July 12, 2006 Health Department Moving to New BuildingBienville Bldg. - 628 N. 4th St. , Baton Rouge, LA 70802Some offices to be closed on Friday move days

BATON ROUGE, Jul 12, 2006 - The Louisiana Department of Health headquarters building staff is moving from its present location on Capitol Access Road to the Bienville Building, 628 N. Fourth Street in downtown Baton Rouge.

The move will take place in three phases on consecutive Fridays starting July 14, with several offices moving each week.

The affected LDH offices will not be open for business and telephone service may not be available beginning at 5 p.m. the Thursday before each move. The offices will reopen for business at 8 a.m. the Monday after each move.

During Phase I, the following LDH offices, programs and bureaus will be unavailable to the public from 5 p.m. Thursday, July 13, 2006 until 8 a.m. Monday, July 17, 2006:

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      Bureau of Protective Services
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      Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program
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      LaCHIP
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      Medicaid Eligibility and Program Operations
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      Medicaid Field Operations
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      Medicaid Management Information Services
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      Office of Information Technology
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      Office of Management and Finance - Contract  and Procurement Services
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      Office of Management and Finance - Internal Audit
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      Office of Management and Finance – Financial Services
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      Office of Public Health – Administrative Section
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      Section of Environmental Epidemiology & Toxicology
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      UNO Tech Support, Technology, Software and Training (Medicaid)

During Phase II, the following LDH offices, programs and bureaus will be unavailable to the public from 5 p.m. Thursday, July 20, 2006 until 8 a.m. Monday, July 24, 2006:

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      BEACH Monitoring Program
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      Medicaid Division of Long-Term Supports and Services
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      Medicaid Rate and Audit
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      Molluscan Shellfish Program
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      Office for Addictive Disorders
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      Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities
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      Office of Mental Health
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      Office of Public Health – Engineering
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      Office of the Deputy Undersecretary
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      Public Water System Enforcement
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      Retail Food Program
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      Safe Drinking Water Program
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      Sanitarian Services

During Phase III, the following LDH offices, programs and bureaus will be unavailable to the public from 5 p.m. Thursday, July 27, 2006 until 8 a.m. Monday, July 31, 2006:

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      Office of the Secretary
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      Deputy Secretary
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      Undersecretary
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      Bureau of Media and Communications
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      Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health
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      Financial Operations
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      Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports/Minority Health
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      Health Economics Division
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      Human Resources, Training and Staff Development
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      Bureau of Legal Services
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      Medicaid Director’s Office
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      Medicaid Pharmacy Section
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      Medicaid Policy Development
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      Medicaid Program Integrity
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      Medicaid Program Operations
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      Planning and Budget
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      Policy Research and Program Development
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      Medicaid Financial Operations

The Region 2 (Baton Rouge area) Medicaid Office on the fourth floor at 617 North Blvd.and the East Baton Rouge Parish Health Unit at 353 North 12th St. off Florida Boulevard will remain at the current locations.

Most offices will retain the same phone numbers and P.O. Box mailing addresses after the move. In the event that contact information changes, LDH will publish a list of those sections and the new phone numbers immediately following the move to the Bienville Building.

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