LOUISIANA Community Mental Health Services Block Grant ...

Some progress toward a better understanding of agencies‟ resources, current policies and procedures,
systemic concerns, and potential problems has occurred between the juvenile courts and DHH
agencies. Through the Interagency Service Coordination (ISC) and Families in Need of Services
(FINS), the DHH agencies, Office of Family Services, Office of Youth Development, Department of
Education, and juvenile courts are beginning to plan more effectively for placement and development
of community resources to keep children out of institutions.
Criterion 4: Targeted Services to Rural and Homeless and Older Adult Populations
Louisiana is a largely rural State, with 88% (56) of the State‟s total (64) parishes being classified as
rural according to the US Bureau of Census definitions. Estimates by the US Census Bureau indicate
that there are 1,135,163 persons living in rural areas out of the 4,492,076 citizens in Louisiana. This
amounts to greater than 25% of the total population who live within these 56 rural parishes.
Consumer surveys consistently rate transportation as a major impediment to the receipt of mental
health services. Attempts to ameliorate this problem include the provision of transportation through
contracts with transportation providers and the establishment of satellite clinics in underserved and
rural areas. Satellites often operate with non-traditional hours in order to provide greater access to
services.
The lack of transportation resources not only limits access to mental health services, but also limits
access to employment and educational opportunities. The resulting increased social isolation of
many OBH consumers with SMI 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 have seen increases in both.
In an attempt to alleviate access problems, OBH has available teleconferencing systems at 66 sites,
including Mental Health clinics, ECSS sites, Mental Health Hospitals, LA Spirit, and OBH Central
Office. Some sites have multiple cameras. Some of these cameras are dedicated to Telemedicine
(doctor/client session) while the others are used for Teleconferencing (meetings, education, etc). The
other sites use their cameras for both Telemedicine and Teleconferencing.
There is a need for rental subsidies, and for community-based support services to assist people with
mental illness in attaining and retaining their housing. At a minimum, an increase in available
outreach programs that include assessments, stabilization and preliminary treatment services,
transportation, and advocacy is needed. Easy availability to resource centers for use as address and
telephone communication sites are also needed. Funding through the Projects to Assist in Transition
from Homelessness (PATH) program of CMHS is targeted specifically towards those homeless
persons with severe mental illness and/or severe mental illness with a co-occurring disorder.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) annual Needs Assessment/ Shelter Survey is an
unduplicated statewide count of the numbers of homeless individuals served by the homeless shelters
in the state for the year. The State DSS is responsible for the state‟s Emergency Shelter Grant funds.
As part of the Department‟s grantee responsibilities, DSS compiles an annual report on the
unduplicated numbers served in shelters across the state. The survey is a twelve month unduplicated
count of persons using the state‟s shelter system. It also includes a point-in-time count that examines
the subpopulations represented in the shelter count and the reasons for homelessness. For this report,
the 2008 Shelter Survey data was used. There are 153 shelters in the DSS database. In 2008, the
number of shelters that reported was 119 or 78% of the total. The data revealed that the yearly total
PART C LOUISIANA FY 2011 PAGE 83
SECTION II: ADULT & CHILD/ YOUTH
IDENTIFICATION & ANALYSIS OF SERVICE SYSTEM’S STRENGTHS, NEEDS, & PRIORITIES
UNMET SERVICE NEEDS & PLANS TO ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS