First line of defense: School resource officer news from Florida riles local law enforcement
February 28, 2018
LUMCON has council OK to chase big project
February 28, 2018
The Terrebonne Parish Council unanimously agreed to begin negotiations towards constructing a new health care center, at their regular meeting last week.
The goal is to erect a structure on an open property adjacent to, and owned by, the Teche Action Clinic on Tunnel Boulevard and bring the state’s Regional Office of Public Health to Houma.
That office, currently in Thibodaux, is slated to be closed, officials said.
“It’s an all-out center that would help with community health,” said Councilwoman Arlanda Williams.
Williams, along with Councilman John Navy, raised the issue Wednesday. Navy spoke with measured enthusiasm about the public services this project would provide. Mental health and elder care are the driving forces motivating Navy’s support.
“What we are really trying to do is bring the Regional Office of Public Health here,” said Navy. “That’s going to include some other offices that they are guna have here that’s going to add to Terrebonne Parish also.”
Navy said the idea was mentioned a few years ago, and the substantial amount in the Public Health Millage fund, 1.6-1.9 million, makes the plan feasible.
“We can’t use it for nothing else, so it’s a win-win situation,” said Navy. “A collaboration between parish government, Teche Action, and Public Health.”
Dr. Gary Wiltz, CEO of Teche, said that the idea was first floated when Michel Claudet was parish president. The plan was “for a more streamlined and strategic facility,” said Wiltz, who lamented that the idea didn’t reach fruition.
“I’ve been on every governor’s team since (Edwin) Edwards,” Wiltz said. “It’s frustrating to see these good ideas go by.”
Wiltz detailed the historical roles of Public Health, Louisiana’s nation ranking of 48 in health care, and commended Terrebonne Parish for a commitment to public health.
He described the plan as the first public health unit of the future: a collaboration between the Office of Public Health, Teche, and the Terrebonne Parish Council.
“Let’s drill it down to the parish level,” said Wiltz.
Councilwoman Christa Duplantis-Prather noted that community health centers are federally funded.
“And I’m trying to push to keep this open 24-7, so the public can have access when they need an appointment instead of going to our ER, and filling up our ER’s, and also it’s a big cost” she said. “and if we can get this to function like a clinic that is open at all hours you won’t have that problem of our ER getting utilized as a clinic.”
According to Duplantis-Prather, normally people need a doctor after-hours, and it’s crucial to get people checked out.
Councilman Darrin Guidry questioned Navy about mental health services at the proposed center. Guidry said his district expressed concerns over mental health services.
“Right now, they do offer mental health services now,” said Navy. “We are going get to that later but, that is a deplorable situation in Terrebonne Parish. Our mental health system is deplorable, and the state just announced, this was last week I think, they just talked about doing more cuts to the mental health system… So, you’re right. This is going to be vital and I do hope they expand out.”
Councilman Dirk Guidry noted that Teche provides dental care.
“If somebody can’t afford to do dental health, Teche does do dental health on a limited basis,” he said. “I mean if we can get medical and the health unit and dental in the same place, and psychiatric, I mean that would be a big plus for Terrebonne Parish people.”
