LOUISIANA Community Mental Health Services Block Grant ...

health care for children with the Child-Adolescent Response Team (CART) in Orleans, St. Bernard
and Plaquemines parishes.
Other activities leading to reduction of hospitalization that have been discussed previously include
FFT, MST, family support mentoring, respite, flexible fund services, and the Mental Health
Rehabilitation (MHR) program. Through the Intensive Community Respite Program, contract
providers have been educated and assisted to feel more comfortable with children and adolescents
with more serious problems than are usually placed in Community Respite Programs. Over the past
several years, educational and recreational activities have been added to the Intensive Crisis Respite
Community Program so that those enrolled in the program have a more structured schedule.
Regional emphasis on FFT programs, that include intensive home/school/community-based
services, has reduced the number of children going into hospitals. The utilization of familyfocused
services by supporting the court system and other systems with the ISC (Interagency
Service Coordination) process has also been effective, allowing for more wrap-a-round services to
be placed where the child and/or family need it the most.
The Louisiana Integrated Treatment Services (LITS) model for persons with Co-occurring Mental
and Substance Disorders has resulted in increasing access to community services and reducing the
need for hospitalization. The advent of using effective co-occurring capable services is intertwined
with Goal 4; Recommendation 3 of the President’s New Freedom Commission Report that calls for
the linking of mental health and substance abuse treatment. The development of crisis services
throughout the state is another example of programming that has resulted in decreased hospital
utilization. The expanding use of telemedicine has also shown great promise and results.
Interagency Service Coordination (ISC)
Efforts continue to enhance communication and collaboration with providers and other stakeholders
through the Interagency Service Coordination (ISC) process, the utilization of telemedicine services
for treatment team staffings and provision of family and individual therapeutic sessions, and other
continuity of care processes; these initiatives have resulted in an overall improved System of Care
for children and youth and their families. Continued efforts to educate the community and OBH
staff regarding these additional supports and services has resulted in increased utilization of these
alternatives to hospitalization and increased community awareness to the System of Care
philosophy and principles.
Louisiana Integrated Treatment Services (LITS)
The Louisiana Integrated Treatment Services (LITS) model for persons with Co-occurring Mental
and Substance Disorders has advanced the use of the model to include addressing the needs of
children/youth in the Integrated Treatment Team staffing, resulting in increasing access to
community services and reducing the need for hospitalization.
Child and Adolescent Response Team (CART)
The community-based Child and Adolescent Response Team (CART) program and other
community-based supports and services continue to provide a route to assist in the reduction of
inpatient hospitalizations. The CART program provides daily accesses to parents/teachers or other
community persons who identify a child who is experiencing a crisis. This program continues to
provide services that present alternatives to hospitalization and prevent unnecessary
hospitalizations. There is Crisis Care Coordination and face-to-face assessments by a clinician who
is available after hours, weekends and holidays to handle crisis calls. CART also provides crisis
PART C LOUISIANA FY 2011 PAGE 219
SECTION III: CHILD/ YOUTH PLAN – CRITERION 1
COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES -- SYSTEM OF CARE & AVAILABLE SERVICES