Thursday, March 13, 2025
3/13/2025
The Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) will implement the COVID-19 Emergency Response for Suicide Prevention (COVID-19 ERSP) Project in southeast Louisiana. This area of the state has been chosen due to the high COVID-19 rates of infection and deaths, and rates of domestic violence incidents. Socially and financially disadvantaged families are more vulnerable to stresses and traumas, and the risk for mental health problems and domestic violence increases after families face extreme adversity, such as those related to COVID-19 disruptions and trauma. The overarching goal of this project is to decrease rates of suicides and suicide attempts in adults ages 25 and older, with attention directed to those affected by COVID-19 discharged from hospitals and psychiatric settings. To achieve this goal, OBH will partner with the Mental Health Association for Greater Baton Rouge (MHA) and other statewide and regional agencies to implement comprehensive suicide follow-up, screening, assessment, prevention, treatment, postvention, and recovery support services. MHA will employ a Case Management intervention model utilizing Peer Support Specialists as the case managers. MHA will coordinate the services of an array of partners to include the National Suicidology Training Center and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to provide evidence-based suicide prevention training for first-responders, providers and the general public offered on a state-wide basis. Given the enhanced threat of domestic violence during recent stay-at-home and quarantine orders, Southeastern Louisiana University, Discovery/Renew Family Resource Projects will establish an advocative role for domestic violence victims and establish a relationship with shelters and other domestic violence coalitions and resources to address trauma in the 14 parish geographic area of focus. Support groups and empowerment counseling will be provided by the Discovery/Renew Project, as well as case management and access to resources. MHA and its partners will ensure referral to appropriate crisis and treatment services offered by the network of clinical professionals at Local Governing Entities (LGEs) in the identified regionals. This multilayered effort has the ultimate goal of preventing a spike in suicides in the state of Louisiana as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and the resulting economic impact.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).