State Use Council

Please go the bottom of this page to view the State Use Council 2021 meetings.

In 1971 Congress enacted the expanded Javits Wagner O’Day Act, and created a federal purchasing preference program called AbilityOne.  In 1984 the Louisiana Legislature passed legislation creating a preference for goods created by, and services provided by, individuals with disabilities, in accordance with the Federal AbilityOne legislation.   The legislation created the State Use Council, which oversees the selection of a central non-profit agency (currently Employment Development Services, Inc.).  All contracts for the State Use program are negotiated and fulfilled through a central non-profit agency. The current State Use program is administered by the State Use Council, under the Department of Health’s Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities. 

State Use Council Membership

Julie Foster Hagan, Chair

Assistant Secretary Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities

Julie.hagan@la.gov

Melissa Bayham

Rehabilitation Services Director, Louisiana Workforce Commission

MBayham@lwc.la.gov

Rene Huff

Medicaid Program Manager, Louisiana Department of Health

Rene.huff@la.gov

Ashley Jefferson

Chief of Staff, Office of Behavioral Health Louisiana Department of Health

Ashley.jefferson@la.gov

Sally McKechnie

Assistant Vice President of Procurement, Louisiana State University

smckechnie@lsu.edu

Kelly Monroe

Executive Director, The Arc of Louisiana

kmonroe@thearcla.org

Bambi Polotzola

Executive Director for the Office of Disability Affairs at the Office of the Governor

Bambi.polotzola@la.gov

Paula Tregre

Director of the Office of State Procurement

Paula.tregre@la.gov

State Use Council Meetings 

2021 Meetings

March 8th, 2021 (2 pm - 4 pm via Zoom at https://ldhocddadmin.zoom.us/j/84967425459

January 25, 2021 (1 pm - 3 pm via Zoom at  https://ldhocddadmin.zoom.us/j/83290611645

 

Archived Meetings