains statewide self-employment resources and links for people with disabilities.
Louisiana Start-Up Resources (PDF)