[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6147937,"mediaKeyId","5518651-290c0237628e4976feafbc079c3bf243","parentId",5518651,"title","Task force examines behavioral health crisis centers, ED clearance pilot and telehealth data pilot for addiction care","audioSeconds",1954,"startMs",2336000,"endMs",4290000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5518651-290c0237628e4976feafbc079c3bf243&start=2336&end=4290","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5518651-290c0237628e4976feafbc079c3bf243/thumbnail_2336000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6147937/Louisiana/Task-force-examines-behavioral-health-crisis-centers-ED-clearance-pilot-and-telehealth-data-pilot-for-addiction-care","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147937-b6152b4062210bba1b6f7e112713508c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770611557&Signature=C97wVUgEARbJd3wdkYXmLGeB9b3~w-EfQe7rvNs37-wzS7ma8LOGT3w3puytsqWPKzlshsAMV3ff4AtQzRHJWiOZQ9WW4L9nNHOIpEH-j78FrAO2TMnPXBdLBlovHg8jRBpUbnTpVBNCFAnFtUdJQCyki9~HrHG5DZQK18XnQqtk45yVQlP1JAni1CAluYgHUKZ8pn2ali3IIgORySNuM8SKX9279XUJgkXU6BdtxFJ-DmYGtlG~wbKqdYTbUHfhEBqSmO0Cko~cIZEGj45urCdY0YdOa3SqE6hNNAHUSU3b-CW8ABDgiGwg7DW~4FwHwic8ek73CqjHGqsweMBAiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-07-31T00:00:00Z","article","Task force participants discussed behavioral health crisis centers and pilots intended to reduce emergency department congestion and improve pathways to appropriate behavioral health care in rural regions.

Chair Karen Weibel described a regionally focused effort in Region 4 to pilot crisis-center protocols that would allow trained providers to complete medical clearance outside hospital emergency departments so patients could be transferred directly to behavioral health facilities. She said Acadian emergency medical services and local behavioral health partners are developing protocols and that St. Tammany Parish operates a similar sustainable program.

Danae Hebert and other members noted overlaps with Project Mom, a state-supported initiative focused on pregnant people with substance use disorders; local hospitals will serve as catalyst sites for Project Mom in at least three locations, and the task force discussed coordinating behavioral-health and maternal programs. Weibel said that averting unnecessary ED medical-clearance visits would also help reduce judicial-system entanglement for people with behavioral-health needs.

Separately, Doctor Vincent Collotta reported that the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners has entered a pilot agreement with Ochsner to use centralized clinical data and telehealth to support treatment that historically required an in-person physical exam, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and care involving controlled substances in certain circumstances. Collotta said the pilot will report to the board every 90 days so the board can review outcomes and evaluate whether telehealth-enabled workflows maintain appropriate clinical documentation and safety.

Members emphasized coordination across behavioral health partners, EMS, hospitals and state licensing/regulatory entities to design pilots that protect patient safety while reducing unnecessary ED stays. No formal votes or new funding commitments were recorded at the meeting; members asked staff to circulate pilot materials and to coordinate with LDH and other partners on next steps.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Health Disparities T.F. Jul 31, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Members discussed piloting behavioral health crisis centers to reduce emergency department congestion, Project Mom maternal substance use efforts, and a State Board of Medical Examiners pilot with Ochsner to use telehealth and centralized data for controlled-substance and MAT management.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature LA, Louisiana","taxId",78558,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6147939,"Task force highlights community health workers, mobile clinics and HPSA mapping as workforce solutions for rural care",725,3515000,4240000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5518651-290c0237628e4976feafbc079c3bf243&start=3515&end=4240","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5518651-290c0237628e4976feafbc079c3bf243/thumbnail_3515000.jpg","/articles/6147939/Louisiana/Task-force-highlights-community-health-workers-mobile-clinics-and-HPSA-mapping-as-workforce-solutions-for-rural-care","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147939-99d5d70df72abc7fcbd527d52c9d752c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770611557&Signature=QfCx7GizDRH0DLIr7h1DRXAmCCuAU4kIHrnwjCi5sNkNC2nu~dS173CmYYDQ1vG6iEhota5L3hck5hUWWC2JN3N9IaaV-ay0HzufUoLmqLkt35gd2g~B3OijFfavwFpTZZisi052eaLT9Qpsf9wG2oXkonOjR7R0KL-S2l~Dz~BZj7xHg2VC58CpDDgo5F1NuaUZazxS-adTq5nwzeyzeF-ZOUQeuXATBYfbBAB23wTwGMPPQuTEZTqJjnxwl-0rvgnJd3KWtCsL8cCKLSk~tLCzPNjlQ1tfGe4oVSF81mXI~yrzaC6xhUc2HcN6ezgUyTW74HXKAreJT2NnN3uXSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Task force participants recommended prioritizing community health workers, mobile clinics and targeted workforce strategies tied to Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations to improve access to care in rural parishes.

Physicians and nurse leaders on the task force argued that CHWs provide trusted community linkages and can help sustain continuity of care if properly trained, credentialed and reimbursed. Doctor Emilio Russo said CHWs are \"part of that secret sauce\" for integrated primary care, adding that other countries embed CHWs into municipal health systems and often cross-train them with midwifery roles.

Speakers discussed recent changes that permit broader billing for CHW activities under Louisiana Medicaid waivers: a CHW visit linked to a clinic visit or a CHW home visit can generate additional reimbursement, and group-visit billing options may be available. Participants said those changes could be leveraged to embed CHWs in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), rural health clinics (RHCs) and mobile units.

Task force members also prioritized mobile health clinics as a way to deliver care in communities with limited provider presence and said mobile units should link to virtual subspecialty consultations rather than operate as purely episodic services. Doctor Vincent Collotta, representing the State Board of Medical Examiners, offered to provide parish- and ZIP-code-level licensee-location data to help identify geographic care deserts and noted that the board licensed multiple provider types relevant to workforce planning.

Members discussed the need for standardized training pathways and operational models for CHWs, and several volunteers agreed to serve on a CHW/health workforce subcommittee. The task force did not reach a formal vote at this meeting; members asked staff to circulate materials and draft priorities for formal prioritization at a future meeting when a quorum is present.

Speakers cautioned that CHW training, credentialing and effective clinic integration require clear expectations and education pipelines; the meeting flagged the need to identify approved training programs for state certification and to confirm documentation requirements with Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).","Members urged prioritizing community health workers (CHWs), mobile health units and HPSA-targeted strategies to address provider shortages in rural Louisiana and discussed changes to CHW training and reimbursement that could expand their clinical roles.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6147940,"Task force to study insurance gaps, poverty and infrastructure as drivers of rural health disparities",91,1849000,1940000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5518651-290c0237628e4976feafbc079c3bf243&start=1849&end=1940","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5518651-290c0237628e4976feafbc079c3bf243/thumbnail_1849000.jpg","/articles/6147940/Louisiana/Task-force-to-study-insurance-gaps-poverty-and-infrastructure-as-drivers-of-rural-health-disparities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147940-1738a18fa1019bed3d8ef517bd5c60c2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770611557&Signature=Wnz4CIgZEU72edeqfds7EcrM0lbvtrcz0YiU4mP4feyOxmcnlbIMyBs66w7ALm22-YCTw2RVWEUHYRCSVKwQA7ZE3FQHD~RHzxHQzp4XLRQBEbNiVCxBlmFWniWjsE99EWZWaxgQldIb75tTHyfjcJ1rh47K1l9NZLRErGbc3BcNDSgeeVgDO5h786vzQERLglorK6vxufQ2Cll4k-wiOXMjROFBwP2iw2ZIoptrGgmKrtmNxI~p60yZp9CU-fLH9Ckk8jO3IHHFO5R5UjPMljZrOOE8mKqTVzLIppmNRSTuAKWCAfDRLFWbCZAR7VUi9pxEkCIxxvxHoNk5THvJZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Task force members at the HCR 55 meeting proposed that the group treat gaps in health insurance coverage and social determinants of health as central priorities for the year, linking insurance access to poverty, water infrastructure and broadband affordability.

Chair Karen Weibel asked the group to consider formally adding insurance coverage and affordability to the task force’s committee structure so members could work with the Louisiana Insurance Commission to identify rural-specific solutions. Weibel said solutions will require collaboration among insurers, providers and community organizations rather than assigning responsibility to any single sector.

Weibel and other members linked coverage gaps to broader social determinants. She noted speaker-cited data that rural health outcomes are significantly worse than urban areas and that poverty is a root driver: \"When we look at our populations in rural and we look at 1,200,000 people... rural outcomes, healthcare outcomes is significantly worse than our metropolitan neighbors.\" She added that more than 60 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes received an F grade in recent water-system assessments and said the state faces long-term capital needs for water upgrades; she quoted a health department estimate discussed in the meeting that the state's water systems need approximately $7,000,000,000 in upgrades.

