Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System is an integrated system of mental health care designed to provide a wide array of services within a multi-faceted system. Maintained within ELMHS are over 693 licensed inpatient psychiatric beds, affiliated community residential settings and outpatient services. ELMHS is a part of the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Behavioral Health. The System is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) and certified in part by the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS). ELMHS operates under two distinct licenses and collaborates with other state and licensed agencies to provide safe, quality care to referred patients from the entire state.

Visitation Policy

 Mission:

The mission of ELMHS is to provide mental health evaluation, treatment, habilitation and consultation for adults. Programs provided include inpatient interventions, jail based evaluations, supervised group home and residential programs, forensic evaluation, care, custody, and aftercare; intermediate and long-term psychiatric are a coordination with the total system of care in Louisiana.

 Programs:

ELMHS is unique in that the system provides a varied and wide range of services in many geographical locations throughout the state. Services are provided by the multi-disciplinary treatment teams. Each patient participates in a treatment program based on that individuals needs and interests which may include medications, behavior therapy, substance abuse treatment, competency restoration, individual and group therapy, sexual offender treatment, work therapy, treatment malls, and transitional housing (community homes). The system has two divisions: the East Division and the Forensic Division.

East Division:

Inpatient civil programs provide psychiatric services to male and female adults age 18 or older who are chronically mentally ill or require immediate or long term hospitalization. There are three treatment programs for the civil population, three Adult Community Homes and one Competency Unit. Each program provides psychiatric, nursing, psychological, psychosocial, and rehabilitative services that work with the patients to provide a therapeutic atmosphere and stabilize the patient’s symptoms. The Cedarview Building provides intermediate care to males. 

Evangeline House provides active treatment for males who require intermediate to long-term hospitalization. Services are provided to patients on Evangeline House 4 to help stabilize symptoms and work toward placement in a less restrictive environment.

Adult ICF Community Homes provide a supervised environment for adults with developmental disabilities who do not require the level of services and structure provided in an inpatient facility, but are not able to live independently. Admissions are coordinated through the Office of Developmental Disabilities. The program provides training in job skills, social skills and independent living skills with the goal of transitioning to more independent living settings.

Inpatient programs at Oakcrest consist of 100 beds which are staffed by the Forensic Division. The Oakcrest Unit serves patients who are in pre-trial status and are committed by the courts for restoration to competency.

Forensic Division:

Inpatient programs provide services to adults who are remanded to the program through legal proceedings. These units provide a high level of security for the patients housed at Forensic. The programs provide assessment and therapies which are directed toward treatment and stabilization of psychiatric disorders, treatment of substance abuse disorders, behavior management and enhancement of interpersonal skills.

- Admissions Special Security Area (ASSA) is a maximum security/ admission unit that provides evaluation, management & treatment for psychiatric disorders including competency issues designed to ensure safety & security of male forensic patients. Patients with more serious charges are admitted to this building first as opposed to Oakcrest.

- Intermediate Treatment Unit (ITU) is a forensic, medium-security unit composed of 3 male wards and 1 female/admission ward, which provides evaluation, management and treatment for psychiatric disorders including competency restoration issues. Ward 4 has 20 beds for the forensic female population and includes admission and assessment responsibilities plus a 4-bed annex for more aggressive/ behavior management female patients.

- Crossroads Rehabilitation Unit (CRU) is a forensic, minimum-security male unit providing care, treatment and management for psychiatric disorders with participation in rehabilitative work therapy program. With court approval, patients may go on staff supervised excursion outings or have home passes.

- Community Forensic Services (CFS) Division at the Forensic Aftercare Clinic in the New Orleans area provides outpatient treatment and services to post-discharge forensic patients of Louisiana's public psychiatric hospitals. District Forensic Coordinators follow patients in facilities throughout the state.

- State Jail based treatment provides competency restoration and administrative follow-up of discharged forensic patients. This program is staffed by Community Forensic Services.

- Contracted Group Home beds are located in Baton Rouge and New Orleans and are supervised by the Forensic Division. The contracting agency is responsible for all licensure and regulatory issues. These homes provide transitional housing to forensic patients who are discharged from Louisiana's public psychiatric hospitals.

