Recently Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade have been the most public faces of suicide with their untimely deaths. Fox Channel 8 interviewed MHSD Peer Support Specialist, Biff Hitchins who shared his personal battle and offered advice to those contemplating suicide. Hitchins is now able to support others on their journey to recovery.
MHSD in the News
WBOK Addiction Roundtable
MHSD hosts fun-filled Family Day in St. Bernard parish to bring families together and spread awareness
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Metropolitan Human Services District (MHSD) in partnership with St. Bernard parish, will host MHSD Family Day on Saturday, August 12 at 11am. This FREE, outdoor event will take place at the Aycock Barn located at 409 Aycock St., Arabi, LA. MHSD invites families from across the tri-parish area to participate in this event promoting family and community support to citizens in need. “MHSD Family Day gives us the opportunity to bring residents and community partners together in a fun way, to raise awareness about some serious issues related to mental illness, addiction and disabilities that affect our families daily,” says Executive and Medical Director, Dr. Rochelle Head-Dunham. She added, “We hope this event strengthens families and encourages residents in need to depend on MHSD to help them or their loved ones get back on track.”
Local artists, including world-renowned violinist Michael Ward, singer Sharon Martin and music group Big Al and the Heavyweights, will provide entertainment. Partnering agencies will be available with resources, including a school supply table just in time for the new school year. The event will feature food from local vendors and plenty of family fun activities, including a rock-climbing wall and face painting.
Metropolitan Human Services District is the local lead agency for mental illness, addictive disorders and intellectual/development disability services. MHSD provides community-based services for all ages in Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes through agency clinics and community partners. State and Federal funding are the primary resources for MHSD. For more information, visit www.mhsdla.org or call 504-568-3130.
Download the MHSD Family Day 2017 Flyer
WDSU Channel 6 – MHSD awarded $3 million grant to tackle growing opioid epidemic
More people died of drug overdoses in New Orleans than those who were killed in homicide in 2016, and the majority of the deaths were from opioids.
A $3 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has been awarded to the Metropolitan Human Services District, working in Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes, in response to the growing opioid epidemic.
Read the full article on WDSU Channel 6 – http://www.wdsu.com/article/local-agency-awarded-dollar3-million-grant-to-tackle-growing-opioid-epidemic/9253358
FOX 8 – Local agency gets $3 million grant to reduce opioid deaths
As deaths from opioid drugs outpace homicides in New Orleans, a local agency is in a position to assist more people struggling with addiction.
“This is not something that is just going to go away on a wish or a whim, it requires aggressive interventions by people who understand the disease of addiction and who are capable of working with that very difficult population,” said Dr. Rochelle Head-Dunham, executive director and medical director of the Metropolitan Human Services District.
Read the entire article on FOX 8 – http://www.fox8live.com/story/35018000/local-agency-gets-3-million-grant-to-reduce-opioid-deaths
MHSD’s Dr. Rochelle Head-Dunham interviewed about Medicaid expansion
“Without expansion we don’t have the availability to provide the services to that new population because we don’t have the dollars to do it,” said Dr. Rochelle Head-Dunham, executive director of the tri-parish Metropolitan Human Services District that serves Orleans, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. The agency provides among other things, behavioral health services.
Gov. John Bel Edwards urged congressional leaders in a letter Tuesday to protect Medicaid expansion, which benefits more than 400,000 people in Louisiana alone.
Meanwhile, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise told FOX 8 News he disagrees with the Congressional Budget Office’s assessment that millions will automatically lose health coverage afforded through former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
Read the entire article on FOX 8 – http://www.fox8live.com/story/34848019/gov-edwards-urges-congress-to-protect-medicaid-expansion-whip-scalise-rejects-cbo-assessment
