As a statewide organization since inception, LPHI has focused on extending and enhancing services provided to communities across the state. As such, LPHI recognizes the importance of Louisiana’s rural communities and we are committed to supporting conditions that improve rural community health in sustainable ways. Whether it is in a full-service approach across LPHI capacities or focused support of a particular kind, LPHI offers a host of services for rural communities related to community assessments, program planning, grant-writing, program management, evaluation, programmatic and administrative technical assistance, information systems and data management design and support, health promotion and social marketing, healthy changes in community make-up and health policy research and advocacy.

Examples of LPHI’s rural initiatives include:

• LPHI is a participant in the W.K. Kellogg Foundations Rural People Rural Policy program. This is a five-year training and experiential program to develop competencies in effective rural policy development. This will assure the further development of the organizations health policy effectiveness with emphasis on the rural-related health issues of Louisiana.
• In 2009, LPHI joined with leadership from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health, the LA Rural Health Association, LA Rural Hospital Council and other leaders of LA rural health to conduct visits to the LA Congressional delegation to provide face-to-face information about the importance of policies to adequately support quality, accessible and sustainable health services in rural LA.
• LPHI provided program development and grant-writing support to a rural community in Acadiana which was looking for additional funding to advance a novel community approach to obesity prevention among school children.
• During the 2006-2007 fiscal year, LPHI’s Rural Health Initiative provided ongoing information technology assistance for a rural healthcare network in South Louisiana.
• The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health partnered with LPHI following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to provide technical support and resources to communities and to develop access to healthcare services and reduce health disparities. LPHI worked with urban and rural parishes impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita through management of the Health Services Recovery Council (HSRC), a body of healthcare professionals across the state that meet on a bi-monthly basis. The HSRC engaged in an assessment and reporting process that informed state and federal recovery planning and resource allocation decisions.  LPHI also provided management services for the Louisiana Health Services Training Corps, a project aimed at addressing allied and front-line healthcare workforce shortages and employee retention in areas impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

For more information about LPHI’s work involving rural communities, contact Dr. Eric Baumgartner at ebaumgartner@lphi.org or 504.301.9808.