An initiative to improve and coordinate mental health services for young people in New Orleans will receive almost $2 million in federal funding to address the city’s ongoing mental health crisis.

The money comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and will go to the New Orleans Mental Health Collaborative, a group of nonprofit organizations, health care workers, government agencies and businesses that was formed by the New Orleans City Council in September in response to high rates of trauma and community violence.

At that City Council meeting, community members and organizations described the impact of Hurricane Ida and the COVID-19 pandemic on an already-vulnerable population. Inflation continues to cause even more stress.

“On top of COVID, now you have all these economic burdens that people are feeling, too — energy bills are 30% higher, eggs cost $7 for a carton, homeowners insurance (is) two to three times more expensive, if it exists,” said council member Joe Giarrusso. “There are very real problems that are stressing people out.”

Giarrusso convened the collaborative in September and will co-chair the steering committee with Dr. Rochelle Head-Dunham, Metropolitan Human Services District executive and medical director. Also on the committee are representatives from United Way of Southeast Louisiana, the New Orleans Health Department, New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans, area hospitals and health care facilities, NOLA Public Schools and other community organizations. 

A focus of the steering committee that will lead the mental health collaborative will be publicizing existing resources, said Giarrusso. That could look like more outreach to churches and schools.

The group will also search for all available federal funding that may not be currently utilized, starting with Medicaid dollars for public schools that the schools have not yet tapped into. Those may be used to hire more social workers and psychologists in schools.

The city lacks accessible mental health services for much of its population, and the city’s record levels of violence in the last year have been a near-daily reminder of the societal cost of a lack of resources. 

Eighty-five percent of New Orleans Public Schools reported that over 25% of their students have behavioral health needs, and 62% reported that they do not have resources to meet these needs.

All 64 Louisiana parishes are considered “health provider shortage areas,” or HPSA, for mental health care. HPSA is a federal designation meaning there are one or fewer mental health providers for every 30,000 people.

“This is acute and dire,” said Giarrusso. “It’s very clear that people feel hurt and anxious and frustrated right now. We need to make sure we can deliver care to people … and also make sure we’re building it the right way so it doesn’t collapse on itself.”

The steering committee will present its work at a City Council meeting on April 6.