- Secure Forensic Facility (SFF) is a placement option designed to meet the needs of those male forensic clients who do not require a hospital level of care, but due to legal issues, and/or other obstacles, are unable to reintegrate directly into the community. SFF provides programming for the primary purpose of preparing those identified forensic clients for reintegration into society.

Treatment Services:

All treatment services are provided by highly qualified and competent interdisciplinary treatment teams. The teams are composed of core members including the patient, psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse, social worker, and psychiatric aide or therapeutic guard. Additional professionals who may participate as a member of the treatment team include the psychologist, activity therapist, dietician, medical practitioner, work therapy coordinator, and clergy. These professionals interface routinely to meet the needs of the patients they serve. Treatment programs are developed based on the individual's needs and interests. Progress is evaluated on a regular basis.

Psychiatric Services:
Psychiatric services are provided through a contractual arrangement with the Tulane School of Medicine. Services are provided by board certified or board eligible psychiatrists who lead the treatment teams and provide assessments, interventions, and monitor the patient?s response to prescribed medication. As treatment team leader, the psychiatrist is the patient's attending physician, coordinating and monitoring all aspects of the patient?s care.

Medical Services:
An internal medical clinic is provided on grounds and physicians are assigned to each treatment program to address the routine medical needs of the patients. Patients are referred to specialists in the area for care that cannot be provided on the hospital grounds. Medical services for ELMHS patients are provided on grounds 24 hours a day.

Psychological Services:
Licensed psychologists are assigned to each treatment program. Their responsibilities include providing consultations to treatment teams and assistance with the development of behavioral programs. They also provide psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, staff development, and consult on research and program evaluations.

Nursing Services:
The Nursing department provides 24-hour nursing care for all of the patients in the ELMHS inpatient units. A nursing manager is assigned to direct nursing care for each program area. Care is provided by Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Behavior Shaping Specialists, Corrections Guard Therapeutic, Residential Services Specialist and Psychiatric Aides. Staff within this department interface with all other departments and the patients to continually assess needs, plan or coordinate appropriate actions and interventions, to meet identified needs and evaluates outcomes.

Social Services:

Each patient is assigned to a social worker who is a core member of that patient?s treatment team. The social workers provide assessments, interventions, discharge planning and placement, and lead group therapy, as well as work to meet the ongoing psychosocial needs of the patients. The social worker is the liaison between the facility and the patient?s family and community resources.

Rehabilitation Services:
Recreational and Occupational therapists and Rehabilitation Specialists provide specialized rehabilitative services to maximize each patient?s level of functioning and to help prepare the patient to live in a less restrictive setting. This includes assessment, treatment team consultation, and provision of Occupational and Recreational therapy, Work Therapy, and Educational Programs, to address the identified needs and interests of the patient. The department also provides community outings, assists in the development of leisure skills, coordinates the barber and beauty shops, work therapy program and therapeutic mall programs.·

Pastoral Services:
ELMHS recognizes the importance of the spiritual needs of our patients. Pastoral services provided to the patients include weekly services, individual counseling, and assessment, on referral.

Nutritional Services:

Registered dieticians monitor the nutritional needs of our patients. Patients are screened for nutritional needs and referred for nutritional assessment when indicated. Dieticians make dietary recommendations to the treatment team and monitor therapeutic diets. They also provide nutritional counseling and education to the patients and families.

Client Rights Services:
This service ensures that all client rights are followed by educating patients about their rights, monitoring patient complaints and concerns and following up to ensure client satisfaction with the outcome. The service also administers client satisfaction surveys at regular intervals.

Administrative and Support Services:
As with every large Hospital, there are a number of departments that play an integral role in the day to day operations of ELMHS, including those departments in Environment of Care, Ancillary Services, Quality Management, Pharmacy, Education and Training, Health Information, Fiscal, Human Resources, and Administration.

Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System Contacts:

For additional information during business hours (M-F 8:00-4:30), please see the list below.

If you need assistance after hours or on holidays, please dial 225-634-0100.