Family Resource Guide

A Statewide Guide to Services for Families of Children with Special Needs

The Louisiana Birth Defects Monitoring Network (LBDMN) was established in 2001 by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health. LBDMN was formed to track birth defects and related conditions in Louisiana children. The objectives of the program are:

• to identify birth defects in children under age 3
• to provide information to families of children with birth defects about available social, educational, and medical services
• to support birth defects education and prevention efforts.

Birth defects are more common than many people realize. In the US, about 1 in every 33 babies is born with a birth defect each year. Due to the complexity and chronic nature of their conditions, these children may have special health care needs beyond those of other children.

This Resource Guide has been developed to give families a source of information about programs and services for children with special health care needs. It contains basic descriptions of services provided,
information on eligibility criteria, contact information, and web addresses.  It is intended to serve as a starting place for research of both local and national resources that will empower families with tools necessary for daily life.

• Medicaid Waiver Services
• What you Should Expect From your Pediatrician
• Children's Special Health Services (CSHS)
• Early Steps and System Point of Entry (SPOE)
• Hospitals Offering Pediatric Services
• Genetics Clinics
• Family Empowerment
• The Advocacy Center
• Families Helping Families

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