Louisiana Department of Health
The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) (French: Département de La Santé de Louisiane), formerly known as the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (French: Département de La Santé et des Hôpitaux), is a state agency of Louisiana, headquartered in Baton Rouge.[1] It is Louisiana's largest state agency with a budget of $21 billion and approximately 8,274 personnel. The agency oversees the health of the population under its current secretary, Stephen R. Russo, JD.[2]
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Louisiana |
| Headquarters | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Agency executives |
|
| Website | http://ldh.la.gov/ |
Leadership
Stephen R. Russo was appointed secretary[3] in 2023 by Governor John Bel Edwards. Russo has served LDH for 27 years. Prior to his current role as secretary, Russo served as executive counsel for 15 years and was the director of Legal, Audit and Regulatory Compliance (LARC). As the director of LARC, Russo oversaw the Bureau of Legal Services, Internal Audit, Program Integrity and Health Standards Section.
Tonya Joiner serves as deputy secretary, having previously served as chief of staff to the LDH secretary. The deputy secretary is the coordinator for LDH's Regional Coordinating Councils and oversees the coordination and implementation of the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Mission
The mission of the Louisiana Department of Health is to protect and promote health and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all citizens of the state of Louisiana.
Offices of the Louisiana Department of Health
LDH's agencies include:
- Office of Public Health
- Monitors food and safe drinking water
- Fights chronic and communicable disease
- Ensures readiness for hurricanes, disasters and other threats
- Manages, analyzes and disseminates public health data
- Ensures access to vital records for births, deaths, fetal deaths and Orleans Parish marriage records
- Offers preventive health services
- Office of Behavioral Health
- Manages and delivers supports and services for citizens with mental illness and addictive disorders
- Delivers direct care through hospitalization
- Oversees behavioral health community-based treatment programs through the human services districts and authorities
- Office of Women's Health and Community Health
- Created by Act 676 (SB 116) of the 2022 Regular Legislative Session,[4] and signed by Governor John Bel Edwards on June 18, 2022
- Focuses on health needs throughout a woman’s life, including chronic or acute conditions that significantly affect women, access to healthcare for women, and women’s health disparities
- Includes the Bureau of Community Partnerships & Health Equity, which is responsible for operationalizing community engagement and health equity best practices and standards agency wide
- Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities
- Single point of entry into the developmental disabilities services system
- Oversees public and private residential services and other services for people with developmental disabilities
- Office of Aging and Adult Services
- Manages and delivers supports and services for senior citizens and people with adult-onset disabilities
- Provides and enhances services for people in need of long-term care
- Medicaid
- Provides medical benefits to low-income individuals and families
- Expanded under Gov. John Bel Edwards in 2016[5] through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
- Medicaid expansion has provided nearly 480,000 previously uninsured residents with coverage, dropping the state's uninsured rate to 8.4% in 2017[6]
LDH also plays a role in the State of Louisiana's emergency preparedness network.
Geographic Structure
The Louisiana Department of Health provides public health services and oversight across Louisiana in nine regions.[7]
| Region | Headquarters | Area (Parishes) |
|---|---|---|
| 1* | New Orleans | Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard |
| 2 | Baton Rouge | Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana |
| 3 | Houma | Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, Terrebonne |
| 4 | Lafayette | Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, Vermilion |
| 5 | Lake Charles | Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis |
| 6 | Alexandria | Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Rapides, Vernon, Winn |
| 7 | Shreveport | Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, DeSoto, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, Webster |
| 8 | Monroe | Caldwell, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union, West Carroll |
| 9 | Hammond | Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington |
*Within the Office of Behavioral Health, Region 1 comprises Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes. An additional Region 10, based in Metairie, serves Jefferson Parish exclusively.
References
- "Louisiana Department of Health". Retrieved October 12, 2018.
- "Gov. Edwards Accepts Resignation of LDH Sec. Courtney N. Phillips, Appoints Successor". Office of the Governor. April 3, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- Bolden, Bonnie (April 13, 2023). "LDH secretary resigns, Edwards names new department head". BRProud.com. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- Canicosa, JC (June 5, 2022). "Louisiana Legislature creates Office of Women's Health". Louisiana Illuminator. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- Ballard, Mark. "Gov. John Bel Edwards issues executive order to expand Medicaid". The Advocate. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- "Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2017" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. September 2018.
- "Local Government Entities | Department of Health | State of Louisiana". ldh.la.gov. Retrieved February 13, 2019.