Healthy St. Landry Alliance Provides COVID-19 Support and Resources

In a continuing effort to provide support and resources to our community during this Coronavirus pandemic, the Healthy St. Landry Alliance, an affiliate of the OGHS Foundation, is providing daily briefings via audio conferencing regarding the current statistics and up-to-date information relating to the COVID-19 outbreak in St. Landry Parish to over 140 participants.

Included in the briefings that began on March 16, are the Mayor of Opelousas and the accompanying mayors of the eleven St. Landry municipalities. Also included are leaders of the St. Landry Chamber of Commerce, St. Landry Economic Development, St. Landry Parish Government, the Louisiana Office of Public Health and State Representative Dustin Miller. Healthy St. Landry partners that participate include area non-profits, local and state agencies, higher education leaders and President & CEO of Opelousas General Health System, Kenneth Cochran, who provides up-to-date information regarding bed capacity, availability of medical supplies and personnel.

The goal of this initiative is to collectively communicate resources available within the community for patients and community members as it relates to food supplementation, mental health support, unemployment information, resources for small businesses and much more.

This initiative has served as a model for other parishes within the state who also strive to provide these vital resources to their communities. Several neighboring parish officials have been invited to participate so that this framework can be duplicated and utilized in their region.

Healthy St. Landry is made up of partners that provides services and resources for St. Landry parish and are addressing social determinants of health. Since its inception, Healthy St. Landry has created a St. Landry Parish Resource Directory that is accessible on the Opelousas General Health System website and created the OGHS Foundation Diaper Bank. Monthly meetings provide an opportunity to share resources, partner on events and projects and secure collaborators for grant funding.

The Healthy St. Landry Alliance was formed in April 2018 to create a healthy St. Landry for all.