AARP Louisiana director Andrew Muhl urged keeping broadband affordability on the agenda, saying affordability problems can block telehealth and remote training and that broadband access is important for storm response and workforce retention. Muhl recommended keeping broadband as a subcommittee topic to ensure the task force considers both physical availability and home connectivity (subscription affordability and in-home setup).

Speakers emphasized that solutions must address the interaction of insurance design and social needs: housing, food, transportation and internet access. The chair asked members to review and prioritize a list of subcommittees and to return recommendations for the next quorate meeting. No formal motion or vote was recorded at this session.

The transcript contains speaker-provided statistics that should be verified before publication: the task force was told nearly 29% of the state’s population (about 1,200,000 people of a 4,680,000 total) live in rural communities, and the chair cited state water-needs figures and federal infrastructure allocations discussed during the meeting.","Members discussed adding insurance coverage and social determinants of health (including water systems and broadband connectivity) to the task force's agenda as central factors driving rural health disparities.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6147941,"Legislature extends rural health task force to 2026; members told to attend or face removal",536,784000,1320000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5518651-290c0237628e4976feafbc079c3bf243&start=784&end=1320","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5518651-290c0237628e4976feafbc079c3bf243/thumbnail_784000.jpg","/articles/6147941/Louisiana/Legislature-extends-rural-health-task-force-to-2026-members-told-to-attend-or-face-removal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147941-7c60ff3765b1b35c227d537fbf7765e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770611557&Signature=WhwNMk22~cJJWsh~p~caBHnwBu~qI2bdV45wvV2j7UZUF2VRMjftleGEwGBIzUoxlqfiaL6HItCuSvd6v~shEPvwxxO1LsNps3wvdNcTOL0fZrOUGKfnK90P4v2qoPE9zlqyxHQj0JF9DaU5TOZS9CV2S9an31vMDf6sJ9UTb~fNuISTswJLtdlh7mdstZtIy3RrqnZvyevUV-fH~8RZRmxH8k5fvFKfSktaQKobMF1RXIVTgsthNqRWQsCQoK6tAmrVtFXZ9RH5r3EVnNF4na~cJz3tOQkiMIMhYn-D1-LCbeN3-PXhFnKbIrTJZnVAaTusfcGim17ZXV3zdd0-Sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Louisiana Legislature continued the Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force through House Concurrent Resolution 55, and the group reviewed the resolution's membership, reporting deadlines and new attendance rules at its first meeting of the year. Chair Karen Weibel, who leads the task force, told members the task force must submit a written report to the House and Senate committees on health and welfare and the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library by Feb. 1, 2026.

Weibel said the resolution continues the task force created by House Concurrent Resolution 44 and keeps the task force as a subcommittee of the Statewide Health Equity Consortium within the Louisiana Department of Health. She emphasized that the task force has been meeting the existing requirement to submit its annual “playbook” by Feb. 1 each year.

The resolution also requires the Statewide Health Equity Consortium to reconvene the task force no later than Aug. 15; the chair noted the task force met that requirement by holding the present meeting. A new attendance provision in HCR 55 was highlighted: members who miss two consecutive meetings may be removed by majority vote. Weibel said she will email members individually to notify them of the enforcement of that attendance rule.

Members reviewed who the resolution requires to receive copies of HCR 55, including officers and executive directors of state professional associations and boards, representatives of the Rural Hospital Coalition and the Managed Medicaid Association, and the state director for AARP Louisiana. Weibel asked members to notify her if any named organization did not receive the resolution.

The chair also reviewed open meetings requirements and the task force’s archival practice: meetings are subject to the state Open Meetings Law and are archived in the House files for public access. She asked members to update contact information and noted the task force may adopt rules of procedure and other policies to facilitate its work.

The meeting did not record any formal votes or motions taken at this session. Members discussed priorities for the year and agreed to circulate a meeting synopsis and proposed subcommittee priorities for feedback and formal prioritization at a later, quorate meeting.

The chair adjourned the meeting at 11:21 a.m.","House Concurrent Resolution 55 continues the Health Disparities in Rural Areas Task Force as a subcommittee of the Statewide Health Equity Consortium and requires an annual written report; the group reviewed membership, reporting deadlines and a new attendance removal rule at its organizational meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Task force examines behavioral health crisis centers, ED clearance pilot and telehealth data pilot for addiction care

Task force highlights community health workers, mobile clinics and HPSA mapping as workforce solutions for rural care

Task force to study insurance gaps, poverty and infrastructure as drivers of rural health disparities

Legislature extends rural health task force to 2026; members told to attend or face removal