Behavioral Health

A program designed to increase healthy outcomes for newborn babies is coming to Lafayette and New Orleans. The Healthy Babies Initiative screens pregnant women for tobacco use, alcohol use, drug use, domestic violence and depression and assists expectant mothers in getting treatment.

Baton Rouge – The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) has established a strong commitment to improving the mental health of the people of Louisiana, and children are no exception. Statistics outline the challenge that policy makers, educators, parents, community leaders and advocates face: suicide is the third most common cause of death in young people, both nationally and in Louisiana. Ninety percent of teenagers who die by suicide have a mental health problem, usually depression, substance abuse or both. An estimated 3,500 adolescents attempt suicide every day.

Baton Rouge – Gov. Bobby Jindal announced today a legislative package he is proposing to strengthen Louisiana’s behavioral health care system. The package of four bills is designed to create standards for local behavioral health agencies, allow for the use of telemedicine technology in the assessment and treatment of persons with mental illness if there is a shortage of available professionals, and create a mental health crisis safety net infrastructure for people in crisis.

Baton Rouge – Problem or pathological gambling is often called the “hidden addiction.”

Baton Rouge – Alan Levine, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, today announced the appointment of Jennifer Kopke as Assistant Secretary for Office of Mental Health. As the state’s leader in mental health services, Kopke will be responsible for planning and the delivery of mental health services, as well as the statewide development of the human services district model of care.

Baton Rouge – Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine announced today a plan that will provide immediate assistance to the mental health delivery system in New Orleans, as well as begin to address the statewide needs of the mental health system. The announcement was made at the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital.

New Orleans – Tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 26, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals will unveil a plan to immediately improve the mental health situation in New Orleans. The plan, developed in conjunction with the Metropolitan Human Services District, outlines short-term solutions, long-term strategies and policy changes to deliver better treatment options to New Orleans citizens with mental

New Orleans – On Feb. 11, 2008, the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital (NOAH) began opening 20 additional psychiatric beds to increase its capacity to serve New Orleans residents and combat the shortage of mental health care services throughout the city.

The Department of Health and Hospitals’ Office for Addictive Disorders is holding its Fall Conference Wednesday, Nov. 14 through Friday, Nov. 16, 2007. The conference is open to social workers, nurses, physicians and other professionals in the field of addiction.

Drug use disorders cost American businesses approximately $128.6 billion in lost productivity each year. Alcohol dependence alone is estimated to cause 500 million lost workdays annually. However, when workers receive treatment for their substance abuse disorders, these job problems are reduced by 75 percent. These facts and others regarding the cost of substance abuse will be highlighted during Recovery Day 2007 on Friday, Sept. 28.