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Message from the Executive Director
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 As we enter into the 2014 Holiday Season, we are pleased to bring you recent highlights of NE Delta HSA activity in this newsletter edition. Since our successful integrated health summit in July, we have continued to build upon one of our major initiatives toward integrated primary care and behavioral health care: we have expanded our agreements to now include Richland Parish Hospital Service District and Madison Parish Hospital. Last month, we celebrated the opening of another peer support center in Lake Providence. Peer support is an important facet of our integrated health model because it provides another entry point for people to obtain the care they may need. It also provides supplemental resources and improves sustained, coordinated care for those already seeking mental health or addictive disorder treatment. We are also working diligently to build and implement a coalition for the Louisiana Partnerships for Success program in Union Parish. This work will specifically target underage drinking and prescription pill use among the age 12-25 population. By implementing sustainable intervention methods, our goal is to prevent the onset and reduce progression of this high-risk behavior. Catalyzing these efforts will strengthen the prevention infrastructure at both the community and state levels. In this newsletter edition, I also want to tell you about a few of our initiatives for the coming calendar year. We are working to strengthen coordinated care with meetings among law enforcement leaders, rural hospital administrators and others throughout northeast Louisiana who impact the treatment of people who experience a mental health crisis. Along with additional engagement with law enforcement entities, we will continue to engage faith-based communities in our efforts. The contribution they can make is significant to provide hope that further stabilizes traditional mental health services. Along with reaching out to citizens through faith-based approaches, we want clergy leaders to better understand their own challenges along with the challenges of their congregations. We know that faith can offset hopelessness, and by coordinating all of our resources, we can help our region grow and prosper to its full potential. We will continue to reach out and connect the dots to ensure that all of our citizens understand the resources available to them.
Dr. Monteic A. Sizer
Executive Director |
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Visit our Social Media pages to see news and industry updates!
 
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Northeast Delta HSA Conducts First of Three Summits
to Address Coordinated Care for People in Crisis
Continuation of Medication Agreement Signed with University Health Conway at Summit
NE Delta HSA hosted the first of three working Summits last week in northeastern Louisiana. The Summits focus on improving coordinated care for people in crises situations who suffer from mental health issues and addictive disorders. Dr. Sizer facilitated this week's meeting with more than 25 regional sheriffs, police chiefs and coroners in attendance.
"We are engaging with law enforcement leadership and hospital systems to address the need for increased psychiatric inpatient care and the protocol for people in crisis who come in contact with police," said Dr. Sizer. "We have a phased engagement approach with plans to conduct additional meetings with judicial system and rural hospital system representatives. We are working together to find innovative ways to use existing resources and further improve coordination of care, which in turn will improve services for some of our highest-need citizens."
Also at the Summit, NE Delta HSA and University Health Conway (UHC) signed an agreement to provide continuation of medication for clients who are transferring from UHC inpatient care to NE Delta HSA intensive outpatient services. This agreement fills a gap in service when patients are discharged back into the community.
Read more about the Summit here.
Click here to read "Leaders in northeast Louisiana intensify care coordination effort" in the December 8, 2014 edition of Mental Health Weekly.
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New East Carroll Parish Hope Peer Support Center Opens
Northeast Delta Human Services Authority (Northeast Delta HSA), The Extra Mile and the Lake Providence Chamber of Commerce held a grand opening event in November to celebrate the opening of the East Carroll Hope Peer Support Center in Lake Providence.
"This was an empty building, but now it will help build hope in Lake Providence and contribute to our community from an economic development perspective, too. We are happy to have this Peer Support Center as our new neighbor."
- Robert Amacker, Mayor of the Town of Lake Providence
Click here to read more about the new peer support center in Lake Providence
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Dr. Ted Topolowski and Dr. Sizer sign an MOA at the Madison Parish Town Hall meeting |
Integrated Health MOA Signed at Madison Parish Town Hall Meeting
Northeast Delta HSA conducted a Town Hall Meeting in Tallulah in November to open a dialogue about mental health, addictive disorder and developmental disability needs in the Parish.
