Vision
The Mental Health Collaborative’s (MHC) vision is for New Orleanians to have equitable access to a robust, well-coordinated mental health system of high-quality care. With an overarching goal of coordination of care grounded in needs assessment, the MHC’s current focus includes access to care and capacity building.
Rooted in a collective impact model, the MHC is a network of community members, organizations, and institutions who advance equity by learning together, utilizing current data to align and integrate their actions to achieve population and systems-level change as it relates to behavioral health in New Orleans.
Mental Health Collaborative Leadership
Co-chair: Joe Giarrusso, Councilmember for City of New Orleans
Co-chair: Rochelle Head-Dunham, MD, DFAPA, FASAM, Executive Director and Medical Director of Metropolitan Human Services District
Areas of Focus
Coordination of Care
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Access to Care
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Capacity Building
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Needs Assessment
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Areas of Service
MHC focuses on the New Orleans East, Lower 9, and Holy Cross neighborhoods based on available data and need. As the highest concentrations of Medicaid beneficiaries, along with a lack of behavioral health providers, these three neighborhoods have been identified as behavioral health deserts.
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Medicaid Coverage Overlaid with Behavioral Health and Federally Qualified Clinics
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Mental Health Collaborative Efforts
- SAMHSA RESOLVE: A New Orleans Initiative
- Increases clinical mental health services in schools
- Partnership Workgroup
- Metropolitan Human Services District (MHSD) & Ochsner Clinic New Orleans East Partnership
- Convening behavioral health providers in New Orleans East, Holy Cross, and Lower 9 neighborhoods
- Medicaid School Drawdown Workgroup
- Tracking Public Policy
- HB1
- HCR 17: Requests the state Department of Education, Department of Children & Family Services, and Louisiana Department of Health to collaborate to increase mental health counseling in public school
- SB 190: Provides for Medicaid reimbursement rate increases
- Tracking Public Policy
- Medicaid School-Based Services for increased physical and behavioral health services to be delivered in schools
- SAMHSA RESOLVE: A New Orleans Initiative
- Free Mental Health First Aid training for community members, including health workers
- Trauma-informed Training for youth and school personnel
- Nontraditional Partnerships
- Metropolitan Human Services District (MHSD) & Ochsner Clinic New Orleans East Partnership
Collective impact is more effective in solving complex problems, with the community being a critical factor in long-term success.
- #MentalHealthMoment
- SAMHSA RESOLVE: A New Orleans Initiative
- Community Advisory Board Mini-grants
- MHC 4-Part Radio Series
About SAMHSA RESOLVE: A New Orleans Initiative
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded New Orleans Mental Health Collaborative (MHC) partners more than $1.9 million over two years to expand and coordinate trauma-informed community behavioral health resources and services for young people.
The funds will support the Resilient, Equitable Systems for Overcoming Loss and Violence Everywhere (RESOLVE) New Orleans Project, which focuses on serving youth and families living in communities of chronic poverty most impacted by collective trauma and community violence.
RESOLVE’s New Orleans will focus on four primary goals:
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Develop and implement a strategic plan for a comprehensive and coordinated trauma-informed behavioral health system led by community stakeholders
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Expand trauma-informed behavioral health service capacity to serve high-risk youth and families
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Increase the number of people who work with young people and receive training in trauma-informed care interventions and approaches
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Expand trained peer supports for youth dealing with community violence and trauma
The Steering Committee
Steering Committee Members are community leaders from 13 diverse sectors who have an acumen for their profession.
Co-chair: Joe Giarrusso, Councilmember for City of New Orleans
Co-chair: Rochelle Head-Dunham, MD, DFAPA, FASAM, Executive Director and Medical Director of Metropolitan Human Services District
Dr. Jennifer Avegno
City of New Orleans, Health Director
Ms. Jessica Diedling, MPH, PMP
Ochsner Health, Associate Program Manager, Community Benefit
Ms. Lisa Gentry, LMSW, MPH
Ochsner Health, AVP – Behavioral Health Service Line
Dr. Darvelle Hutchins
New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans, VP Culture, Diversity, and Inclusion
Dr. Julie Kaplow
Trauma and Grief Center, Executive Director
Dr. Brandi Kelly, PhD
Louisiana OCDD, Clinical Director
Mr. David Kulick
MPH The Focus Group, Managing Director
Ms. Angela Lockley
Institute for Women and Ethical Studies,
Sr. Program Manager of Community Engagement
Mr. Ron McClain, LCSW
JD Institute of Mental Hygiene, Executive Director
Ms. Kristian Mollow
Beacon Behavioral
Ms. Mayra E. Pineda
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, President and CEO
Mr. Michael Williamson
United Way of Southeast Louisiana, President and CEO
Dr. Myo Thwin Myint
Program Director of Fellowship/Residency Training, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) & Triple Board (Peds/Psych/CAP) Programs
Dr. Torin T. Sanders, LCSW
Sixth Baptist Church, Pastor and Southern University at New Orleans, Associate Professor of Social Work
Dr. Denese Shervington
MPH Institute for Women and Ethical Studies, Founder & CEO and Tulane School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Professor
Dr. Avis Williams
NOLA Students, Superintendent
Get Involved
Join the collaborative to learn more and receive email updates.
Please email Melisse Meza, United Way SELA VP of Health and Fund Distribution at MelisseM@UnitedWaySELA.org for information on joining and/or donating to the MHC.