Official Louisiana State Websites use .la.gov 
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 
Home Safety Helps to Make the Season Bright
Baton Rouge --- Amid the celebrations and festivities that will take place throughout the next month, it is important to keep some basic safety tips in mind while preparing your home for the holidays.
LDH News
-
-
Youth Gambling Prevention Web Site - TheGamble.org
The Office for Addictive Disorders has just completed the development of a new Youth Gambling Prevention Web Site - TheGamble.org. Designed with adolescents in mind, it has lots of information, games, quizzes, gambling prevention links and resources and much more!
-
Electronic Food Inspections Speed Reporting Process
Baton Rouge --- Technology is leading to faster fast food restaurant inspections. Inspection Tablet Facts OPH sanitarians have conducted 5,415 inspections so far using this new technology The electronic tablets with accessories cost $2,000 each Each tablet setup includes a camera, printer and other peripheral devices Florida and Arizona inspectors are using notebooks and smaller PDAs for restaurant inspections; however, Louisiana is the only state planning usage for all inspections Starting this month, sanitarians working within the Department of Health and Hospitals – Office of Public Health will begin filing their inspection reports with handheld tablet PCs.
-
Officials Report Seven New West Nile Cases, Two Deaths
Baton Rouge --- After a recent lull in West Nile activity, the Department of Health and Hospitals today reports seven new West Nile cases, a new St. Louis encephalitis case and two West Nile –related deaths.
-
DHH Recognized for Fraud and Abuse Controls
Baton Rouge – In an audit of Louisiana’s ability to fight fraud and abuse in its Medicaid program, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) concluded the Department of Health and Hospitals’ efforts have been successful and the results have been impressive. The review also did not find any potential vulnerabilities for fraud or abuse in the state’s Medicaid program.
-
Report Shows Improvement in Louisiana Health
Baton Rouge— The organization’s State Health Rankings Report ranks Louisiana at 49, up one from last year’s ranking. The report ranks state health based on nine risk factors and eight outcomes, measured from indicators compiled by federal agencies.
-
One New St. Louis, Two New West Nile Cases Reported
Baton Rouge --- The West Nile outbreak continues lessening, with only two new cases of the virus reported this week in Rapides and Natchitoches parishes. A new case of St. Louis encephalitis also was reported from Livingston Parish.
-
Health Department Publishes First Hospital Stay Report
Baton Rouge --- The Department of Health and Hospitals – Office of Public Health, through its Center for Health Statistics (CHS), has released the “Louisiana Hospital Inpatient Discharge Database (LAHIDD) Report.” This publication tracked hospital discharge trends in the state between 1998 and 2000 to discover reasons for hospital stays, identify at-risk populations and develop better disease surveillance.
-
Health Office Expands Second Hand Smoke Campaign
NEW ORLEANS -- Seven weeks after the launch of a statewide secondhand smoke education and awareness campaign, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals’ Tobacco Control Program is taking its message to Louisiana’s newspaper readers through a print advertising campaign and renewing its commitment to listen to Louisiana residents about secondhand smoke issues.
-
State West Nile Infections Now Total More Than 100 Cases
Baton Rouge --- The Department of Health and Hospitals has detected five new human cases of West Nile virus, raising the 2003 total to 101 cases throughout Louisiana.
-
Louisiana to Join National Health Tracking Program
Baton Rouge --- Louisiana has received a $1 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand capabilities for tracking chronic diseases and environmental exposures. The grant will be paid out in installments over a three-year period and will allow Louisiana and the other areas receiving money to expand disease surveillance systems.
-
Gov. Foster Declares Nov. 2-8 CommunityCARE Week
Baton Rouge — In an effort to emphasize the importance of primary and preventive care in Louisiana, Gov. M.J. "Mike" Foster has proclaimed the first week of November CommunityCARE and KIDMED week. The proclamation recognizes efforts the Department of Health and Hospitals has made to ensure primary care services for Medicaid clients and increase preventive health screening for children through these programs.