At the Town Hall, Northeast Delta HSA and Madison Parish Hospital signed an agreement to provide integrated behavioral health and primary care to the citizens of Madison Parish.
Click here to read more about the Madison Parish Town Hall meeting |
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HSA Board Members
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Gene Tarver
Anna Toston Edwards
Morehouse Parish
Chuck Halley
Lorraine Reed
Lincoln Parish
Joyce Brazzel
Michael Shipp
Caldwell Parish
James Mobley
East Carroll Parish
Lekeisha Powell
West Carroll Parish
Melba Sandifer
Madison Parish
Charlie Trimble
Tensas Parish
Leslie Durham
Franklin Parish
Terri Spence
Union Parish
Alisa Lear
Jackson Parish
Windy Calahan
Richland Parish
Kathy Waxman |
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Wishing you a Happy Holiday
season
and a
joyful New Year.
Best
wishes
NE Delta
HSA. |
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NE Delta HSA Conducts Town Hall Meeting in Tensas Parish |
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Guests gather at the Tensas Parish Town Hall meeting
in St. Joseph |
Northeast Delta Human Services Authority (Northeast Delta HSA) held a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, September 30 at the Tensas Parish Community Center in St. Joseph, Louisiana to open a dialogue about mental health, addictive disorder and developmental disabilities needs and services in the Parish.
Tensas Parish Sheriff Ricky A. Jones, Tensas Fire Chief & Deputy Coroner Ricky Jones, Tensas Community Health Center CEO Jackie Shauf and Precision Care Director Gwendolyn Bynum served as meeting panelists and discussed current behavioral health issues and possible solutions with advocacy groups and citizens.
Click here to read more about the Tensas Parish Town Hall meeting |
Northeast Delta Human Services Authority and Partners Build Coalition in Union Parish
Louisiana Partnerships for Success Program Targets Underage Drinking and Prescription Pill Use
NE Delta HSA will further catalyze services in northeast Louisiana through the Louisiana Partnerships for Success project. NE Delta HSA is partnering with The Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana and Louisiana Tech University's North Central Alliance Partners for Prevention.
"Our unified goal is not only to reduce underage drinking and prescription pill use among the age 12-25 population, but to also indirectly reduce depression and suicide rates in Union Parish," said Dr. Sizer. "By implementing sustainable intervention methods, our goal is to prevent the onset and reduce progression of this high-risk behavior. Catalyzing these efforts will strengthen and sustain the prevention infrastructure at both the community and state levels."
Louisiana Partnerships for Success, funded nationally by the Substance Abuse Mental health Services Administration (SAMSHA) and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) identified 10 high-need parishes to address prevention priorities in Louisiana. NE Delta HSA will manage and administer the program in northeast Louisiana. |
NE Delta HSA and University Health Conway Address Needs of People in Mental Health Crises
NE Delta HSA is conducting additional work with University Health Conway to further impact the treatment of people who experience a mental health crisis.
"Because there are not enough psychiatric inpatient beds to treat all of the people who need help in our region, people with mental health issues are sometimes held in jail, sometimes commit crimes and drive up emergency room traffic and cost," said Dr. Sizer. "Additionally, rural hospitals are sometimes not equipped to manage behavioral health patients. They incur significant financial costs because of this problem."
University Health Conway Hospital Administrator Larry Donner said "University Health Conway is committed to meeting the needs of this patient population. We are making process improvements in our hospital and have University Health System's support to work with NE Delta HSA and all of our law enforcement agencies."
Together, NE Delta HSA and University Health Conway will be calling on members of law enforcement, coroners' offices and regional health care executives to put this work into action. |
NE Delta HSA Wins National Communication Industry Awards
Northeast Delta Human Services Authority (NE Delta HSA) has been recognized for its communications materials by two national organizations.
