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Northeast Louisiana Services

Uplifting people and helping communities in need through our ministry of service...

Volunteers of America Northeast Louisiana is committed to uplifting and helping people and communities in need through our unique ministry of service. We accomplish this by promoting self-sufficiency and providing services that meet the social, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals, thereby strengthening the families and communities we serve.

Our Services:

Twin Cities Early Head Start
Mental Health Services
Traumatic Head and Spinal Cord Injury Services
Certified Medicaid Application Center
Pregnancy Testing

We measure our success by creating positive change in the lives of the individuals and communities that we serve in the following twelve parishes:

Caldwell
East Carroll
Franklin
Jackson
Lincoln
Madison
Morehouse
Ouachita
Richland
Tensas
Union
West Carroll

Advisory Board

Judith Mower, Ph. D., Regional Vice President
Christie Echols, Chair – TBA Studios
Brian Bendily, Vice Chair – Kellar Williams Realty
Gail Blackman – St. Francis Medical Center
Tim Brandon – TBA Studios
Laurie Burkett – Laurie Burkett Attorney at Law
Patti Calk – University of Louisiana Monroe
Catherine Chance – Regions Bank
Billy Hance – Centeric Federal Credit Union
Lisa Hightower – Ouachita Parish Schools
Sabrina Hogan – St. Francis Medical Center
Erin Hunt – Paramount Healthcare
Ben Marshall – Bulldog Title
Pamela Mortin – Northeast Louisiana Physicians Hospital Organization
Stephanie Smith – Children’s Coalition
Gatha Green- Children's Coalition
Vicki Hilbun- City of West Monroe
Jackie Moody Payton- Bancorp South
Emily Williamson- University of Louisiana Monroe, Child Development Center
Jason Ewing – CenturyLink

Twin Cities Early Head Start

Research shows that we're never too young to learn. Ouachita Parish infants and toddlers can get a big jump on future success through Twin Cities Early Head Start!

What is Twin Cities Early Head Start?

Twin Cities Early Head Start is an early childhood education program for income-eligible families of infants and toddlers (ages 0-3) and pregnant women.

Early Head Start promotes:

the healthy development of infants and toddlers;
healthy parent/child relationships; and
healthy family functioning

What does Early Head Start believe?

We believe the following:

parents are a child's first teacher
children learn by experiencing their environment and interacting with others
a teacher's role is to provide individualized care in an environment that allows a child many opportunities for experiencing, learning, and growing.

What services does Early Head Start provide?

Early Head Start provides programs and activities that promote the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of infants and toddlers (ages 0-3). Parents can choose from the following program options:

Pregnant Mom's Program
Pregnant women are eligible to enroll in Early Head Start before the birth of the baby. Pregnant moms meet with a home visitor and together make a plan to prepare for the baby. Pregnant moms and their home visitor will talk about

pregnancy and physical changes
prenatal care
birth
parenthood
life with baby

Once the baby is born, he or she is enrolled in the home-based program and begins receiving services.

Home-based Program
The home-based program is a unique education program that supports the parent's role as the child's first teacher and is based on a partnership between the parent and the home-visitor. The home-based program includes:

weekly 90-minute home visits
parent and child learning experiences
family group events

This program is uniquely designed to:

enhance child growth and development
increase parent/child interaction
promote healthy family living
support family goals

Center-based Program
The center-based program offers a learning environment and individualized care for infants and toddlers (ages 0-3) whose parents work or are attending school or job training.

Early Head Start Centers are located at:

907 Filhiol Avenue, Monroe
811 Beverly Street, Monroe
508 Austin Street, West Monroe

This program offers the following:

high quality infant and toddler learning environment
low teacher/child ratios
parent partnerships in planning for the education of children
health and nutrition services and education
family support services

Is your family eligible for Early Head Start Services?
Infants and toddlers (ages 0-3, including children with disabilities) and pregnant women meeting income requirements are eligible. Call Volunteers of America Northeast Louisiana at (318) 322-2272 for more information.

Experiencing! Learning! Growing!

Mental Health Services

Volunteers of America Northeast Louisiana's mental health services seek to help individuals remain in the community with supports to reduce homelessness and hospitalization. Each program includes assessment, service planning, service linkage and advocacy. Goals for achievement are also developed with the individual.

Assertive Community Treatment

This program is funded through the Office of Mental Health to provide a system of individualized services to clients of the Region VIII Office of Mental Health. This program provides assessment, service planning, service linkage and advocacy for seriously mentally ill adults and children/youth that are identified as emotionally and behaviorally disturbed. Our program serves consumers that live in Lincoln, Union, and Jackson parishes receiving referrals from the local mental health clinic.

Call Volunteers of America Northeast Louisiana's Lincoln Parish office at (318) 254-8160 for more information.

Hope in Action Supportive Housing Program

This program is funded through HUD and the Region VIII Office of Mental Health and was established to provide housing that supports individuals with mental illness in moving from homelessness to permanent housing. The funds are designed to help homeless persons meet three overall goals:

achieve residential stability
increase skills and/or income
obtain greater self-determination

Individuals will be served through supportive services and housing development. This program serves individuals in Ouachita, Caldwell, and Richland parishes. Referrals must come through Region VIII Mental Health Centers.

Call Volunteers of America Northeast Louisiana at (318) 322-2272 for more information.

Facts:

Mental illnesses are health conditions characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, 1999)
Approximately 1/3 of the estimated 600,000 homeless people in the U.S. have a severe mental illness. However, only 1 in 20 persons with severe mental illness are homeless. (Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, 1992)
All people with mental disorders, including those who are homeless, require ongoing access to a range of treatment and rehabilitation services to lessen the impairment and disruption produced by their condition. http://www.nationalhomeless.org/
The treatment success rate for a first episode of schizophrenia is 60%, 65%-70% for major depression, and 80% for bipolar disorder. (National Mental Health Advisory Council 1993)
Only 5% - 7% of homeless persons with a mental illness need to be institutionalized; most can live in the community with appropriate supportive housing. (Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, 1992)
When combined with supportive services, meaningful daily activity in the community (including work), and access to therapy, appropriate housing can provide the framework necessary to end homelessness for many individuals. http://www.nationalhomeless.org/

Homeless Outreach

The Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement Team (HOME Team) provides services and support to homeless individuals with the goal of providing the opportunity to connect with necessary support and services integrate back into the community. The HOME Team will search out and identify homeless individuals on the streets, under bridges, in parks, in cars, in abandoned buildings, as well as those in shelters and/or safe haven programs for the homeless. The team will provide outreach, assessment services and referral to available services. The team will initially deliver resources such as food, clothing and mobile health services. Through repeated contacts, relationships will be built and the team will be able to make referrals to area agencies.

Certified Medicaid Application Center

Volunteers of America is a certified Medicaid application center, allowing applicants the opportunity to apply for Medicaid in the comforts of our office.

Pregnancy Testing Services

Volunteers of America provides free pregnancy testing services and makes referrals to programs and services that will be helpful in achieving and maintaining a healthy family. Referrals include the Twin Cities Early Head Start program.

Traumatic Head/Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund

Assists Louisiana citizens who have suffered a spinal cord or traumatic head injury to live independently in the community and to improve their quality of life. For more information visit the state's website.