LOUISIANA Community Mental Health Services Block Grant ...

Criterion 3 - Child/ Youth (Criterion 3 not applicable to Adults)
Meeting the mental health care needs of children and youth in Louisiana continues to be a high
priority, as they represent the future of our state. As a result, there are many programs developing
across the state that target the needs of this population.
Louisiana Spirit was the project name of Louisiana‟s hurricane crisis counseling recovery program
that began after the 2005 hurricanes and operated under the Gustav Crisis Counseling Program (CCP)
grant from October 2008 through January 12, 2010. Louisiana Spirit outreach crisis counseling
services for children and youth included disseminating information and educating the public on signs
of distress and how to handle these. It also included a short term series of face to face meetings with
children, youth and their families focused on assisting the family to cope with their trauma and return
to their previous levels of coping. Crisis counselors provided education and information to parents
and caregivers about signs of distress to be aware of in children as well as how to handle them, and
how to make referrals to appropriate mental health resources. On a present-focused, short-term basis,
children, youth, parents and caregivers were supported and empowered as they recovered from the
impact of the hurricanes.
Louisiana Spirit sought to “communicate, coordinate, collaborate, and cooperate” with other agencies
providing mental and behavioral health services to children and youth. Louisiana Spirit reached out
to entities providing services to children and youth to offer crisis counseling services. When more
intense mental health treatment was appropriate, referrals were made. The Office of Mental Health
provided administrative oversight and guidance for this program, with direct services being
administered at the regional level through Service Areas that are administered through the State
instead of providers.
Beginning May 21, 2010, the State of Louisiana began providing crisis counseling services for
residents impacted by the oil spill that occurred off the coast on April 20, 2010. The current program
utilizes funds from British Petroleum to provide crisis counseling in the areas of mental health,
substance abuse and emotional and behavioral health counseling for those whose lives were
disrupted. The Recovery program has worked closely with local resources and other response entities.
To date, the program has provided few services to children and youth impacted by the spill. It is
anticipated that more services will be provided to children and youth as the oil spill continues to
impact residents in the months to come.
Mental health services are also offered throughout the public school system, through School based
health clinics (SBHC), which include programs such as the Early Childhood Supports and Services
program (ECSS) and Louisiana Youth Enhancement Services (LaYES). School Based Health Clinics
are funded by the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant and state legislative appropriations.
For the fiscal year 2009-10 Louisiana received a decrease in the MCH Block Grant from $480,000 to
$300,000 but increased operation to 65 SBHCs. An SBHC is required to offer comprehensive
preventive and primary health services that address the physical, emotional and educational needs of
its student population. Each SBHC must execute cooperative agreements with community health
care providers to link students to support and specialty services not provided at the school site.
SBHC services provide convenient access to comprehensive, primary and preventive physical and
mental health services for public school students at the school site, since students spend a significant
PART C LOUISIANA FY 2011 PAGE 80
SECTION II: ADULT & CHILD/ YOUTH
IDENTIFICATION & ANALYSIS OF SERVICE SYSTEM’S STRENGTHS, NEEDS, & PRIORITIES
UNMET SERVICE NEEDS & PLANS TO ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS