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LDH News

• July 15, 2008

  DHH Announces Creation of Medicaid Reform Committee

  Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) Secretary Alan Levine announced today the appointment of a Medicaid Reform Committee that will help guide the agency in creating a reformed, patient-centered Medicaid system in the state of Louisiana. The Health Care Reform Act of 2007 (SB1) calls on DHH to implement a medical home system of care that will incorporate the use of health information technology and quality measures to create a safe, patient centered, quality driven, sustainable health care system for Medicaid recipients and low-income uninsured citizens. The Medicaid Reform Committee will counsel the agency as it moves to implement this patient-centered model of care, called “Louisiana Health First.”

• July 14, 2008

  Beach Water Quality Advisory Continues for Cameron, Cypremort Beaches

  A swim advisory remains in effect for all Cameron Beach Monitoring Program sampling locations. These sites include Constance, Long, Gulf Breeze, Hackberry, Holly Beaches one through six, Little Florida, Martin, and Rutherford Beaches. Additionally, Cypremort Point State Park beach continues to remain under an advisory.

• June 26, 2008

  DHH Awards Tobacco Cessation Grants to Community Partners

  The Department of Health and Hospitals’ Tobacco Control Program recently awarded $330,000 to 10 community programs across the state. These grants will be used to prevent youth tobacco use, promote cessation, eliminate second-hand smoke exposure and reduce tobacco disparities among various populations.

• June 18, 2008

  DHH, LSU, Tulane Announce Results of Strategic Plan Review for LSU Academic Medical Center in New Orleans

  New Orleans - DHH Secretary Alan Levine was joined in New Orleans today by Dr. Fred Cerise, LSU System vice president for health affairs and medical education and Dr. Benjamin Sachs, senior vice president of Tulane University and dean of the School of Medicine to deliver the results of a review of the proposed business plan for an Academic Medical Center in New Orleans. After seeking input from outside stakeholders, leadership from DHH, LSU and Tulane made revisions to several areas of the business plan, resulting in the next step toward a destination academic medical center for New Orleans.

• June 18, 2008

  DHH, LSU, Tulane Announce Results of Strategic Plan Review for LSU Academic Medical Center in New Orleans

  DHH Secretary Alan Levine was joined in New Orleans today by Dr. Fred Cerise, LSU System vice president for health affairs and medical education and Dr. Benjamin Sachs, senior vice president of Tulane University and dean of the School of Medicine to deliver the results of a review of the proposed business plan for an Academic Medical Center in New Orleans. After seeking input from outside stakeholders, leadership from DHH, LSU and Tulane made revisions to several areas of the business plan, resulting in the next step toward a destination academic medical center for New Orleans.

• June 12, 2008

  Water Quality Advisories Continue for Cameron Beaches, Cypremort Point

  Swim advisories issued last week for the beaches of Cameron Parish remain in effect after test samples continue to show unacceptable levels of bacteria in the water. These sites include Constance, Long, Gulf Breeze, Hackberry, Holly Beaches one through six, Little Florida, Martin and Rutherford beaches. Additionally, Cypremort Point State Park Beach in Iberia/St. Mary parishes remains under advisory.

• June 06, 2008

  Water Quality Advisories Continue for Cameron Beaches, Cypremort Point

  Swim advisories issued last week for the beaches of Cameron Parish remain in effect after test samples continue to show unacceptable levels of bacteria in the water. These sites include Constance, Long, Gulf Breeze, Hackberry, Holly Beaches one through six, Little Florida, Martin and Rutherford beaches. Additionally, Cypremort Point State Park Beach in Iberia/St. Mary parishes remains under advisory.

• June 05, 2008

  Governor Bobby Jindal Announces LDH Exceeded Goals by Covering 11,000 More Uninsured Louisiana Children Since January

  At an event with the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana in Monroe today, Governor Bobby Jindal was joined by Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) Secretary Alan Levine to announce that DHH has surpassed its enrollment goals for the year and enrolled an additional 11,000 Louisiana children from lower-income and working families into health insurance programs since January.

• June 02, 2008

  Second Case of West Nile Virus Confirmed for 2008

  The Department of Health and Hospitals has announced the second West Nile virus case of 2008. The case was confirmed in a Jefferson Parish resident.

• May 30, 2008

  Louisiana Observes World No Tobacco Day

  The Department of Health and Hospitals’ Tobacco Control Program is encouraging Louisiana residents to observe World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2008.

• May 30, 2008

  National Panel Releases New Guidelines to Help Smokers Quit

  Federal health officials issued new guidelines this month for how medical professionals should treat tobacco use and dependence. The 2008 Clinical Practice Guideline – Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence recognizes the need to address youth smoking and highlights, for the first time, counseling as an effective treatment for helping youth smokers quit.

• May 29, 2008

  DHH Readies for Hurricane Season with Air Evacuation Drill

  On the eve of hurricane season, an effort spearheaded by the Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) to test a multiple-hospital evacuation plan is underway in New Iberia. DHH is working with local, state and federal partners to test an emergency aviation transport plan to move hospital patients during a crisis event.