About Louisiana Spirit

Louisiana Spirit

The state’s Louisiana Spirit Crisis Counseling Program (CCP) is recognized for its delivery of crisis counseling and stress management services that have supported Louisiana citizens since Hurricane Katrina (2005). The program’s model offers a non-clinical approach utilizing program staff who conduct outreach services that target populations most vulnerable to the effects of disaster (weather and pandemic) related incidences. Louisiana Spirit assists individuals in understanding their disaster related situation and reactions, mitigate stress, review their disaster recovery options, and provides general information on resources and other supports. The program encourages linkage with other agencies to assist individuals in their recovery process. Louisiana Spirit employs a diverse workforce of social service, first responders, clinicians and staff who are knowledgeable about the local communities served.

To address the continuing need for disaster behavioral health services in Louisiana, it is important to provide a range of support services including counseling, support groups, and educational activities on positive coping strategies. Community-based interventions can help to build resilience and promote social support, which is critical in reducing the impact of disasters on mental health. It is also important to ensure that disaster behavioral health services are accessible and culturally appropriate for all individuals and communities, including marginalized or underserved populations.

The programs have typically been operated during a presidentially declared disaster under the oversight of the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Behavioral Health (LDH/OBH) and funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and administrated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The current Post COVID-19 CCP is operated by LDH/OBH in collaboration with the Office of Public Health, Bureau of Community Preparedness through funding from the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) Public Health Workforce Infrastructure grant.

Our Mission and Purpose

Our mission is to assist individuals and communities in recovering from the effects of COVID-19 through the provision of free community-based outreach and psycho-educational services.

Through short-term interventions crisis counselors provide:
- Crisis counseling
- Public education about mental health challenges and positive coping strategies
- Stress management services to assist children, families, elders, first responders, small businesses, rural populations, and other special populations

Services Provided

Individual and group crisis counseling
Basic supportive or educational contact
Community networking
Assessments, referrals, and resources
Development and distribution of educational materials
Media and public service announcements

Louisiana Spirit CCP Benefits

Louisiana Spirit supports short-term interventions with the following goals:

Helping understand the current situations and reactions.
Reducing stress and providing emotional support.
Promoting self-reliance by teaching tools of goal setting, resilience building and positive coping skills

Psycho-Educational Presentations Offered