Category Archives: Newspaper Archive

SB 649 Would Create La State Health Care Profession Institute

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 4.

Senate Bill 649 by Senator Mills was introduced on April 1 and referred to the Committee on Senate and Government Affairs. The proposed law creates of the Louisiana State Health Care Profession Institute, a 27-member council to exist within the Louisiana State Health Care Profession Institute.

The Institute would be formed is to carry on research regarding health care professions. Duties would include: To consider needed improvements with the professions providing health care services and to make recommendations concerning the same to the legislature; To examine and study the scope of practices of health care professionals and of recommending needed reforms; To receive and consider suggestions from the legislature and the public generally as to issues regarding health care professions and the services such professions provide; To recommend from time to time such changes in the law as it deems necessary to modify or eliminate antiquated and inequitable scope of health care profession issues, and to bring the laws and regulations of the state, into harmony with modern conditions.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

University of Louisiana To Hold Academic Summit April 11 and 12 at Lafayette

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 15.

The University of Louisiana System will hold its third annual Academic Summit on Friday, April 11 and 12 on the campus of University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The Summit is a two- day conference showcasing academic excellence across the System's nine universities by combining service-learning, art, and undergraduate research.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

HB 758 Points To a New Task Force for Bullying

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 4.

A bill that would create the La. Bullying Awareness and Treatment Task Force within the Dept. of Health and Hospitals was introduced Representative Norton. If approved the proposed law will be known and may be cited as the "La. Bullying Awareness and Treatment Act". Several positions would be filled by the mental health community members, from counseling and social work.

The purpose of proposed law is to develop a comprehensive, coordinated plan to address the mental health needs of youths who are victims of bullying as well as youths who are involved in bullying, and to provide needed guidance to carry out the goals the task force shall recommend.

The proposal creates a task force with these members or their designees: secretary of Department of Health and Hospitals, secretary of Department of Children and Family Services.

Also on the task force would be the executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers, president of the La. Counseling Association, president of the La. Association for Behavioral Health, president of the La. School Counselor Association, an education professional, parents, and members appointed by the legislature.

The proposal requires the task force to make a thorough study of the feasibility and practicality of providing counseling and other treatment services to youths who are victims of bullying as well as youths who are involved in bullying. The proposed law would authorizes the task force to render objective, fiscally feasible recom- mendations to the legislature for the implementation of policies that could be adopted by the state.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Counseling Center, Southern U. Co-Hosts Training with Center for Deployment Psychology, May 27

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 15.

The University Counseling Center at Southern University-Baton Rouge, and the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) from Bethesda, MD, will co-sponsor a free, one-day training workshop for clinicians working with service members and veterans on college campuses. The training will be held May 27, 2014.

According to their website, the CDP helps prepare health care professionals to better meet the deployment-related emotional and psychological needs of military personnel and their families. “More than two million service members have deployed during the conflicts overseas, including many who have deployed multiple times. With these increased deployments, service members and their families undergo increased stress and psychological health challenges.”

To meet its mission, CDP trains health care professionals through presentations, online learning, consultations and education.

For more information about the upcoming training, contact Dr. ValaRay Irving, Director of the University Counseling Center at Southern University–Baton Rouge.

A reconnaissance Marine with landing team of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. (Photo by Cpl. Gene Allen Ainsworth, III)


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Community Members Attend First Ever Legislative Forum

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 1, 6.

For the first time ever members of the mental health professions met to discuss their various positions on legislation that is being proposed for the 2014 Louisiana legislative session.

The Legislative Forum was co-sponsored by the Louisiana Counseling Association and the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and held in Baton Rouge on March 21, at the Tatman Group Offices.

Representatives from the Louisiana Association of Clinical Social Workers, Louisiana Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners, Louisiana Psychological Association, National Association of Social Workers, Louisiana Chapter, and Louisiana Counseling Association, attended the Forum. This, according to the press release from Carmen Weisner, LCSW and Executive Director of the Social Workers Chapter, and Cindy Nardini, LPC and Government Relations Chair for the Louisiana Counseling Association.

