March 05, 2009 LaCHIP, Social Workers Team up for National Day of ServiceStatewide blitz to offer outreach, enrollment at events and businesses

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mar 05, 2009 -

BATON ROUGE –The Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program is joining the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers Saturday, March 7, to host a National Day of Service with outreach and enrollment events planned across the state.

Throughout the day, LaCHIP outreach staff and NASW social workers will move throughout the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals’ nine service regions to distribute applications, process enrollments and answer questions about public health coverage. The teams will be hosting or taking part in various events, including festivals, recreational tournaments and enrollment events at local groceries, pharmacies and other businesses.

“Louisiana is leading the nation in reducing the number of uninsured children. Our aggressive outreach efforts and partnerships like this one with the National Association of Social Workers make this possible,” said LDH Secretary Alan Levine. “I applaud Louisiana’s National Day of Service volunteers for working together to ensure our kids have the health coverage they deserve.”

According to NASW-Louisiana Chapter President Darryl W. Bruno, partnering with LaCHIP this year for the Day of Service—a decades-long nationwide, annual event—was an obvious choice.

“There are many people that may have had private or employer-sponsored health insurance who have lost their jobs and now are scrambling,” Bruno said, adding that these losses cause not only a financial burden but a mental strain as well. “We’ve got to do something,” he added.

Administered by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, LaCHIP offers families low-cost or no-cost health care plans for uninsured Louisiana children up to age 19.  Eligibility is based on family size and income. A family of four can earn as much as $53,000 and still qualify for LaCHIP coverage for kids. These eligibility levels will increase April 1. For more information on the program or to enroll, visit http://www.lachip.org/ or call (877) 252-2447.

The mission of the Louisiana Chapter of NASW is to promote quality, integrity, unification and effectiveness of the social work profession while supporting social workers in their mission to serve diverse populations, and to ensure justice, equality and opportunity for all citizens of the state.

“Our job as social workers is to search and activate the hope in each of our clients that is buried under the feelings of fear, rage and hopelessness,” Bruno said.  “We must stay attuned to the struggles our clients face and remind them of the resources within themselves to stay strong in the midst of their current situation.”

The Louisiana Department of Health serves to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state citizens. To learn more about LDH, visit http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov.

The following is a list of enrollment events and times scheduled throughout the state:

Region 1 (New Orleans/Metairie area)

• Winn Dixie, 2104 Williams Blvd., Kenner – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Soul Fest at the Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St., New Orleans – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Kids’ Expo at the Muss Bertolino Gym, 600 W. Esplanade Ave. – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Region 2 (Baton Rouge area)

• The Livingston Library, 8101 Hwy. 190, Denham Springs – 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Community Market, Downtown Clinton – 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Goodwood Branch Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Scotlandville Branch Library, 7373 Scenic Hwy., Baton Rouge – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Port Allen Supermarket, 220 N. Alexander St., Port Allen – 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Benedetto Supermarket, 6651 Hwy. 1 South, Brusly – 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• LeBlanc Supermarket, 59440 Belleview Rd., Plaquemine – 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Pointe Coupee Library, 201 Claiborne St., New Roads – 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• K Mart, 115 S. Airline Hwy., Gonzales – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Walgreens, 1607 N. Airline Hwy., Gonzales – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Fred’s, 228 W. Hwy. 30, Gonzales – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, LSU Campus, Baton Rouge – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Region 3 (Thibodaux area)

• ARC of St. Charles Community Fair, 13101 River Rd., Luling – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Assumption Community Hospital Health Fair, 135 Hwy. 402, Napoleonville – 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Community of Grand Isle Mini Blitz – Hwy. 1, Grand Isle – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Region 4 (Lafayette area)

• Super One, 939 S. Lewis St., New Iberia – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Walgreens, 1102 Parkview Dr., New Iberia – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Walgreens, 410 Creswell Lane Extension, Opelousas – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Goodwill, 1308 Creswell Lane, Opelousas – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Beau Chene High School Tournament, 7076 Hwy. 93, Arnaudville – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wal-Mart, 1229 NW Evangeline Thruway, Lafayette – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Wal-Mart, 3142 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy., Lafayette – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Piggly Wiggly, 1001 N. Main St., Saint Martinville – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Vermilion Parish Library, 405 E. Saint Victor St., Abbeville – 9:30 a.m. to noon.
• Wal-Mart, 729 Odd Fellows Rd., Crowley – 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Region 5 (Lake Charles area)

• Wal-Mart, 3415 U.S. Hwy. 14, Lake Charles – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Black Heritage Festival at the L.C. Civic Center, 900 Lakeshore Dr., Lake Charles – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Trade Show and Expo at the Grand Marie Center, 919 N. Lake Arthur Ave., Jennings – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Mini Blitz – L.C. Hwy. 171 to Derrider – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Mini Blitz – Sulphur Hwy. 27 to Grand Lake – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Region 6 (Alexandria area)

• Avoyelles Mini Blitz – Headquartered at Avoyelles Medicaid Office, Marksville – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• American Heart Association Walk 2009, England Airpark (near Bistro on Bayou restaurant), Alexandria – 8 a.m. to noon.

Region 7 (Shreveport area)

• Rivertown Market, 1024 Cutoff Rd., Coushatta – 8 a.m. to noon.
• Springhill Library, 217 N. Main St., Springhill – 8:15 a.m. to noon.
• Jonqui Festival, Downtown Gibsland – 9a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Mansfield Library, 109 Crosby St., Mansfield – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Walgreens, 300 Keyser Ave., Natchitoches – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Region 8 (Monroe area)

• Waterproof Fun Day, JLK Plaza on Church Lane, Waterproof – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Lincoln/Jackson Mini Blitz – Ruston and Jonesboro – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• East Carroll Mini Blitz – Lake Providence, Transylvania and Sondheimer – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Ouachita/Union Mini Blitz – Swartz, Farmerville, Spearsville, Marion, Sterlington, Linville, Downsville and Rocky Branch – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Franklin/Caldwell Mini Blitz – Hebert and Duty Ferry – 9 a.m. to noon.
• Morehouse Blitz – Bastrop – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Drs. Colvin and Coughran, 2106 Loop Rd., Winnsboro – 8 a.m. to noon.
• Richland/Madison Mini Blitz – Rayville, Mangham, Archibald, Delhi and Tallulah – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Region 9 (Hammond/Northshore area)

• Wal-Mart Supercenter, 2799 W. Thomas St., Hammond – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Hammond Recreation Biddy Basketball at Amite High School Gymnasium, 403 S. Laurel St., Amite – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Saia’s Super Meat Market, 2225 Florida St., Mandeville – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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