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Task force examines behavioral health crisis centers, ED clearance pilot and telehealth data pilot for addiction care
Summary
Members discussed piloting behavioral health crisis centers to reduce emergency department congestion, Project Mom maternal substance use efforts, and a State Board of Medical Examiners pilot with Ochsner to use telehealth and centralized data for controlled-substance and MAT management.
Task force participants discussed behavioral health crisis centers and pilots intended to reduce emergency department congestion and improve pathways to appropriate behavioral health care in rural regions.
Chair Karen Weibel described a regionally focused effort in Region 4 to pilot crisis-center protocols that would allow trained providers to complete medical clearance outside hospital emergency departments so patients could be transferred directly to behavioral health facilities. She said Acadian emergency medical services and local behavioral health partners are developing protocols and that St. Tammany Parish operates a similar sustainable program.
Danae Hebert and other members noted overlaps with Project Mom, a state-supported initiative focused on pregnant people with substance use disorders; local hospitals will serve as catalyst sites for Project Mom in at least three locations, and the task force discussed coordinating behavioral-health and maternal programs. Weibel said that averting unnecessary ED medical-clearance visits would also help reduce judicial-system entanglement for people with behavioral-health needs.
Separately, Doctor Vincent Collotta reported that the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners has entered a pilot agreement with Ochsner to use centralized clinical data and telehealth to support treatment that historically required an in-person physical exam, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and care involving controlled substances in certain circumstances. Collotta said the pilot will report to the board every 90 days so the board can review outcomes and evaluate whether telehealth-enabled workflows maintain appropriate clinical documentation and safety.
Members emphasized coordination across behavioral health partners, EMS, hospitals and state licensing/regulatory entities to design pilots that protect patient safety while reducing unnecessary ED stays. No formal votes or new funding commitments were recorded at the meeting; members asked staff to circulate pilot materials and to coordinate with LDH and other partners on next steps.