Forum participants reviewed 18 pieces of legislation for the 2014 session. The group shared Information on the history of the legislation, and discussed potential legal and regulatory issues, according to the news release.

Dr. John Fanning attended the Forum for the Louisiana Psychological Association. “The Behavioral Health Summit forum was excellent, in my opinion,” he said. “There was discussion of a wide range of bills, including several with which I'd been unfamiliar. While the goals and interests of the various groups varied, of course, there was a somewhat surprising degree of concurrence on many of the bills. The two bills which were most-discussed were those involving mandated suicide prevention training and criminalization of sex with patients.”

The behavioral health community has had a reputation of poor conflict resolution efforts with the state legislature.

In 2011, after the 2010 “Behavioral Health Professional Working Group,” failed to meet her goals, Senator Willie Mount, at that time Chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee threatened to consolidate boards in the community because of “constant bickering.” She wrote to the community in an open letter, “With the history of senseless conflict and fighting and the failure of the professions to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the working group, I am left with no other options other than to introduce legislation to consolidate these boards.”

In a talk to the Louisiana Psychological Association last year, Senator J.P. Morrell said that working with the different groups in the mental health area should be like working in a team, but instead, “It is like warring fiefdoms.”

One of the organizers of the Forum, Cindy Nardini, told the Times, "We [LCA] had a vision of getting the associations together to discuss and collaborate on the bills of interest to our members and clients and when possible speak with one voice to the legislators.”

“In past years our associations have been known for having conflict and being unable to work together,” she said. “Of all professional groups we, as behavioral/mental health groups, should be able to do better. We help our clients with communication and conflict resolution, but weren't using those same skills with the other associations. Shame on us,” she said, and noted that LCA was thrilled to have been part of the first annual Behavioral Health Legislative Forum.

Attendees at the first annual Legislative Forum. Left back to right front: Carmen Weisner of the National Assn of Social Workers, La Chapter, Lisa Bayhi, Louisiana Assn of Nurse Practitioners, Dr. John Fanning, Louisiana Psychological Assn, and Matt Morris, La Assn of Marriage and Family Therapy. Photo by Tatman Group

The first Legislative Forum was co-sponsored by the Louisiana Counseling Association (LCA) and the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Clinical Social Workers (LACSW) and held in Baton Rouge on March 21. The goals of the organizers were to allow community members to work collaboratively on issues before going in front of the state legislature. Attending are (from upper left around clockwise) Kristen Eckhardt, LCA, Keli Williams, LCA Lobbyist, Cindy Nardini, LCA, Gary Gintner, LCA, Deb Fernandez, LACSW, Maxine Cormier, LACSW Lobbyist, Tom Caffery, LAMFT (Louisiana Assn of Marriage and Family Therapists), Howie Brownell, LAMFT, and Eric Sunstrum, LAMFT Lobbyist. Photo courtesy of Tatman Group


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

April is…

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 15.

Alcohol Awareness Month

Cancer Control Month

Child Abuse Prevention Month

Couple Appreciation Month

Jazz Appreciation Month

National Autism Awareness Month

National Humor Month

National Occupation Therapy Month

National Pecan Month

Stress Awareness Month


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

LSU’s Dr. Papesh: Checking Photo IDs is Risky Business

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 1, 10.

Airport Security? Error Rates 40 Percent Under Some Conditions

Louisiana State University Assistant Professor of Psychology, Dr. Megan Papesh, has authored new research demonstrating that people can’t match photo IDs nearly as well as expected, bringing into question issues of security programs that use photo ID matching to catch false passports and other high- risk situations.

In her recent article, “Infrequent identity mismatches are frequently undetected,” Papesh and co-author, Dr. Stephen Goldinger, Arizona State University, found that error rates for catching a face to photo ID mismatch could go as high as 40 percent under certain conditions.

The article, published in Attention, Perception and Psychophysics, examined the ability of people to match face photos to IDs under conditions where the observer encounters a fake ID only rarely, or when the observer encounters a high number of fake IDs.

