HJNO Mar/Apr 2025

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS I  MAR / APR 2025 43 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalNO.com Tennessee Memphis, where he also carried out a residency in urology. He is a member of several professional orga- nizations, including the Sexual Medicine Society of North America, the Society of Urologic Pros- thetic Surgeons, the American Urologic Associa- tion, and the Louisiana Urological Association. Since 2017, Mutter has appeared on podcasts and live news broadcasts to discuss topics includ- ing kidney stones, erectile dysfunction, and more. “We are delighted to have Dr. Mutter join our growing team in Metairie,” said Jodi Conachen, chief operating officer, Mary Bird Perkins Can- cer Center. “Along with Dr. Delacroix, Dr. Mar- quette, and Dr. Gills, his experience in the urology field will help us expand our mission and bring specialized cancer care directly to the Metairie community.” LDHAnnounces $15M in Funding to Train HealthcareWorkforce The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) announced $15 million in funding available to help train tomorrow’s healthcare workforce. The Healthcare Employment Reinvestment Oppor- tunity (H.E.R.O.) Fund provides matching grants to universities, technical colleges, healthcare sys- tems, hospitals, agencies, and associations work- ing to grow the healthcare pipeline in Louisiana. “Nationwide, and especially here in Louisiana, we are facing serious healthcare workforce short- ages, and Governor Landry and LDH are com- mitted to addressing that head-on. The H.E.R.O. Fund is a wonderful funding opportunity that we expect to have real impact,” said LDH Under- secretary Drew Maranto. “We are hoping to get applications from eligible institutions and their industry partners to expand programs in high- demand workforce areas, including nursing, allied health, and behavioral health. This funding is an important step to bolster our healthcare indus- try and improve access to care for our residents, especially those in underserved areas.” The H.E.R.O. Fund was created in 2021 to increase the capacity of nursing and allied health programs. Managed by the Louisiana Board of Regents and HealthWorks Commission, the fund initially awarded about $4 million in grants to sup- port one program in each region of the state. In 2024, Rep. Brach Myers (R-Lafayette) brought new legislation, shifting the direction of the pro- gram to LDH and broadening the program’s scope to reach as many people and institutions as possible. It now supports projects that aim to: • Meet local, regional, or state workforce demands for high-demand healthcare professions. • Increase capacity and student enrollment in identified healthcare credentials. • Increase program completion and/or exam/ certification pass rates. • Provide incentives that financially support students (e.g., stipends or tuition forgive- ness) upon employment in Louisiana health- care facilities or training programs. • Provide incentives for high-demand health- care professionals to practice in Louisiana with an emphasis on medically underserved areas. • Support dual enrollment programs between high school career and technical programs and other healthcare programs. • Support strategies for healthcare organiza- tions to increase career pathways, intern- ships, and apprenticeship programs. • Raise awareness of and interest in a broad variety of healthcare occupations and reduce the barriers to access to the health- care programs necessary to pursue these occupations, including financial barriers. "Investing in the growth of our healthcare workforce is not just about meeting today's needs; it's also about preparing for the future. A strong healthcare workforce is the backbone of a healthy society, ensuring that every commu- nity has access to quality care through trained professionals. Through this new program that earned overwhelming support from the Legis- lature, we have built a public-private partnership model that allows providers on the frontline of the workforce crisis to become a meaningful part of the solution, allowing for their ideas and invest- ment to be deployed to bring positive impact to this important challenge,” said Rep. Myers. The H.E.R.O. Fund seeks grant applications from healthcare training and education programs and healthcare industry partners to meet growing employment demands. A funding match (monies or in-kind contributions) by a healthcare indus- try partner equal to the grant award is required. Training must benefit students and healthcare organizations within the state of Louisiana. High- demand areas include but are not limited to certi- fied nursing assistants, paramedics, licensed prac- tical nurses, registered nurses, certified medical assistants, primary care providers, nurse practi- tioners, licensed professional counselors, respi- ratory therapists, occupational therapists, radiol- ogy technologists, and more. LDH plans to announce grant awardees in March. Brett Phillips, MD, Joins Ascension DePaul Services, DCHC Ascension DePaul Services and DePaul Com- munity Health Centers (DCHC) welcomed Brett Phillips, MD, as a pediatric provider at DCHC’s Gentilly location, 100 Warrington Drive in New Orleans. Phillips is currently serving children and adolescents by providing annual wellness visits, school and sports physicals, treating common Matthew Mutter, MD Brett Phillips, MD