HJNO Jul/Aug 2026

48 JUL / AUG 2026  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Healthcare Briefs American College of Surgeons and has received numerous honors for his contributions to urology and medical education, including being elected as the president of the American Board of Urol- ogy, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction, and the Distin- guished Contribution Award from the American Urological Association. Louisiana Healthcare Connections Offering $100,000 in Community Health Grant Funds Louisiana Healthcare Connections opened its 2026 Major Investment Community Health Grants cycle in April, making $100,000 in total funding available to organizations working to improve health outcomes across the state. With nearly 60% of its members under the age of 21, Louisiana Healthcare Connections is prior- itizing initiatives that support maternal and child health. Grant funding focused on programs that expand access to preventive and mental health care, address social drivers of health, and advance overall community wellness. In alignment with statewide efforts to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, proposals that deliver measur- able impacts for women and children received priority consideration. “Improving maternal and child health in Loui- siana requires strong partnerships and commu- nity-driven solutions,” said Dana Lawson, MD, senior vice president of population health and clinical operations at Louisiana Healthcare Con- nections. “Through our Community Health Grants program, we are investing in organizations that are breaking down barriers to care, addressing the root causes of poor health, and delivering meaningful, lasting impact for families across our state.” Award recipients for this round were expected to be announced at the end of June. LouisianaWater System Grades ShowContinued Improvement in 2025 The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) annual report card for community water systems across the state has been released for 2025, offer- ing a look at the quality and performance of more than 900 systems serving Louisiana residents. This annual report, mandated by the Commu- nity Drinking Water Accountability Rule (Act 98 of the 2021 regular legislative session), provides resi- dents with clear, accessible information about the systems that deliver their drinking water. The latest report shows continued progress statewide, with fewer water systems receiving failing grades and more systems demonstrating measurable improvements in performance. “The overall improvement we are seeing in water system grades is encouraging and reflects the hard work of our water providers and the impact of strategic investments at both the state and federal levels,” said Tonya Joiner, assistant secretary for the Louisiana Office of Public Health. “We remain committed to building on this prog- ress and ensuring that all Louisianans have access to safe, reliable water.” The water grading system, authorized in 2021, is part of the Safe Drinking Water Program’s broader effort to strengthen accountability among water providers while empowering consumers with clear information about their drinking water. The grades are calculated using a standardized 100- point scale based on seven categories. For more information, visit the Bureau of Engi- neering Services’ Community Drinking Water Accountability web page. Louisiana Healthcare Connections Announces New Transforming Health Award Louisiana Healthcare Connections has intro- duced a newly named physician recognition, the Transforming Health Award. The inaugural recipients of the Transforming Health Award include three physicians/physician groups representing key areas of care across Louisiana: • Samuel Brown, MD, Kenner; • New Orleans East Louisiana (NOELA) Com- munity Health Center, New Orleans; and • Lily Pad Pediatrics, Opelousas. Each honoree represents a component of Loui- siana’s healthcare ecosystem, from pediatric care to community-based primary and maternal care, areas that are central to improving long-term health outcomes across the state. DePaul Expands Behavioral Health Impact Through Jefferson Parish Drug Court Partnership DePaul Community Health Centers continues to expand community access to behavioral health and substance abuse services across metro New Orleans through its work with the Jefferson Par- ish 24th Judicial District Court’s Specialty Treat- ment Program, commonly known as “drug court.” DePaul’s behavioral health department cur- rently provides services at 11 locations and more than 20 schools throughout metro New Orleans. For the past three years, the team has also served clients participating in the Jefferson Parish drug court program, which offers first-time, nonviolent offenders an opportunity to receive treatment and support in lieu of incarceration. The program includes multiple treatment tracks tailored to clients’ needs. Track One focuses on individuals considered high-risk and high-need who have struggled with substance abuse for much of their lives. Track Two, known as “swift and certain,” serves individuals identified as high- risk for reoffending but with lower treatment and intervention needs due to criminological thinking patterns. A separate DWI track supports individ- uals with three or more driving while intoxicated offenses who are eligible to participate in treat- ment rather than serve mandatory jail sentences. Many participants in the program would oth- erwise face average prison sentences of approx- imately five years through the Department of Corrections. Through drug court, clients receive structured mental health and substance abuse treatment designed to help reduce recidivism and support successful reintegration into soci- ety. Participants remain in the program for a min- imum of 18 months under the supervision of case managers, probation officers, and the court’s five judges. DePaul’s behavioral health team provides case management and supervision services as assigned by the judges overseeing the program. Team members also support individuals partici- pating in reentry services after serving at least two years at Angola State Penitentiary. The organization’s work with drug court reflects the work of DePaul’s Medication Assisted Treat- ment (MAT) program, which for years was the only program in Louisiana providing MAT services to