The Louisiana Department of Health’s (LDH) Office of Public Health (OPH) in Region 7 (Northwest Louisiana) will host the third annual Northwest Louisiana Youth Summit on Saturday, October 19. It will be held at Shreveport’s Southern Hills Park & Community Center, 1002 W. Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Shreveport.
Attendees will have an opportunity to learn about topics such as substance use disorder, cyberbullying, interacting with police, and dating safety and the potential for human trafficking. Medical students from LSU Health Shreveport will provide Body Mass Index (BMI) screenings as well as information on human papillomavirus (HPV).
Partners include the Shreveport Police Department, Shreveport City Marshal’s Office and Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office. Admission is free and open to parents or guardians and their children ages 8 to 18 years old. This year's theme is "Traveling the World with Information."
“We’re in our third year of hosting the youth summit and the event continues to grow every year,” Regional Medical Director Dr. Martha Whyte said. “Our goal is fostering relationships with our community’s teens and their parents and guardians by providing them with information and educational classes that equip them for the future.”
The summit will open at 8:30 a.m. with registration and breakfast, followed by classes and visits with community vendors from 9 a.m. to noon.
The event will also offer classes for parents, health and well-being education from community partners, door prizes and games. The summit will conclude with a luncheon and motivational message from Dr. Allan Thomas, a Shreveport native and pastor of New Friendship Baptist Church in Frierson, who has served as a counselor for Brighter Future Counseling Services.
Sponsors include Humana Healthy Horizons in Louisiana, Louisiana Healthcare Connections, Shreveport Public Assembly & Recreation, United Healthcare and Red River Employees Federal Credit Union.
Seating is limited; register here. Registration closes at midnight on Friday, October 18.
For questions or more information, email Region 7 Opioid Overdose Prevention Outreach Coordinator Yolanda Duckworth at Yolanda.Duckworth@la.gov.