Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals | Bruce Greenstein, Secretary

Health Systems Development Unit

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals' Office of Public Health's Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health (the Bureau) offers health systems development services to health care facilities, organizations and other providers across the State. These services are offered to communities within health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) for the purpose of expanding or sustaining access to primary and preventive health care services.

 

To create community support and ensure the success of health care development projects, the programs within the Health Systems Development (HSD) Unit provide:

• Strategic planning;
• Needs assessments;
• Group facilitation; and
• Resource development.

The HSD Unit also administers:

• The federal Office of Rural Health Grant;
• The Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant (FLEX);
• The Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant (SHIP);
• The State Office of Primary Care Grant; and
• The State Loan Repayment Program Grant.
  

This Unit also:

• Certifies rural health clinics (RHCs);
  
• Researches and recommends areas to be designated as health professional shortage areas (HPSAs);
  
• Reviews and supports eligibility for placement of J-1 Visa Waiver practitioners;
  
• Assists the National Health Service Corps (NHSC); and
  
• Offers extensive technical assistance for developing federally qualified health centers (FQHCs).

 

Programs within the HSD Unit include:

 

• State Rural Health Office;
• Primary Care & Health Care Workforce Development Program; and
• Critical Access Hospitals.

Funding and Support:  The Bureau operates with funding from the Bureau of Health Professions, the Bureau of Primary Care and the Office of Rural Health Policy - all three of which are under the umbrella of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

 

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For more information contact:

Beth Millet

HSD Unit Director

 

Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health
Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals' Office of Public Health
Physical Address: 628 North 4th Street, 8th Floor, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3118, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3118
Phone: (225) 342-6326
Fax:       (225) 342-5839