The NE Delta HSA Communications Team won three 2014 MarCom Gold Awards for its website, its communications materials and its communications & public relations program. MarCom Awards recognizes outstanding creative achievement by marketing and communication professionals. MarCom Awards is an international competition for individuals or companies involved in the concept, writing and design of print, visual, audio and web materials and programs. The competition has grown to perhaps the largest of its kind in the world, and the organizations awarded range in size from individual communicators to media conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies.
NE Delta HSA Communications also won a 2014 Aesculapius Award of Excellence last month for its website. The Aesculapius Award is designed to promote and encourage excellence in communication about healthy lifestyles, disease prevention, and health care treatments. Entries were evaluated by a panel of judges representing the health care, web publishing, and multimedia fields. The annual award is named for the ancient Greek god of healing, Aesculapius. This award was established by the Health Improvement Institute to promote informed consumer lifestyle choices and health care decisions.
"We had a deliberate vision in how we wanted to connect with people throughout our region," said Dr. Sizer. "Our communications materials are specifically designed to tell people that their needs are important to us, and how we understand and support citizens who wish to help themselves reach new heights. Our communications materials and the visual imagery we use were created with much thoughtfulness and purpose to reach and transform our region. We are extremely proud of our Communications team and their dedication, and we appreciate being recognized, not only for the look of our materials, but also for their purpose and effectiveness in connecting with our clients." |
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Integrated Health Summit Brought Together Local, Regional and National Experts
NE Delta HSA hosted the Statewide Primary Care and Behavioral Health Integration Summit V in July. The Summit provided an opportunity for behavioral and primary healthcare professionals to learn more about the advancement and implementation of integrated healthcare.
Current integrated healthcare trends and initiatives were discussed from a local, statewide and national perspective. The Summit was conducted in collaboration with the Office of Behavioral Health, SAMHSA, HRSA and the National Council on Behavioral Healthcare.
NE Delta HSA also signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Richland Parish Hospital District and its Delhi Community Health Center in July. Click here to read more about it. |
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Take a look at our Social Media pages!
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NE Delta HSA staff wore pink for breast cancer awareness and celebrated HSA's 1000th like on Facebook the same week! |
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NE Delta HSA staff participated in a test of knowledge survey and were rewarded with a new HSA tote bag this Fall! |
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NE Delta HSA Developmental Disabilities conducted quarterly meetings in October (above) and July (below) |
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ARCO's Roma Kidd and Dr. Sizer visit and discuss developmental disability needs in northeastern Louisiana |
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NE Delta HSA and The Children's Coaltion tour Monroe Housing Authority properties and explore opportunities for further catalyzing services. |
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NE Delta HSA Honored with Three Proclamations for Mental Health and
Economic Development Work |
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Dr. Sizer and West Monroe Mayor Norris |
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Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo and Dr. Sizer |
Dr. Sizer and East Carroll Parish Police Jury President Joseph Jackson |
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NE Delta HSA with People First at their annual Octoberfeast at Kiroli Park. People First supports people with developmental disabilities and helps them find empowerment |
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Training ensures quality services for our citizens |
 | | Collaborative training with G.B. Cooley |
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Person-Centered Treatment Training with NE Delta HSA's Billy Ledford and Stephanie Marshall |
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Addictive Disorder Training by NE Delta HSA's Eric Brown |
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An educational demonstration at a Monroe school about drug and alcohol prevention draws a good crowd, led by NE Delta HSA's Prevention Coordinator Jean Hartzog, NE Delta HSA Women and Children's Clinic Manager Loria Pierce and Adolescent Substance Abuse Counselor Pamela Williams |
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NE Delta HSA's Candace McVay as Cruella de Vil on Halloween! |
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"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?"
- Hillel, Inspired by Madeline Brown |
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2513 Ferrand Street | Monroe, LA 71201
Office: 318-362-3270 | Fax: 318-362-3268
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Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.
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