LOUISIANA Community Mental Health Services Block Grant ...

provided to clinic clients. The ICFC added Speech Therapy Services through an MOU with
Southern University Speech-Language Pathology Program, beginning June 2008. Because of a
change in funding, MHSD has decided to discontinue its school-based services as of July 2010.
However, MHSD is now working in partnership with OBH to provide clinic-based services to
children and adolescents in the New Orleans area through the development of three clinics, which
are now fully operational and are serving over 1000 youth in the area. OBH and MHSD are also
developing a court-based clinic to provide mental health services to clients of the Youth Study
Center, a juvenile justice detention center in the city. The court-based clinic should be fully
operational in September 2010.
Expanded Healthcare Services for Pregnant Women (EDSPW) and LaMOMS
Certain healthcare services are provided to pregnant women between the ages of 21 and 59, who are
eligible for full Medicaid benefits. The LaMOMS program is an expansion of Medicaid coverage
for pregnant women with an income up to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Through this
program, pregnant women of working families, either married or single, have access to no-cost
dental and healthcare coverage. Medicaid will pay for pregnancy-related services, delivery and care
up to 60 days after the pregnancy ends including doctor visits, lab work/tests, prescription
medicines and hospital care.
LaCHIP
LaCHIP is Louisiana's version of the national Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP),
authorized under Title XXI of the Social Security Act. CHIP enables states to implement their own
health insurance programs with a mix of federal and state funding. LaCHIP stands for "Louisiana
Children's Health Insurance Program." LaCHIP is a health insurance program designed to bring
quality health care including dental care to currently uninsured children and youth up to the age of
19 in Louisiana. Children enrolled in LaCHIP are also Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and
Treatment (EPSDT) eligible; therefore eligible for the dental services covered in the EPSDT Dental
Program. Children can qualify for coverage under LaCHIP using higher income standards.
LaCHIP provides Medicaid coverage for doctor visits for primary care as well as preventive and
emergency care, immunizations, prescription medications, hospitalization, home health care and
many other health services. LaCHIP provides health care coverage for the children of Louisiana's
working families with moderate and low incomes. Children must be under age 19 and not covered
by health insurance. Family income cannot be more than 250 percent of the federal poverty level
(about $4,417 monthly for a family of four). Children enrolled in LaCHIP will maintain their
eligibility for 12 continuous months no matter how much their family's income increases during this
period. This is being done to ensure children receive initial and follow-up care. A renewal of
coverage is done after each 12 month period. The Office of Mental Health is responsible for the
provision of mental health services through LaCHIP.
Following the hurricanes, there was an exodus of healthcare providers from the state. This had
resulted in long waiting periods for patients, who then often experience increased anxiety and
higher levels of emotional and physical pain. Emergency Department waiting times dramatically
increased. As a response to this problem, in some regions, hospitals have begun offering some onsite
medical services at the mental health clinics to patients who do not have transportation; and
nursing staff is often available for general nursing consultation and referrals. The interruption in
services that Louisiana experienced following the 2005 hurricane season has been addressed.
Medical services now surpass pre-Katrina, pre-Rita levels in some areas.
PART C LOUISIANA FY 2011 PAGE 211
SECTION III: CHILD/ YOUTH PLAN – CRITERION 1
COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES -- SYSTEM OF CARE & AVAILABLE SERVICES