LOUISIANA Community Mental Health Services Block Grant ...

CRITERION 4
TARGETED SERVICES TO RURAL, HOMELESS, AND OLDER ADULT POPULATIONS –
RURAL ACCESS TO SERVICES
LOUISIANA FY 2011 - ADULT PLAN
A Rural Area has been defined by OMH using the 1990 U.S. Bureau of the Census definition: A
rural area is one in which there is no city in the parish (county) with a population exceeding
50,000. Louisiana is a largely rural state, with 88% (56) of its 64 parishes considered rural by
this definition. Estimates from the most recent Census Bureau statistics (7/1/2009) indicate that
there are 1,135,163 rural residents and 3,356,913 urban residents in Louisiana. There is an OMH
mental health clinic or satellite clinic in 45 of these 56 rural parishes. There is a Mental Health
Rehabilitation provider located in most of the rural parishes.
Although OBH has placed many effective programs in rural areas, barriers, especially
transportation, continue to restrict the access of consumers to these rural mental health programs.
Transportation in the rural areas of the state has long been problematic, not only for OBH
consumers, but for the general public living in many of these areas. The lack of transportation
resources not only limits access to mental health services, but to employment and educational
opportunities. The resulting increased social isolation of many OBH clients with serious mental
illness who live in these areas is a primary problem and focus of attention for OBH. Efforts to
expand the number of both mental health programs and recruiting of transportation providers in
rural areas are an ongoing goal.
RURAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS FOR SMI / EBD 2009-2010
Region/ Type of Programs # of Rural
LGE
Programs
MHSD Medicaid Transportation, City/Parish Transportation, Local Providers, Other 4
CAHSD Medicaid Transportation, City/Parish Transportation; Local Providers 29
III Medicaid Transportation, City/Parish Transportation, Local Providers, Other 9
IV Medicaid Transportation, City/Parish Transportation, Local Providers 9
V Medicaid Transportation; City/Parish Transportation; Local Providers, Other 15
VI Medicaid Transportation, City/Parish Transportation,, Local Providers, Others 13
VII Medicaid Transportation, City/Parish Transportation, Local Providers, Other 23
VIII Medicaid Transportation, City/Parish Transportation, Local Providers 6
FPHSA Medicaid Transportation, City/Parish Transportation, Local Providers, Other 28
JPHSA Medicaid Transportation 6
TOTAL
PART C LOUISIANA FY 2011 PAGE 148
SECTION III: ADULT PLAN – CRITERION 4
TARGETED SERVICES TO RURAL, HOMELESS, AND OLDER ADULT POPULATIONS – RURAL ACCESS TO SERVICES
142