May 23, 2025 LDH launches Project M.O.M. with new director, website, and detailed roadmap

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 23, 2025 - The Louisiana Department of Health is officially launching Project M.O.M. (Maternal Overdose Mortality) with the announcement of the project’s director, website, and patient journey map designed to introduce participating hospitals, providers, and other stakeholders to this transformative initiative. Project M.O.M. aims to reverse the urgent crisis of accidental opioid overdose as the primary cause of maternal mortality in Louisiana.

“Accidental opioid overdose has been the leading cause of pregnancy-associated death in Louisiana since 2018, and this is a statewide effort to reverse that terrible trend,” said Deputy Secretary Dr. Pete Croughan. “Every preventable death is a tragedy, but the death of a pregnant woman or young mom doubles the tragedy, as the loss of the mother endangers her child.”

One of three new key initiatives announced April 21 by new Secretary of Health Bruce D. Greenstein, Project M.O.M. aims to reduce pregnancy-associated opioid overdose deaths by 80% within the next three years, while protecting an untold number of infants from loss or foster care placement.

Carrie Templeton, who joined LDH in October, will lead the program. She previously held executive roles at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, Lafayette General Surgical Hospital, Iberia Medical Center, and Lafayette General Health.

“This project is getting out of the gate and gaining momentum very quickly,” said Greenstein. “The hospitals and providers we’ve been talking to are excited about becoming part of this ambitious and necessary initiative. Carrie’s leadership in women and children’s health, together with her passion for improving care coordination, make her a great fit to lead Project M.O.M. She has the skill set and capabilities needed to bring together many existing efforts and align them in a way that improves access to care.”

Over the next 90 days, Templeton will convene hospital and community partners to develop an implementation plan, including data collection and performance tracking. Over the next six months, the group will align managed care and healthcare partners to improve access to care and coordination of treatment.

“I am very excited about the vision for Project M.O.M. By improving access and care for pregnant women with substance use disorders (SUDs), we will enhance care for all pregnant women and strengthen the overall system of care for individuals with SUD,” Templeton said.

These partners will work across systems to scale best practices and pilot programs across Louisiana that achieve a number of objectives, including: 

• Increasing substance use screening across prenatal providers and facilities,
• Improving access to care by training and supporting providers to deliver SUD treatment in clinics, emergency departments (EDs) and hospitals,
• Linking hospital and ED encounters to rapid outpatient treatment, and
• Increasing accessibility of lifesaving medications, such as naloxone, to prevent overdose mortality.

By creating a series of interlinked touch points throughout the state and hospital systems, Croughan said, health providers will better support and respond to moms in need. The website includes a form where hospitals, providers, and community members can express their interest in getting involved in this initiative.

The website names ongoing initiatives that support Project M.O.M., such as the Grace Program at Women’s Hospital, the expansion of Louisiana Bridge to Treatment program, the specialized Family Medicine-OB Partnership at Our Lady of Angels in Bogalusa, and several initiatives within the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative. Collectively, these and other ongoing efforts will serve as catalysts to be adopted by providers statewide.