Service Results for Addictive Disorders & Mental Health

The Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) manages and delivers the services and supports necessary to improve the quality of life for citizens with mental illness and addictive disorders.

The Louisiana Spirit Crisis Counseling Program (commonly referred to as "Louisiana Spirit") is funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and administrated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA). The program is under the auspice of the Louisiana State Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Behavioral Health (DHH/OBH).

Drug overdose deaths are now the number one cause of accidental death in the United States. The rise in the number of hospitalizations and deaths resulting from prescription drug misuse and abuse, particularly opioids, gave increased access to naloxone a role in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy's 2014 National Drug Control Strategy, issued July 9, 2014.

Face to Face Trainings in Suicide Assessment, Intervention, Treatment and Management as per Act 582.

Online Trainings in Suicide Assessment, Intervention, Treatment and Management as per Act 582.

Recorded Sessions of Presentation on Heroin Overdose

Substance Use and Related Disorders services are provided statewide by each regional human service district/authority or through the Healthy Louisiana Plans, for the Medicaid population.  The districts and authorities provide treatment for people suffering from addictions to drugs, alcohol or gambling, as well as support for their families and friends.

In enacting Louisiana's Law for Assistive Outpatient Treatment in 2008 (Act 407 of the 2008 Regular Legislative Session), the Louisiana Legislature was responding to the finding that some people, as a result of the debilitating effects of mental illness, have great difficulty meeting their own needs for treatment, and often reject outpatient treatment offered to them on a voluntary basis. Failure to access the care needed can increase the likelihood of negative outcomes such as suicidal gestures, homelessness, incarceration or, on occasion, becoming involved in acts of violence causing harm to one’s self or others.

Staff within the Office of Behavioral Health have reviewed these Web sites, and recommend them because they have relevant, informative content about behavioral health issues, and may provide online help, answer questions you may have about an illness or indicate treatment resources. OBH does not specifically recommend the use of these sites or take responsibility for the information you may find within them.

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) has developed standardized basic training modules for unlicensed providers and direct care staff as an introduction to the key concepts they must be familiar with and competencies they must demonstrate prior to rendering specialized behavioral health services to members of Healthy Louisiana and the Coordinated System of Care (CSoC).