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LDH News

• February 10, 2003

  CommunityCARE Kickoff in Lafayette on Wednesday

  Louisiana state health officials will host a public forum this Wednesday to introduce the CommunityCARE program to local medical professionals and community leaders. David W. Hood, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, will make a brief presentation about how this program will improve the delivery of medical services to Medicaid recipients in this area. CommunityCARE will begin in the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin and Vermilion on March 1.

• February 06, 2003

  State Releases Report of Pesticide-Related Health Problems

  In response to a national effort to improve reporting of pesticide-related illness, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals’ Office of Public Health and the Department of Agriculture and Forestry released a five-year summary of pesticide health incidents.

• February 02, 2003

  Debris From Columbia Should Pose No Health Hazard To General Population Says CDC

  The federal Centers for Disease Control has advised the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health that debris that fell from the space shuttle Columbia should not pose a risk to people’s health.

• January 31, 2003

  State Decides Against Enacting Medicaid Prescription Limit

  Medicaid patients dependent on multiple medications still can have their prescriptions filled. The Department of Health and Hospitals has decided against a plan set to begin Feb. 1 that would limit Medicaid recipients to eight prescriptions per month. DHH originally intended for the plan to make necessary reductions in its budget but retracted it after hearing from several concerned citizens.

• January 28, 2003

  Health Department to Spread Smallpox Information

  State health care workers will host a media briefing to address the upcoming smallpox vaccinations that begin Feb. 13. Louisiana's plan calls for vaccinating the state's public health and health care response teams against the disease. Officials will describe what the smallpox virus is, why the nation is undergoing the vaccine process and what possible side effects a person can have after inoculation. Speakers include DHH Secretary David W. Hood, State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry and OPH Director of Immunizations Frank Welch. Media will have the opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session with speakers. However, there will not be room for cameras. The briefing will take place at DHH Headquarters in Baton Rouge and will be broadcast to all regional OPH offices.

• January 28, 2003

  Morehouse Residents Can Receive Mercury Testing

  Morehouse Parish residents concerned they may have eaten contaminated fish can receive a free test to determine the level of mercury in their bloodstream. These tests are in conjunction with the Department of Health and Hospitals' statewide blood-screening program.

• January 27, 2003

  Parents Buckle Up for Child Passenger Safety Week

  How old should children be to ride shotgun? What type of car seat is safest for an infant? Should toddlers and babies face the same way in their protective seats?

• January 22, 2003

  More Pregnant Women Now Eligible for Health Coverage

  In an effort to make proper pre-natal care available to more pregnant women, effective January 1, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals implemented the LaMOMS program. By expanding income eligibility guidelines, LaMOMS will make Medicaid coverage available to between 5,000-6,000 additional Louisiana women annually.

• January 20, 2003

  Mardi Gras Food Vendors Must Have Permit

  All itinerant food vendors participating in Mardi Gras parades and activities must be permitted by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health. In advance of the parades, all vendors, including stands, pushcarts and mobile units, must pass a DHH sanitary inspection, and must prominently display their DHH Mardi Gras Food Vendor Permit.

• January 19, 2003

  Louisiana Family Day Set for Sept. 22

  Baton Rouge --- Eating dinner as a family does more than provide nutrients and give everyone a chance to tell about the day --- studies show it also decreases the risk of teen substance abuse. Teenagers who regularly eat dinner with their families are 31 percent less likely than the average teenager to drink, smoke or use illegal drugs. Adversely, teens who almost never eat dinner with their families are 72 percent more likely than the average teenager to develop substance abuse problems.