WPCHS

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services



Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services

Coalition of healthcare, law enforcement, faith based, educational based, and concerned citizens focus on identifying issues related to alcohol and drug use, healthcare, and social services in our communities. Sharing information on the issues and networking with the services available.


CALL TO ACTION!

Meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of every month at the ADAPT conference room, 222 Memphis Street in Bogalusa. We would love to have you join us! Time is 9:30am. Sub Committees meet prior to the Coalition meeting at 8:30am. 

December Meeting 2023

Paula Charles, WPCHS President, and Rusty Fornea, Executive Director, presented Mayor Tyrin Troung with a certificate of leadership for his contributions to WPCHS. 


         Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its December meeting at the ADAPT Office. Tyrin Truong, Mayor of Bogalusa was the guest speaker. Mayor Truong gave some general updates concerning Bogalusa. During the past year, homicides have been cut by 48%, and four new officers have been added to the police department. The fire department employees received a pay increase for the first time in over thirteen years. The City is addressing property blight and ten structures have been demolished and removed. Mayor Truong has been working with Representative Malinda White to acquire 4.5 million dollars to improve the wastewater system. Currently, the system is running in back-up mode. During the Summer, the Mayor’s Youth Corp was formed. 60 teens were employed during a six-week period. These youth worked on many projects throughout Bogalusa. A Teen Lounge will be coming to Cassidy Park. This will give youth an outlet for leisure activities, such as gaming. A library will be onsite with tutors to help with schoolwork. Career Development will also make up a component of the Teen Lounge. Mayor Truong stated, “We perish for the lack of knowledge. Therefore, we need to provide our youth with opportunities to gain knowledge.”

November Meeting 2023

Paula Charles, WPCHS President, and Rusty Fornea, Executive Director, recognize Sheriff-Elect, Jason Smith, for his leadership contributions to WPCHS. 


         Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its November meeting at the ADAPT Office. Sheriff-Elect, Jason Smith was the guest speaker. He is scheduled to take office on July 1, 2024. Smith stated, “One reason I decided to run for sheriff was because I wanted to change the culture in Washington Parish beyond just law enforcement.” Smith plans to put deputies in a position where they will be well-known in the area they are working. This will allow officers to form stronger relationships with the people they are serving. While running for the office of sheriff, Smith met many people from different backgrounds who shared their stories and gave him valuable insight that will be beneficial to him as the newly elected sheriff.  He is eager to build bridges and form relationships with others that will bring better services to the people of Washington Parish.

        The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on December 19th at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa. Mayor Tyrin Truong will be the guest speaker. Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.

October Meeting 2023

Angela Houlemard, WPCHS 2nd Vice President, presented Dr. Leslie Faulkner, Drug Enforcement Agency, with a certificate of leadership.


     Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its October meeting at the ADAPT Office. Dr. Leslie Faulkner with the Drug Enforcement Agency provided a presentation on trending drug issues. There continues to be a rise in drug-related deaths with fentanyl being one of the main drivers. Dr. Faulkner stated that seven out of ten illicit pills are laced with enough fentanyl to be deadly. The DEA created a “One Pill Can Kill” campaign to help raise awareness of a significant nationwide surge in counterfeit pills that are mass-produced in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate, and are killing Americans at an unprecedented rate. For more information, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill#

     The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on November 28th at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa.  Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.


September Meeting 2023

Rusty Fornea, Executive Director, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services team members with a certificate of leadership. Pictured from left to right are Paula Charles, Tiffany Whitley, Fornea, and Nicole Crain.


  Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its September meeting at the ADAPT Office. Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) provided a program to increase awareness of Domestic Violence Prevention month which is recognized during October. Speakers included Paula Charles, managing attorney; Nicole Crain, VOCA Attorney; Tiffany Whitley, paralegal; and Jesse Applewhite, Clerk of Court’s Office. SLLS offers free civil legal services to victims of domestic violence. Applications can be completed online at slls.org or by calling Tiffany Whitley at (985) 893-0076. SLLS is located at 423 N. Florida Street in Covington. Staff members are available in Washington Parish on Mondays from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and Wednesdays from 1:00 - 3:00 at the ADAPT Office, 1007 Cleveland Street in Franklinton.

August Meeting 2023

Paula Charles, WPCHS President, and Rusty Fornea, Executive Director, presents Sara St. Pierre (center) with a certificate of leadership. 


Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its August meeting at the ADAPT Office. Sara St. Pierre with the Oceans Behavioral Hospital was the guest speaker. Oceans Healthcare serves nearly 24,000 patients at over 30 locations throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Oklahoma. Through specialized inpatient services and intensive outpatient programs, Oceans Healthcare offers comprehensive behavioral and mental health treatment to help patients at every stage of the healing process. Oceans Behavioral Hospital has a location in Hammond for adults and Kentwood for youth ages 12 to 17. Referrals can be made to Sara St. Pierre and she will assist with the admissions process. Sara can be reached at (985) 514-8608 or by email at sara.st.pierre@oceanshealthcare.com. 

July Meeting 2023

Paula Charles, WPCHS President, and Rusty Fornea, Executive Director, presents David and Dara Johnson with a certificate of leadership. Pictured from left to right are Charles, David Johnson, Dara Johnson, and Fornea.


Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its July meeting at the ADAPT Office. Dara and David Johnson with Seymore D’Fair Foundation were guest speakers. The foundation is a non-profit organization based in St. Tammany Parish. Its focus is early childhood education specializing in preadolescent drug awareness, education, and prevention. The foundation promotes “Kiki’s Red Ribbon School Celebration which is an annual drug awareness and prevention program created by the Seymore D’Fair Foundation in 2018 and coincides with the national Red Ribbon Week Campaign. The program is offered to elementary and middle schools across Louisiana to engage schools and communities in drug prevention efforts. The Foundation is also responsible for Seymore’s “Louisiana is Better with ME 100% Drug-Free” license plate. The license plate can be purchased through the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. When you purchase Seymore’s Drug-Free license plate, a portion of the funds goes to Seymore’s Foundation to support drug education and drug awareness. For more information visit www.SeymoresFoundation.org. 

June Meeting 2023

Rusty Fornea, Executive Director, and Paula Charles, WPCHS President, recognizes members of the Nurse Family Partnership for presenting at the June meeting. Pictured from left to right are Fornea, Charles, Jennifer O’Quinn, Wendy Castillo, Jamie Kohlman, Kristin Wheat, Annette Cavalier


Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its June meeting at the ADAPT Office. The guest speaker was Wendy Castillo, RN with Nurse Family Partnership (NFP). NFP is a program that partners a registered nurse with a first-time mom to provide health education, support, and resources. First time mothers must be less than 28 weeks pregnant and be a WIC or Medicaid recipient. The RN works with the mother until the baby turns 2 years of age. Anyone can refer a first-time pregnant mom by contacting the office at 985-871-0210 or Wendy’s cell, 504-451-9447. 

April Meeting 2023

WPCHS guest speaker, Krystle Winkler is presented a Certificate of Leadership from Rusty Fornea, Executive Director.

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its April meeting at the ADAPT Office. The guest speaker was Krystle Winkler, MSHCM, Director of Business Development with the Northlake Behavioral Health System/The Ness Center. The Ness Center at Northlake is a comprehensive outpatient clinic providing various treatments for a wide range of mental health and substance use disorders. They provide behavioral healthcare for adults with substance use disorders and mental health needs. The level of care ranges from intensive outpatient treatment, outpatient, and alumni support. Their Mobile Crisis Team provides community-based services to adults and adolescents experiencing a behavioral health crisis needing on-site intervention and referral. The Ness Center at Northlake currently offers Case Management, Counseling services, family support services, and peer support, in addition to crisis behavioral health services including 24/7/365 mobile crisis teams, Intensive Outpatient (IOP) treatment for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) including suboxone treatment, Ambulatory Detox and Medication Management, Outpatient (OP) treatment for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders, Primary care screening and treatment services, Psychiatric screening, assessment, and diagnosis.  The Ness Center at Northlake also offers an Adult Psychiatric Inpatient Treatment Program. Their inpatient services provide care for those ages 18 and above who struggle with one or more mental health disorders and in need of acute psychiatric care. They have a total of 32 beds (16 female, 16 male). Contact Kendrick or Elizabeth at (985) 334-4040 for more information.

March 2023 Meeting

Photo:  WPCHS guest speakers, Rusty Fornea and Thomas Mitchell are presented a Certificate of Leadership from Paula Charles, WPCHS President.

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its March meeting at the ADAPT Office. The guest speakers were Rusty Fornea, ADAPT/Washington Parish Sexual Assault Center, and Thomas Mitchell, Hope House Children’s Advocacy Center. Fornea shared information about the Washington Parish Sexual Assault Center (WPSAC) which offers free services to anyone who has experienced a sexual assault, regardless of when it occurred. WPSAC was founded by Charlette Fornea and has been in existence for 33 years in Washington Parish. ADAPT is a level 3 accredited sexual assault center which is the highest that can be achieved.

Services offered include a 24/7 crisis line (985-732-4961), advocacy, law enforcement accompaniment, victim reparations, rape prevention education, and counseling services. According to Fornea, over 100 residents of Washington Parish received services from WPSAC last year. April is sexual assault awareness month. Visit www.adaptwp.org for more information. Mitchell discussed the Children’s Advocacy Center which is operated by Hope House. It provides a one-stop evidence response collection system for children who have been abused. Hope House will soon be moving to its new location in Bogalusa at 328 Austin Street. Hope House was established in 1994 and has served Washington Parish for over 28 years. Approximately 120 kids are serviced each year in Washington Parish. For more information on Hope House, visit www.cachopehouse.org.

January 2023 Meeting

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its January meeting at ADAPT.  Rusty Fornea installed the 2023 officers for the coalition. Newly inducted officers include: Paula Charles, president; Glory Davis, vice-president; Angela Houlemard, 2nd vice-president; Shawn Singletary, secretary; Stacy Hartzog, treasurer, and Gloria Kates, parliamentarian. Fornea serves as the Executive Director for WPCHS/ADAPT. Assisting Fornea with the installation was Regina Meyerchick, DFC/WPCHS Project Director.


The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on February 28th at 9:30 a.m. at ADAPT, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa.  Guest speakers will be Taffy Morrison and Erica French with the Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center. Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.


Photo:  WPCHS 2023 Officers receive certificates of leadership. Pictured are Regina Meyerchick, DFC/WPCHS Director; Paula Charles, president; Rusty Fornea, ADAPT/WPCHS Executive Director; Glory Davis, vice-president; Angela Houlemard, 2nd vice-president; Shawn Singletary, secretary; Stacy Hartzog, treasurer. Not pictured is Gloria Kates, parliamentarian.


February 2023 Meeting

WPCHS guest speaker, James Ducote, gave a virtual presentation on Medicaid enrollment. Mary Bolton accepted a Certificate of Leadership from Paula Charles, WPCHS President, and Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director.

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its February meeting at the ADAPT Office. Guest speaker was James Ducote, Navigators for a Healthy Louisiana Deputy Director.  He provided a presentation on "Medicaid Unwind: What Does This Mean & How Will It Affect Medicaid Coverage.” Ducote shared information about what individuals with Medicaid Health Insurance should do to continue receiving healthcare coverage. He stated that all residents who currently have a Medicaid Insurance Plan must make sure their account information is up-to-date in order to continue to receive coverage. Resources will be shared on free assistance available and options available for those determined to no longer be eligible for Medicaid. Mary Bolton Warren is a navigator that will be working with residents in Washington Parish with one-on-one assistance with applying, updating info and educating about health insurance options for Marketplace, Medicaid and LaCHIP. Warren is available to assist on Mondays at the Bogalusa Health Unit.

            Attendees of the February meeting included:  In-person: Ginger Champagne, Rhonda Gunnell, Rusty Fornea, Tiffany Crain, Becky Stogner, Stacy Hartzog, Maddie Champagne, Stephanie Seals, Bobbie Kimbrell, Casey Hidalgo, David Miller, Paula Charles, Tiffany Whitley, Leslie Holmes, Mary Bolton Warren, Angela Houlemard, Gloria Kates, Shawn Singletary, Joey Peterson, Umeko Peters, Rosa Moses. Via Zoom: Marty Hennegan, Mignon Barnes, Veronica Calderon, Kristin Wheat, James Ducote.

         The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on March 28 at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa.  Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.


WPCHS ACHIEVES NATIONAL COALITION CREDENTIAL


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:

November 2, 2022

Rhonda Gunnell, 985-205-4034

 

 Bogalusa, LA – Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) achieved the Blue-Ribbon Coalition credential from CADCA, the nation’s leading substance use and misuse prevention organization. The Blue-Ribbon Coalition credential is part of a program that recognizes high performing coalitions that do an exceptional job creating a foundation for their work by updating and utilizing their coalition products. The rigorous process to determine these coalitions is the Got Outcomes! Awards program. WPCHS will be recognized and celebrated in February during CADCA’s 2023 National Leadership Forum at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

According to Rusty Fornea, Executive Director for ADAPT, Inc., this is a very high achievement and honor that has been bestowed upon WPCHS.  Fornea stated that only the best of the best are selected for the Blue-Ribbon Coalition credential.

To achieve success, coalitions must determine effective solutions to substance misuse in their community.  WPCHS has been instrumental in providing prevention programs to youth in our parish schools. Since its first Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant which was awarded in 2014, alcohol use has declined among youth in Washington Parish. The Caring Communities Youth Survey (CCYS) showed reductions in past 30-day alcohol among all grades surveyed with an 11.2% reduction among 8th graders, 10.9% reduction among 10th graders, and 28.0% reduction among 12th graders.

“We congratulate WPCHS on their outstanding work and dedication to their community. WPCHS clearly embraced the CADCA model of prevention and their commitment to creating a foundation for population-level outcomes is an inspiration for others in the field of substance misuse prevention. Our Blue-Ribbon Coalitions are excellent examples for other coalitions to be inspired by and emulate in their quest to reduce substance use and misuse in their communities,” said Pat Castillo, CADCA’s VP, Training Operations/Director, National Coalition Institute.

WPCHS was founded in 2004 in Bogalusa/Washington Parish with a mission to unite the community in providing resources and implementing strategies that increase the protective factors to reduce the use of substance use and abuse by our youth. WPCHS meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa.  Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.

WPCHS guest speakers are presented with a certificate of leadership. Pictured are Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director; Paula Charles, SLLS Managing Attorney; Tiffany Whitley, SLLS Paralegal; Gloria Kates, WPCHS President; and Don Sauviac, SLLS Attorney.

September Meeting '22

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its September meeting at the ADAPT Office in Bogalusa. Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) presented a program on Domestic Violence Awareness. Paula Charles, Managing Attorney, gave an overview of data. According to Charles, Louisiana has the fifth highest rate of domestic violence of women in the nation. Louisiana is 85% higher than the rest of the nation in women that are murdered by men. Don Sauviac discussed the free services that SLLS provides for those who have been affected by domestic violence, including Protective Orders. SLLS offers services at the ADAPT Office in Franklinton every Monday. Charles announced that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. More information can be obtained by visiting www.lcadv.org.


Attendees of the September meeting included:  In-person: Gloria Kates, Glory Davis, Rusty Fornea, Rhonda Gunnell, Joey Peterson, Leslie Holmes, Regina Meyerchick, Bobbie Kimbrell, Ginger Champagne, Don Sauviac, Paula Charles, Tiffany Whitley, Rosa Moses, Taffy Morrison, Bethany Hunt, Leona Magee, Erica French, Wendy Castillo, Lauren Franklin, Stephanie Seal, Maddie Champagne. Via Zoom: Demetria Dantzler, Felishia Jenkins, Omar Braggs, Kal Roshto, Paul Mathes, Cynthia Walls, Malinda White, Marty Hennegan.

        

The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on October 25th at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa. State Representative, Malinda White, will be the guest speaker. Meetings are open to the public. For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.

WPCHS guest speaker is presented with a certificate of leadership. 

Pictured are Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director; Representative Malinda White; and Gloria Kates, WPCHS President

October 2022 Meeting

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its October meeting at the ADAPT Office in Bogalusa. Guest speaker was Representative Malinda White. Representative White gave legislative updates. Some things that she has been working on to obtain funding for our parish include: 1) funding for equipment to allow encrypting of communications for Bogalusa Police Department, Franklinton Police Department, and Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office. This will help ensure safety and privacy for community members. 2) plans to expand Northshore Technical Community College to increase the number of students who can attend. 3) improvements to the Bogue Chitto State Park. 4) renovations to the Washington Parish Courthouse. 5) Rayburn Correctional Center will obtain funds for operations. White has been a member of this group since its inception and believes that it is one of the best organizations for addressing needs of human services.


Attendees of the October meeting included:  Gloria Kates, Glory Davis, Rusty Fornea, Linda Mizell, Malinda White, Joey Peterson, Shawn Singletary, Leslie Holmes, Bobbie Kimbrell, Ginger Champagne, Stacy Hartzog, Wendy Castillo, Paula Charles, Tiffany Crain, Stephanie Seal, Maddie Champagne, Dana Walker.  Via Zoom: Cynthia Walls, Rhonda Gunnell, Demetra Dantzler, Marty Hennegan, Kristin Wheat, Jennifer Johnson, Lauren Franklin, Taffy Morrison, Tykesha Robertson, Erica French, MSgt Amy Thomas, Kara Medlock, Kal Roshto.


The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on November 15 at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa. Leigh Ann de Monredon, Access Healthy Louisiana MAT Director, will be the guest speaker. Meetings are open to the public. For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.

July 2022 Meeting

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its July meeting at the ADAPT Office in Bogalusa. Myra N. Magee, Director of Pride and Hope Ministry, was the guest speaker. Pride and Hope Ministry is a licensed Home and Community Based Service in the state of Louisiana and the state of Mississippi. Pride and Hope Ministry plays a critical role in caring for seniors and bringing peace of mind to families in need of care for their loved ones. The long-term costs for non-acute care with a Home and Community Based Service such as Pride and Hope Ministry is typically much lower than living in a nursing home full-time. Pride and Hope Ministry also operates a fully licensed Type 3 Day Care facility in Angie. The Day Care is open to children from 6 weeks old to 17 years old. Pride and Hope employees 120 employees. For more information about services offered by Pride and Hope Ministry, contact Myra Magee at 985-732-9494 or email myranmagee@yahoo.com.


 Attendees of the July meeting included:  In-person: Gloria Kates, Glory Davis, Rusty Fornea, Rhonda Gunnell, Ginger Champagne, Emma Ross, Katasha August, Leslie Holmes, Wendy Castillo, Joey Peterson, Pauline Tony, and Myra Magee; Via Zoom: Paula Charles, Demetria Dantzler, Marty Hennegan, Dana Alkadi, Bobbie Kimbrell, Toni Staton, Kristin Wheat, Tykesha Robertson, and Kal Roshto.


The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on August 23rd at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa. Nnenna Minimah with Southeast Advocates for Family Empowerment (SAFE) will be the guest speaker. Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.


Photo: WPCHS guest speaker, Myra Magee, is presented with a certificate of leadership by Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director, and Gloria Kates, WPCHS President.

August 2022 Meeting

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its August meeting at the ADAPT Office in Bogalusa. Rhonda Gunnell, Prevention Specialist with ADAPT, Inc. provided a presentation on the HRSA. According to Gunnell, ADAPT, Inc. has been awarded the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) grant with a start date of September 1, 2022. RCORP is a multi-year initiative by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) aimed at reducing the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD) in high-risk rural communities. The HRSA grant that has been awarded to ADAPT, Inc. is renewable for four consecutive years at $500,000 per year. ADAPT, Inc. will be the lead agency in implementing Project ADAPT (All Deserve Advocacy, Prevention, & Treatment). Other organizations who will be partnering with ADAPT, Inc. in the implementation of the grant includes Florida Parishes Human Services Authority (FPHSA), Southeast Louisiana Volunteers of America (VOA), Our Lady of the Angels Hospital (OLOAH), Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, and B.B. “Sixty” Rayburn Correctional Center. This grant will be wide-reaching into the community, involving parish leaders, organizations, rural health care providers, behavioral health care providers and residents to reduce SUD/OUD among the citizens of Washington Parish. Gunnell will serve as Project Director for this program.


Attendees of the August meeting included:  In-person: Gloria Kates, Glory Davis, Rusty Fornea, Rhonda Gunnell, Tiffany Crain, Paige Garic, Bobbie Kimbrell, Ginger Champagne, Don Sauviac, David Boudreaux, Tiffany Whitley, Rosa Moses. Via Zoom: Demetria Dantzler, Emma Ross, Erica French, Dana Walker, Sheila Seal, Brittiny Costella, Colin Buchanan, Alison Blades, Wendy Castillo.


The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on September 27th at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa. Paula Charles with Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) will be the guest speaker. Meetings are open to the public. For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.

WPCHS guest speaker, Rhonda Gunnell (center), is presented with a certificate of leadership by Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director, and Gloria Kates, WPCHS President.

June 2022 Meeting

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its June meeting at the ADAPT Office.  Joey Peterson and David Boudreaux were the guest speakers for the meeting. Peterson shared his story of recovery bringing hope to all who suffer from addiction. He credits God and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for his success. Boudreaux spoke about the Opioid Outreach program in Louisiana. Health Units are now including questions about family opioid use in its triage and provides free Narcan to those who have opioids in their home.

           

Attendees of the June meeting included:  In-person: Gloria Kates, Glory Davis, Rusty Fornea, Rhonda Gunnell, Ginger Champagne, Rosa Moses, Frances Varnado, Don Sauviac, Leslie Holmes, Bobbie Kimbrell, Paige Garic, Regina Meyerchick, Kelly Thiebaud, Joey Peterson, Jacob Peterson, Pauline Tony, Vicky Smith, Shannon Butler, Maddie Champagne, and Stephanie Seals. Via Zoom: David Boudreaux, Paula Charles, Demetria Dantzler, Cynthia Walls, Charlette Minor, Rosa Locascio, Wendy Castillo, Tammy Dibartolo, Marty Hennegan, Tara Hartzog, Sonja N., Katasha August, Karen Sullivan, Dana Alkadi, and Sheri Eastridge.

        

The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on July 26 at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa.  Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.


Photo:  WPCHS guest speaker, Joey Peterson (center), is presented with a certificate of leadership by Rusty Fornea, Executive Director, and Gloria Kates, WPCHS President.


May Meeting 2022

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its May meeting at the ADAPT Office. Carla Mouton, Administrative Support Officer for the Northshore Community Foundation provided the program. According to Mouton, the Foundation has been providing services for 15 years in Washington, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and St. Helena parishes. They support philanthropy and non-profits. The home office is in Covington, 807 N. Columbia Street. An initiative for the foundation is making a difference where it counts. They are partnering with NAMI to provide a Well-Connected Program. Talk Space is the platform that will be used for providing counselling to individuals in need. Talk Space grants are available, and June 17th is the deadline to apply. Scholarships are available for students in 6th-12th grade who want to start their own business. For more information, Mouton can be contacted by email at cmouton@northshorefoundation.org or by calling her office phone at 985-893-8757.


 Attendees of the May meeting included In-person: Glory Davis, LaDarrick Smith, Rusty Fornea, Rhonda Gunnell, Paula Charles, Sheila Seal, Mike Ingram, Don Sauviac, Leslie Holmes, Bobbie Kimbrell, Paige Garic, Jenny Morgan, Regina Meyerchick, Brian Collins, Carla Mouton, Casey Fos. via Zoom: Gloria Kates, Demetria Dantzler, Cynthia Walls, Donna Davis, Chrlette Minor, Tykesha Robertson, Lauren Franklin, Tony Shir, Brittiny Costella, Dana Alkadi, Sheri Eastridge, Nnenna Minimah, Angela Houlemard, N. Bester.


The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on June 28 at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa.  Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.

 

WPCHS guest speaker, Carla Mouton (pictured in center), is presented with a certificate of leadership by Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director, and Glory Davis, WPCHS Vice-President.

April 2022 Meeting

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its April meeting at the ADAPT Office.  Toni Bonvillian, Ness Healthcare Executive Director, was the guest speaker. The Ness Center is located in Mandeville and encompasses Washington Parish. It is a comprehensive outpatient clinic providing various treatments for a wide range of mental health and substance use disorders. The Ness Center offers a full continuum of care. For more information about services, contact Toni at tonib@northlakebh.org or by phone – (504) 710-9162.

Attendees of the April meeting included:  In-person: Gloria Kates, Ginger Champagne, Rusty Fornea, Rhonda Gunnell, Maddie Champagne, Sheila Seal, Mike Ingram, Rosa Moses, Glory Davis, Cadie Robertson, Mary Rasch, Don Sauviac, Leslie Holmes, Bobbie Kimbrell, Regina Meyerchick; via Zoom: Toni Bonvillian, Tammy DiBartolo, Sheri Eastridge, Marty Hennegan, Wendy Castillo, Katasha August, David Boudreaux, Jennifer Johnson, Nnenna Minimah, Angela Houlemard,


The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on May 24 at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa.  Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160. 


Photo:  WPCHS guest speaker, Toni Bonvillian, is presented with a certificate of leadership by Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director, and Gloria Kates, WPCHS President.


March Meeting

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its March meeting at the ADAPT Office.  Rusty Fornea, director of the Washington Parish Sexual Assault Center (WPSAC), was the guest speaker. WPSAC was founded by Charlette Fornea and has been in existence for more than thirty years in Washington Parish. WPSAC is one of twelve accredited sexual assault centers in the state of Louisiana. Services provided by WPSAC include a 24-Hour Crisis Line (985/732-4961), hospital escort services, law enforcement accompaniment, individual and group counseling services, and sexual assault educational programs.


Attendees of the March meeting included:  In-person: Ginger Champagne, Rusty Fornea, Rhonda Gunnell, Maddie Champagne, Leslie Holmes Bobbie Kimbrell; via Zoom: Tony Shir, Angela Houlemard, Marty Hennegan, Regina Meyerchick, Emma Ross, Charlette Minor, Tiffany Whitley, Kal Roshto, Tammy DeBardwell.

        

The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on April 26 at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa.  Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160. 


FEBRUARY MEETING

Bogalusa Mardi Gras Royalty recognized for community leadership by WPCHS. Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director; MCCA XLII Queen Theresa Wascom; MCCA XLII King Johnny Passman; Krewe of Unity V Queen Danielle Keys; Krewe of Unity V King Glennis E. McKelphin, Jr.; Gloria Kates, WPCHS President.

WPCHS guest speaker, WPSO Chief Deputy Mike Haley, is presented with a certificate of leadership by Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director and Gloria Kates, WPCHS President.

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its February meeting at the ADAPT Office.  Special guests at the meeting included MCCA XLII King Johnny Passman and Queen Theresa Wascom. Also, Krewe of Unity V King Glennis E. McKelphin, Jr. and Queen Danielle Keys were recognized. According to King Passman, the parade will roll at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 26th. Everyone is encouraged to come enjoy the revelry. Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director, presented gifts to the royal guests. WPCHS President challenged the guests to “let the good times roll” as she presented each with a certificate of appreciation.

Dr. Mike Haley, WPSO Chief Deputy, was guest speaker. He spoke about the opioid epidemic which continues to grow each year. Haley said, “According to the Center for Disease Control, 100,306 people died in the United States from overdoses during 2021.” Louisiana reported 2,251 overdose deaths for this same year. This was a 37.2% increase from the previous year. Washington parish reported 35 overdose deaths during 2021 – this is equivalent to 3 persons losing their lives to overdose each month. Haley suggested that opioid and other addictions are a spiritual issue which needs to be addressed through a faith-based program. Haley commended ADAPT for the work they do in the community to bring awareness and education to the citizens of Washington Parish.

Attendees of the February meeting included:  In-person: Ginger Champagne, Rusty Fornea, Stephanie Seals, Rhonda Gunnell, Gloria Kates, Glory Davis, Greg Brumfield, Tokisha Bell, Mike Haley, Rosa Moses, Charlette Minor, Regina Meyerchick, Maddie Champagne, Katasha August, Cadie Robertson, Theresa Wascom, Johnny Passman, Danielle Keys, Glennis E. McKelphin, Jr.;  via Zoom: Wendy Castillo, Sheri Eastridge, Tony Shir, Ronnie Sanchez, Angela Houlemard, Tammy DeBardwell, Lori Aversa, Marty Hennegan, Kristin Wheat, Don Sauviac, Theresa Robertson, Sheila Seal, Deborah Durapau.

The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on March 22 at 9:30 a.m. at the ADAPT Office, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa.  Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160. 

January 2022 Meeting

On behalf of WPCHS, Executive Director Rusty Fornea and President Gloria Kates presents Sheri Eastridge with a Certificate of Leadership.

Fornea presents out-going President Gloria Davis with a gift of appreciation for serving two consecutive years in the position of president.

Fornea presents President Gloria Kates with a certificate.

Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its January meeting at ADAPT.  Guest was Sheri Eastridge. She is a Training Coordinator for the Louisiana’s Adverse Childhood Experience Educator program, provided the program. According to Eastridge, ACEs are very common. About two-thirds of the population have at least one ACE and about one quarter have three or more. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Educator Program offers ACEs training free of charge to organizations and community groups across Louisiana. To request an ACE Educator Training, email acepresentation@la.gov. Contact information for Sheri is sheri.eastridge@la.gov and phone number is 985-201-5660.

Rusty Fornea installed the 2022 officers for the coalition. Newly inducted officers include: Gloria Kates, president; Glory Davis, vice-president; Paula Charles, 2nd vice-president; Charlette Minor, secretary; Ginger Champagne, treasurer, and Mike Ingram, parliamentarian. Fornea serves as the Executive Director for WPCHS/ADAPT.

        

Those in attendance included In-person: Ginger Champagne, Rusty Fornea, Stephanie Seals, Tracy Gill, Rhonda Gunnell, Gloria Kates, Emma Ross, Glory Davis, Rosa Moses, Sheri Eastridge, Angela Houlemard, Charlette Minor;

via Zoom: Wendy Castillo, MSgt. Amy Thomas, Valerie Jordan, Richard Moody, Tammy (iphone), Donna Davis, Lori Aversa, Marty Hennegan, Kristin Wheat, Sheila Seal, Christopher Wallace, Cynthia Walls, Juliette Frazier, Lisa Ellsworth, Brittany Costella.

        

The next scheduled meeting for WPCHS will be on February 22nd at 9:30 a.m. at ADAPT, 216 Memphis Street, Bogalusa.  Meetings are open to the public.  For more information, contact Rusty Fornea at 985-735-0160.

Fall-Winter 2019 CADCA Newsletter.pdf

WP Youth Coalition Featured in National CADCA Publication

Washington Parish Youth Coalition has been featured on the cover of the national CADCA  December newsletter.  This national recognition is a prestigious accomplishment.  LaDerrick Smith is featured on pages 10-11 for his continued work across the nation. We are making a difference in our community and nationally. To read more, click the newsletter on the left.

NEWS:  Increasing the minimum age of sale for tobacco products to at least 21 years old will significantly reduce youth tobacco use and save thousands of lives. Read more here.

VISION:

Enhancing the psycho-physical well-being of all individuals of Washington Parish throughout their life span.

Community Action

As coalitions are uniquely designed to create change, they must act to create these changes.  WPCHS was involved in the following community actions for Washington Parish:

We Have Connections

WPCHS Sectors:

Business - Mary Helen Williams

Civic - Levi Lewis

Health Care Professional - Bill Nielsen

Law Enforcement - Percy Knight

Media - Regina Meyerchick

Parent - Kelly Thiebaud

Religious Organization - Emma Ross

School - Frances Varnado

State Government Agency - Stephanie P. Solar

Substance Abuse Organization - Danielle Keys

Youth - LaDerrick Smith

Youth Serving Organization - Ginger Champagne

LaDerrik Smith, CADCA Youth Trainer,  represented Washington Parish's Youth Coalition in Grapevine, Texas as part of CADCA's 18th Annual Mid-Year Training Institute. Smith, along with fellow attendees, share their thoughts and stories. 

It is important to be your own advocate if you or a loved one are prescribed an opioid pain reliever. Ask questions! Use as directed! Never share with others! 

Jaime Bruins Cyprian ( Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco Free Living) and Deborah Durapau (Our Lady of the Angels Hospital) were guest speakers at the July WPCHS meeting. WPCHS President Gloria Kates presented both guests with a certificate of appreciation. Bogalusa is celebrating its one year anniversary of passing an act to ban smoking in public places, including bars and gaming areas!

January Meeting

David Duke installed the 2020 WPCHS Officers. They are Glory Davis, president; Sheila Seal, vice-president; Gloria Kates, second vice-president; Katasha August, secretary; Tiffany Crain, treasurer; AJ Sherrard, parliamentarian. David Duke is serving in his tenth year as the Bogalusa City Prosecutor. Bogalusa is the only city with an elected city prosecutor. According to Duke, Bogalusa has a good set up for youth who come through the legal system which includes access to a Detention Center for Delinquents. Youth receive therapy and are well cared for during their stay at the Center. Duke stated that there are fewer drug related arrests on the youth side. His advice to juveniles is “don’t take what is not yours and don’t touch someone else." Duke was presented with a certificate of leadership by Rusty Fornea, ADAPT Executive Director, and Glory Davis, WPCHS President.   


February Meeting 

Regina Meyerchick gave an overview of the Washington Parish Youth Coalition which is a branch of the WPCHS. Meyerchick works closely with students in grades 7-12 to build leadership and knowledge about the harmful effects of substance use. Bailey Brooks, 8th grade student at Pine High School, and Lauryn Smith, 8th grade student at Varnado High School, gave a joint presentation on the Youth Coalition and Juuling. According to Brooks, nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and can harm the developing adolescent brain. Smith stated that members of the youth coalition work to educate their peers about the harmful effects of nicotine and other substances. Meyerchick, Smith, and Brooks were presented with a certificate of leadership by Sheila Seal, WPCHS Vice-President.