Partners for Healthy Babies

Parish Health Units

Parish Health Units provide a wide range of health services.
Services include, but are not limited to:

• Pregnancy testing
• WIC services
• Immunizations
• Family planning

To find your nearest Parish Health Unit, click here.

Update:
As of July 7, 2016, the East Baton Rouge Parish Health Unit (PHU) is temporarily closed. Clients of the health unit should call 225-342-6933 for more information. Clients may still receive services at any other PHU. Nearby health units include: Livingston, Port Allen, New Roads, Gonzales, and Clinton. This website will be updated as more information about locations and services in the Baton Rouge area become available.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)

Federally Qualified Health Centers are another option for new parents and pregnant women seeking care. FQHCs provide:

• Basic health services
• Preventative health services
• Referrals
• Patient Education

To find your nearest Federally Qualified Health Center, click here. For a more detailed list of services provided by FQHCs, click here.

Where to get a pregnancy test:

• Parish Health Unit
• Federally Qualified Health Center (FHQC)
• Healthy Louisiana service provider (Medicaid)
• Wherever you go for healthcare now!

If you’re a teen, check out the Adolescent Healthcare Resource Guide, a downloadable PDF that lists services just for you.

Prenatal care is medical care a woman gets while she is pregnant. Prenatal care allows doctors to spot, treat, and prevent health problems that can harm mom and baby. You should get prenatal care as soon as you find out you are pregnant.

Where do I get prenatal care?

• Your current OB/GYN
• Your private health care insurance network
• Your Healthy Louisiana (formerly Bayou Health) provider. Find a provider who takes Medicaid here.

What happens during a prenatal care visit?

During a prenatal care visit, your doctor will ask you a few questions and talk to you about healthy habits during pregnancy.

During a prenatal care visit, your doctor will:

• Give you a physical exam
• Test blood, urine, and blood pressure
• Listen to your baby’s heartbeat
• Measure your stomach

What should I ask?

Your doctor can help you with any questions or concerns you have. Talk to your doctor about:

• Childbirth classes
• Parenting classes
• Breastfeeding
• How much weight to gain

Are you a first time mom? Check out Nurse Family Partnership

If you need mental health help, services or treatment for
addictions such as substance abuse, these resources may help.

• Mental Health Services (Office of Behavioral Health): Information about mental health programs in Louisiana
• Regional list of mental health clinics in Louisiana
• Postpartum Online Support Group: Free, weekly, telephone support
  group where you can chat with an expert and other moms about resources, symptoms, options and general information about mood and anxiety surrounding pregnancy.
• Find Louisiana resources for postpartum depression.

Helplines

• Call 911 for immediate medical emergencies, or call 211 for non-emergencies.
• Compulsive Gambling: (877) 770-7867
• Alcohol / Drug Helpline: (877) 664-2248
• Louisiana Spirit Crisis Counselor: (866) 310-7977

If you have a Healthy Louisiana (formerly Bayou Health) plan, click here or call 1-855-229-6848 for information and resources, and to find a behavioral/mental health provider.

Where to Get Shots for Your Children

• If you have health insurance for your child, you can get shots from your child’s doctor. If your insurance is through Healthy Louisiana (formerly Bayou Health) and you do not have a doctor yet, click here to find a doctor.
• If you have health insurance, but it does not cover shots for your child, you may be able to get shots at a Parish Health Unit (PHU) or Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC).
• If you do not have health insurance for your child, you can get insurance through the Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program (LaCHIP), and visit a PHU or FQHC in the meantime.
• If you’re in the New Orleans Area, visit the Greater New Orleans Immunization Network website for information about immunizations and a schedule for the New Orleans mobile immunization unit.

More Resources

• Shots for Tots has information about immunizations: including why you should immunize your child and when certain shots should be given.
• The Immunization Program of the Office of Public Health has information about where to get a vaccine, who is eligible for free vaccinations, and general information about vaccines.

Local Resources

• The CDC’s National HIV & STD Testing Resource and the Louisiana Statewide AIDS/STD Infoline at 1-800-99-AIDS-9 (1-800-992-4379) can help you find a testing site.
• Visit LA HIV411 for information about AIDS education, prevention, and resources available in Louisiana.
• Visit the NO/AIDS Task Force website to find out where you can get an HIV test or HIV/AIDS counseling in the New Orleans area.

National Resources

• Visit American Sexual Health Association or call (919) 361-8500 to get information about STDs, symptoms, treatment, free and anonymous testing sites, and resources for HIV+ individuals.
• Visit We > AIDS for more information on STDs and AIDS.

The Louisiana Office of Public Health’s Reproductive Health Program can assist you by offering disease screening, health education, counseling services, and contraceptive methods.

Reproductive Health Clinic Directory and Services

A list of clinics and services can be found here.

To find a family planning clinic near you, check out the Reproductive Health Program website and enter your zip code in the box on the top right of the page. These clinics all take Medicaid.

Clinics that are part of the Louisiana Office of Public Health Reproductive Health Program offer the following services:

• Physical exam, including Pap test and clinical breast exam
• Family planning counseling and education
• Provision of medications and/or supplies as needed
• Testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV/AIDS
• Pregnancy testing
• Sterilization counseling, education, and referral
• Tubal ligation and vasectomy
• Preconception counseling (“Planning Your Pregnancy”)
• Reproductive health education and information
• Consultations and referrals for infertility
• Community outreach, tracking, and maintenance of high risk patients
• Education and information targeting adolescents

Learn how you can protect yourself and your children from lead, as well as what resources are available to help in Louisiana on ldh.la.gov/lead.