When observers encountered a high number of faked IDs, the error rates were about 20 percent. However, during trials where the frequency of faked IDs was less regular and frequent, the error rates jumped to over 40 percent misses.

So in the easier task, the person missed two out of 10 faked ID, but when the context becomes complicated, he or she can miss as many as four out of 10. How serious? If ten people with faked passports try and come through the airport security gate, four might just keep right on going.

Also, these error rates remained high even when the researchers attempted to have observers slow down and work to catch their mistakes. This suggested to the scientists that face matching is difficult under the best of conditions and errors rates can rocket up when the conditions become more difficult, as in most real world situations.

In the study, volunteers observed current photographs of consenting adults and tried to determine if there was a match or not, with a ID photo which could be up to seven years earlier of the same individual.

The results have important applications and the news media picked the story up quickly. LSUverse.tumblr.com, All Voices, News.nom.co, Science News for Writers, and Science Daily were just some of the media outlets carrying the announcement.

Dr. Papesh is the director of the Eye Movements, Memory, and Attention Laboratory at LSU. Her research on face matching has been covered by the Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal, and on National Public Radio.

Dr. Papesh published an essay on “MIND Guest Blog” for Scientific American describing her work and its potential relevance.

“Imagine that you are a bouncer, checking IDs outside a popular bar in a college town,” she wrote. “It is somewhat dark outside the door, there are many distractions: loud music is playing and your job requires you to also keep an eye on the crowd for trouble. And because the patrons are dressed for a night out, many of them look somewhat different than their ID photos. Despite all these challenges, intuition probably tells you that matching faces to ID photos is easy and accurate.”

That intuition is wrong, she tells readers, and goes on to describe situations at airport security stations.

The Times asked Dr. Papesh what she views as some of the most useful applications of this research. “The most useful piece of information to come from our specific study is that performance is drastically affected by contextual statistics (i.e., the frequency with which observers encounter fake IDs). For example, people can typically assume that a small minority of individuals traveling by air are going to present fake/stolen–but, for all other intents and purposes, valid–photo IDs. Unfortunately, those low-prevalence conditions are the ones that give rise to the worst performance, in terms of catching fake IDs.”

She explained that she and her team will be adding to this discovery. “Absolutely! We are currently following up with a number of experiments aimed at determining the cognitive basis of these effects, and whether they can be alleviated by different training protocols. We’re also ever on the lookout to expand our stimulus set to include a greater range of ages and ethnicities. Our current study likely overestimated performance, as our stimuli depicted college students and our observers were also college students.”

At her Eye Movements, Memory, and Attention Laboratory at LSU, she and her team also research topics related to episodic, memory, language processing, and visual search.

“My work is going to continue to focus on the issue of unfamiliar face matching,” she said, “but I also investigate human memory processes, language, and the role of eye movements in learning and retrieval.” She collaborates with researchers at Arizona State University, University of Pittsburgh, and University of Southampton.

“We are investigating eye movements during ‘mindless reading’ — those times when you catch yourself at the bottom of the page and wonder ‘What did I just read?’”

Sample research items constructed for use in Dr. Megan Papesh’s research on the challenges of photo ID and face matching. People can’t match photo IDs nearly as well as expected, bringing into question issues of security programs that use photo ID matching to catch false passports and other high-risk situations. Here we see the photos of Louis Jones, undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Papesh’s lab at LSU, the type used to simulate face–ID tasks.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Gov. Jindal Strengthens Laws for Human Trafficking

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 4.

In his opening speech to the legislature, Governor Jindal announced the human trafficking bill is part of his list of priorities for this legislative session.

In a March 11 press release the Governor said human trafficking occurs when a person is forced to provide commercial services against her will, often related to sex – and it is occurring at alarming rates in Louisiana. According to an analysis done by Shared Hope International, Baton Rouge ranks in the top 10 cities in the nation for human trafficking. The Governor said this proposed legislation will punish criminals to the fullest extent of the law and it will provide victims more tools for further protection.

State Representative Abramson, New Orleans, announced he is filing legislation (HB1025) that will advance Louisiana’s human trafficking laws and create harsher punishments and better tools for cracking down on human trafficking and commercial sex related offenses, according to the announcement.

