Office of the Secretary

Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) Chief Compliance Officer William Root was honored yesterday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for his dedicated service with the Career Achievement Award. Root retired from HHS earlier in 2013 as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Investigations before joining DHH to head up the Louisiana Medicaid Program Integrity Office.

The Department of Health and Hospitals announced today the appointment of two new interim assistant secretaries. Dr. Rochelle Head-Dunham will serve as Interim Assistant Secretary for the Office of Behavioral Health and Mark Thomas will assume the role of Interim Assistant Secretary for the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities. Searches will be conducted to fill both roles permanently by early 2014.

Today, the Louisiana Division of Administration and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals outlined a plan to address funding reductions included by the Legislature in the state’s final operating budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1. Without these actions, DHH projects that it would face an approximately $25.9 million state general fund shortfall at current operating levels.

Problem gambling is one of Louisiana’s most serious health issues. It affects not only the addict; it affects that person’s family, friends, co-workers and society as a whole. A 2008 Louisiana study on problem gambling revealed as many as 100,000 Louisianians are problem and pathological/compulsive gamblers. Problem gambling is an urge to continuously gamble despite harmful negative consequences or desire to stop.

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals today formally notified the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office and the Office of the District Attorney for East Baton Rouge Parish that staff have gathered evidence that leads them to believe a DHH employee has misappropriated public funds intended for the department and used these funds for personal activities.

The Louisiana Departments of Health and Hospitals and Wildlife and Fisheries announced today the precautionary closure of oyster harvest Area 11 in response to an oil spill. Area 11 is west of the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced today he has selected Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein to be a member of the recently created National Commission on Long-Term Care. Greenstein is the only representative thus far from Louisiana appointed to the bipartisan, 15-member commission, which is tasked with studying how to effectively reform long-term care supports and services and submitting recommendations to Congress.

Today, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein announced plans to reform the Medicaid Hospice Program, with a focus on providing services in the community. The department has secured bridge funding from existing grants to continue the current hospice program, which was set to end on Feb. 1, until the reformed program can be implemented later this spring. Previous Administration decisions regarding the Medicaid budget will still remain intact. The savings will still be realized from the original reduction, with Hospice services continuing through this existing funding stream.

Today, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein and LSU System Executive Vice President for Health Care and Medical Education Redesign Dr. Frank Opelka announced a public-private partnership agreement is under way for Walter O. Moss Regional Medical Center with Lake Charles Memorial Hospital and its partner, West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital.