NEW ORLEANS—Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals’ Secretary Alan Levine on Thursday celebrated the opening of two new community-based outpatient mental health care clinics for children, adolescents and their families in the Greater New Orleans area. Levine joined local and state officials in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at one of the new clinics, the Midtown Clinic in New Orleans, to mark another milestone in the state’s creation of a robust, community-based mental health system statewide.

The Midtown and West Bank clinics will annually provide public outpatient mental health care for 1,200 children and adolescents from birth to 18 years of age, and their families. The clinics also serve as a home base for other public mental health care services that can be delivered in homes, schools and other locations throughout the community. Services include Multi-Systemic Therapy; Dialectical Behavior Therapy; individual, group and family therapy; and medication management services.

“Today marks a major milestone in moving away from a mental health system defined by bricks and mortar toward a system focused on helping people achieve their independence,” Secretary Levine said. “The Governor’s reforms allow families like 12-year-old Shaquill Sears and his mother, Shana Sears, to be able to access individual and family therapy close to their home. Since his transition to Midtown, Ms. Sears says she has been so pleased by Shaquill’s progress and the strides he is making. He is a much happier and healthier child. These services are making a difference.”

In addition to the two new outpatient clinics for children and adolescents, DHH’s Office of Mental Health works with Family Service of Greater New Orleans to provide 24-hour mental health care for children with the Child-Adolescent Response Team (CART). CART provides immediate crisis counseling.