Student Behavior, Mental Health, and Discipline Task Force (HR 173) Focuses on Lessons from National Perspective
(Baton Rouge, LA) – The Louisiana Student Behavior, Mental Health, and Discipline Task Force held its second meeting on Thursday, August 11th. Olivia Randi from the Center for Health Care Strategies helped to give a national perspective to the issues. Through her presentation, Ms. Randi explained policy actions taken by other states to address the growing mental health crisis among the nation's youth in addition to funding opportunities to ensure the sustainability and stability of these programs.
As the convenor, LCHE is asking members of the Task Force and interested stakeholders to submit any relevant information and comments that will help support their work regarding the focus of the Task Force. If you would like to be added to the stakeholder list for updates about the Louisiana Student Behavior, Mental Health, and Discipline Task Force, please email us at info@lahealthequity.org.
The next Task Force meeting will be held on Thursday, September 8th at 9:30 AM at the State Capitol.
Governor Signs Bill to Establish Office on Women’s Health
(Baton Rouge, LA) – On Thursday, August 4th, Governor John Bel Edwards signed SB 116 into law, now ACT 676, to establish the Louisiana Office on Women’s Health.
Advocates for women’s health gathered at the Capitol to attend the bill signing ceremony. The creation of the Office on Women’s Health was long awaited as the campaign to establish the much-needed office began approximately two years ago. The Office on Women’s Health will operate under the Louisiana Department of Health. The creation of this office is one step toward ensuring Louisiana women and inevitably the state of Louisiana have better health outcomes.
The Louisiana Center for Health Equity (LCHE) President, Mrs. Alma C. Stewart Allen, the convener of the campaign to establish the Louisiana Office on Women’s Health, was among those attending the bill signing ceremony. While acknowledging establishing the office as progress, LCHE has expressed concerns about the current law. Read LCHE’s statement here:
LCHE President Makes Visit to Capitol Hill
(Baton Rouge, LA) – Last month, Louisiana Center for Health Equity (LCHE) President, Mrs. Alma C. Stewart Allen, attended the House Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth Hearing titled “Building a Modern Economic Foundation: Economic Security and Income Support for 21st Century America” in Washington DC. The purpose of this Select Committee is to develop solutions to the key economic issues of our time, mainly the gap between wealthy Americans and everyone else. During this hearing the Committee examined economic support programs, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Unemployment Insurance, available to Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mrs. Allen shared LCHE’s “Poverty and It’s Resulting Health Disparities” paper with committee staff for the record. Read the full paper here:
While visiting on Capitol Hill, Mrs. Allen also had the pleasure of meeting with Congressmen Garrett Graves and his staff, Congressmen Troy Carter’s staff, and the staff of Senator Bill Cassidy to share information about our LA40by2030 initiative and the “Poverty and It’s Resulting Health Disparities” paper.
View the LA40by2030 information in the 2021 Health Summit Executive Summary Report here. Read the full Poverty paper here.
In these meetings, Mrs. Allen discussed the work LCHE is doing for the people of Louisiana. Among the topics discussed was the youth mental health crisis and Louisiana’s Student Behavior, Mental Health, and Discipline Task Force. Mrs. Allen also discussed the newly created Louisiana Office on Women’s Health.
Youth Peace Olympics Concludes 9th Year with Closing Ceremony Congratulations 2022 Youth Peace Olympians
(Baton Rouge, LA) – The Louisiana Center for Health Equity, Together We Are More Adolescent Health Collaborative, and their partners hosted the 9th Annual Youth Peace Olympics (YPO) Closing Ceremony. The YPO ceremony was held on Saturday, August 27th at the Louisiana State Police Training Academy in Baton Rouge. This year community members joined together to celebrate YPO’s class of 2022. The Olympians dedicated every 3rd Saturday of the month to developing positive life skills, lessons on violence prevention and more for the chance of going home with a Peace Olympian medal. This year's celebration featured various special guests including, gospel rap artist “Qween”, saxophonist Gerard Lewis, local personality Donovan “Action” Jackson as the Guest Speaker, and Democratic Advocate and former Peace Olympian (Class of 2014) Frederick D. Bell as the Emcee. Congratulations to the 2022 Youth Peace Olympics and special congratulations to the Peace Olympian Medal Award winners.
Gold Medal - Albert “AJ” Simmons Jr Silver Medal - Naomi DeBerry Bronze - Vey’Traun Mayfield
The Louisiana Center for Health Equity is dedicated to advancing health equity to improve the overall health and well-being of all Louisianans. LCHE works to eliminate health and healthcare disparities attributed to structural, institutional, or social disadvantages. Established in January 2010, LCHE is a statewide nonpartisan nonprofit organization with IRS status as a 501 (C) (3) tax exempt public charity.