The legislation targets those purchasing sex by creating the crime of “unlawful purchase of commercial sexual activity” and requiring a person who commits this crime with a minor to register as a sex offender. It expands the present crimes of human trafficking and trafficking of children for sexual purposes to include the act of receiving, isolating, and enticing another person in order to engage in sexual services or labor.

HB 569 filed by Representative Julie Stokes authorizes district courts to designate a section or division of court for human trafficking courts.

This legislation requires that these human trafficking courts emphasize training for judges on the issues involved in human trafficking and specialize in hearing cases involving prostitution related offenses for the purpose of identifying victims.

Rep. Stokes said, “HB569 authorizes district courts to designate a section or division of court for human trafficking courts where they deem that it would be beneficial to do so. The purpose of trafficking court is education. Human trafficking victims are often prosecuted as offenders when the real need of the victim is rescue, restoration, and rehabilitation.”


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

HB 903 Redefines TeleHealth

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 4.

A bill put forth by Representative Simon would provide for greater access to telehealth services by providing for standards of care, confidentiality, and insurance coverage; expands the definition of telemedicine; creates the La. Commission on Telehealth Access. The proposal directs that a patient receiving telemedicine services may be in any location at the time that the telemedicine services are rendered and a telemedicine provider may be in any location when providing telemedicine services to a patient.

The proposed law defines "telemedicine" as the practice of medicine and transfer of medical data using interactive telecommunication technology that enables a physician and a patient at two locations separated by distance to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously or through the use of asynchronous store-and- forward technology.

The proposed law repeals present law and requires any person authorized by LSMBE to use the same standard of care as if the healthcare services were provided in person. The proposal further provides that the telemedicine provider is not required to conduct a patient history or physical examination of the patient before engaging in a telemedicine encounter if the telemedicine provider conducts a patient evaluation sufficient to meet the community standard of care for the service provided. The patient evaluation may be performed using telemedicine.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Duckmen Receive Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence From Governor Jindal

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 6.

Governor Jindal awarded the Duck Commander, headquartered in West Monroe, Louisiana, the inaugural Governor’s Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence. The Governor’s Award will be periodically given by the Governor to homegrown Louisiana businesses that grow and provide more opportunity, more jobs, and more commerce for the State of Louisiana.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

One More Emergency Rule: Amends Other Rules for Applied Behavior Analysis

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 6.

Department of Health and Hospitals and the Office of Citizens with Developmental Disabilities amended the provisions for the Children’s Choice Waiver in late March with an Emergency Rule.

The notice said that this was to clarify and adopt provisions for self-direction initiative which will allow participants to receive services through a direct support professional rather than a licensed enrolled provider agency.

The emergency rule provides for opportunities for Medicaid eligible children identified in the Melanie Chisholm, et al vs. Kathy Kliebert class action litigation who have a diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Autism Spectrum Disorder, and are in need of Applied Behavioral Analysis services.

The department has amended and promulgated several rules. This latest rules states that “Subsequent to the publication of the February 22, 2014 Emergency Rule, the Behavior Analyst Practice Act (R.S. 37:3701 et seq.) became enforceable thereby making it a misdemeanor for any individual not licensed, state certified, or registered by the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board to engage in the practice of behavior analysis. As a result, certain providers authorized to provide ABA services under the provisions of this Emergency Rule may no longer provide services without being in violation of the Behavior Analyst Practice Act, thus necessitating an amendment to these provisions.”

The new amendment to the Rules includes some changes to recipient qualifications, admission denial or discharge criteria, allocation of waiver opportunities, and service cap. Service Definitions include “Applied Behavioral Analysis-Based Therapy.”

Provider Requirements for enrollment note that ABA service providers are exempt from these enrollment requirements.

Under Professional Service Providers: “I. Applied Behavioral Analysis-Based Therapy services must be provided by persons enrolled in Medicaid Program who:

1. meet the following licensure and/or certification requirements:

a. be a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) who has applied for licensure with the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board;

b. be licensed by the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board; or

c. be a currently Louisiana licensed psychologist whose education, training and expertise includes applied behavior analysis services.”

