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Sen. Mizell highlights Project MOM pilot aimed at cutting pregnancy-related opioid deaths
Summary
Sen. Mizell told the Senate that a Bogalusa hospital-led pilot called Project MOM aims to reduce pregnancy-associated opioid overdose deaths by up to 80% in three years through expanded screening, treatment access and care coordination.
Sen. Mizell used a personal-privilege statement on the Senate floor May 4 to spotlight Project MOM, a pilot program begun at Our Lady of Angels Hospital in Bogalusa that targets pregnancy-associated opioid overdoses.
"Accidental opioid overdose has been the leading cause of pregnancy associated death in Louisiana since 2018," Sen. Mizell said, describing Project MOM’s approach to increase substance-use screening across prenatal providers, expand access to medications for opioid use disorder and improve care coordination after overdoses. He said the pilot reported a 35% decrease in overdose mortality in the region where it operated and projected an 80% reduction statewide over several years if best practices are scaled.
Mizell described several program elements: specialist OB–addiction partnerships, targeted treatment plans for infants exposed to substances, rapid linkage from emergency departments to outpatient treatment and broader naloxone access to prevent fatal overdoses. He identified Our Lady of Angels as an "inaugural catalyst site" and named hospital staff and local leaders who helped develop the model.
The senator framed Project MOM as a public-health strategy that preserves departmental authority on program design. "The goal of Project MOM is to reduce pregnancy associated opioid overdose deaths by 80 percent within 3 years by scaling best practices and pilot programs across Louisiana," he said, while noting implementation would rely on departmental program rules and available funding.
The presentation drew no floor action during the session; senators welcomed the delegation from Bogalusa and Mizell encouraged continued collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Health and local providers. The Senate moved on to its regular calendar after the remarks.
Next steps: Mizell and attendees urged outreach to LDH and other stakeholders to align funding, clinical protocols and reporting if the program is scaled beyond pilot sites.