Other provider requirements are listed.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

DHH Publishes Notice of Intent, 42 Pages of Rules For Facilities, Providers

Article archive / April 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 8. Source pages: 7.

Act 308 of the 2013 legislative session repealed parts of the existing laws governing standards for mental health clinics and substance abuse/addiction treatment facilities. In compliance with the directives of Act 308, the Department of Health and Hospitals proposes to adopt provisions to establish licensing standards for these facilities and also behavioral health service providers. The Notice of Intent puts forth 42 pages of new Rules, published last month in the Louisiana Register.

Some of those exempt from the licensure requirements for BHS providers include: n individual licensed mental health professional (LMHP), whether incorporated or unincorporated, or a group practice of LMHPs, providing services under the auspices of and pursuant to the scope of the individual’s license or group’s licenses. Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP)⎯an individual who is currently licensed and in good standing in the state of Louisiana to practice within the scope of all applicable state laws, practice acts and the individual’s professional license, as one of the following: 1. medical psychologist; 2.licensed psychologist; 3.licensed clinical social worker (LCSW); 4. licensed professional counselor (LPC);5. licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT); 6.licensed addiction counselor (LAC); 7.advance practice registered nurse (APRN); or 8. licensed rehabilitation counselor (LRC).

A public hearing on the proposed Rules is scheduled for Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. in the Bienville Building, 628 North Fourth Street, Baton Rouge. At that time all interested persons will be afforded an opportunity to submit data, views or arguments either orally or in writing.

Individuals may submit written comments to Cecile Castello, Bureau of Health Services Financing, P.O. Box 3767, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9030 or by email to MedicaidPolicy@la.gov. Ms. Castello is responsible for responding to inquiries regarding this proposed Rule.

The deadline for receipt of all written comments is 4:30 p.m. on the next business day following the public hearing.

The introduction to the Rules explains that Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) hereby establishes licensing standards for behavioral health service (BHS) providers. The purpose of these Chapters is to provide for the development, establishment and enforcement of statewide licensing standards for the care of clients receiving services from BHS providers, to ensure the maintenance of these standards, and to regulate conditions of these providers through a program of licensure that shall promote safe and adequate treatment of clients of BHS providers.

Providers tp be licensed under the BHS provider license include: substance abuse/addiction treatment facilities; mental health clinics; and any other entity that meets the definition of a BHS provider.

The Notice says, “Behavioral Health Service (BHS) Provider or Provider⎯a facility, agency, institution, person, society, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, group, or other legal entity that provides behavioral health services, presents itself to the public as a provider of behavioral health services.”

Also exempt are hospitals licensed under R.S. 40:2100 et seq.; crisis receiving centers licensed under 40:2180.11 et seq.; psychiatric residential treatment facilities and therapeutic group homes licensed under R.S. 40:2009; facilities or services operated by the federal government; and federally qualified health care centers (FQHCs) certified by the federal government, among others.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

Provisional Licenses Proposed for Psychology Post-Docs, Counselor Interns, Marriage & Family Interns

Article archive / March 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 7. Source pages: 3.

Two different bills have been prefiled in this legislative session which would qualify individuals for “provisional” licenses.

Senate Bill 157 by Senator Daniel Martiny (Metairie) would allow the state psychology board to issue a provisional license to those who are being supervised for a psychology licensure.

According to the proposed law, candidates for the provisional license in psychology will need a minimum of one year experience practicing psychology under the supervision of a psychologist or substantially equivalent as defined in the rules and regulations of the board and required as part of the doctoral degree in psychology as defined by the board, as noted in the legislative digest for the bill.

The provisional license has been a topic for the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, and topic across the nation, as to how to help speed doctoral-level individuals through the two-year supervision requirement for psychologists.

Several sources indicated to the Times that a provisional license may help these professionals while under supervision, be reimbursed for services.

In different but somewhat similar type of move, Senate Bill 194 by Senator Fred Mills would replace the title Counselor Intern with “Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor” and also the title Marriage and Family Therapist Intern with “Provisional Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.”

According to Cindy Nardini, LPC, the bill is a collaborative effort by the Louisiana Counseling Association (LCA) and the Louisiana Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Nardini is Governmental Relations Chair for the LCA.

According to the legislative digest for SB 194, provisional licensed professional counselors will only use the title "provisional licensed professional counselor," and may practice mental health counseling, only under the direction and active supervision of a board approved supervisor and only while obtaining the post- graduate degree experience required for licensure as a professional counselor.

Likewise, the provisional licensed marriage and family therapists may only use the title "provisional licensed marriage and family therapist" under the direction and active supervision of a board approved supervisor and only while obtaining the post- graduate degree experience required for licensure as a marriage and family therapist.

A person with the provisional license may not practice independently or advertise themselves as able to practice independently.

Nardini explained to the Times that LCA had been approached for several years by interns who asked for the change, because the word “intern” was confusing for the public. Many were incorrectly viewed as students instead of those under supervision.

The change will not affect fees, said Nardini.

Psychology board members Dr. Darla Burnett and Dr. Phillip Griffin listen to Executive Director Kelly Parker at the February board meeting. The board is supporting a bill to give those in the post-doctoral supervision phase of licensing a “provisional” license to practice psychology.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

AFCC-LA Will Hold 4th Annual Conference March 27-28, in N.O.

Article archive / March 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 7. Source pages: 14.

The Louisiana Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC-LA) will hold its Fourth Annual Conference in New Orleans on March 27 -28, 2014.

The conference theme is “Restructuring The Family: Incorporating Different Needs & Perspectives Into Your Practice.”

Featured speakers for the event are Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq., President and Co-founder, High Conflict Institute of San Diego, Ca. Eddy will speak on Friday on “Incorporating the Different Needs and Perspectives of High Conflict Personalities in Separation and Divorce.”

Also offered on Friday will be, “Understanding High Conflict Personality Disorders,” “Managing High Conflict Personalities,” “Issues in High Conflict Mediation,” and “New Ways for Families: Teaching Skills Before Big Decisions.”

Dr. Debra DePrato, M.D., featured for the Thursday event is the 2012 Champion of Louisiana Juvenile Justice Award recipient. Dr. DePrato will speak on “Impact of Family Conflict on Child Development.”

Also included is, “LGBT Relationships under Louisiana Law: Gaps of Exclusion.”

Also presenting for the conference is Kenneth Upton, Jr., Supervising Senior Staff Attorney, Lambda Legal in Dallas, and the Honorable Judge Dawn Amacker of the 22nd Judicial District Court.

There will be a cocktail social and networking event on Thursday evening.

The convention site will be the Hampton Inn, Convention Center, New Orleans.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.

HB 152 Will Merge DHH And DCFS

Article archive / March 1, 2014

Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 7. Source pages: 4.

House Bill 152 reorganizes the Departments of Health and Hospitals and Children and Family Services and creates the new Department of Health and Social Services.

The measure lays out the reorganization and consolidation of the powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities of the former departments into the new department, its officers and offices. The law, if approved, will be effective Nov. 1, 2014.

According to the digest, the bill provides that, in accordance with the purposes of the Executive Reorganization Act, the purpose of the Act is to promote economy and efficiency in the operation and management of state functions relative to health and social services, to strengthen the executive capacity of the new department for effective, efficient, and economic administration while improving the quality of the functions performed and the programs and services rendered, and to eliminate duplication of effort within the executive branch of state government.

The proposed law creates offices in the new department that duplicate the offices of the prior departments and provides that each office shall be the successor of the prior office(s) having the same name. Offices of the new department include the executive office of the secretary, the office of management and finance, and (as successors to DHH offices) the office of public health, the office of behavioral health, the office for citizens with developmental disabilities, and the office of aging and adult services, and (as successor to the DCFS office) the office of children and family services.

The law would direct DHH and DCFS secretaries jointly to prepare a workable transition plan for abolition of the two departments and the creation of the new department.


This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.