Partners for Healthy Babies

Caring for kids can be a lot of things. Sometimes parenting is fun and rewarding, but it can also feel confusing, stressful, or frustrating. We put together a list of need-to-know hotlines, websites, and apps to help you thrive in the best times and bounce back from the tough ones. Check them out!

Project LAUNCH

Project LAUNCH provides helpful activities, tips, and tools that parents and caregivers can use to help their kids reach for the stars!

• Learn how to help your little one deal with their “big feelings”
• Find resources for tricky parenting topics, like temper tantrums, toilet training, and building healthy relationships
• Learn what small, simple things you can do to support your child’s development in their early years

Vroom

Vroom is a free app with daily tips for turning everyday interactions into brain building moments! With tips tailored to your child’s age, Vroom is a fun and easy way to encourage healthy development from an early age. Get a sneak peak at the brain-building tips on their website.

Louisiana Parent Line

Parenting is hard, and Louisiana Parent Line can help. Louisiana Parent Line is designed to help parents in moments when they’re feeling especially stressed, overwhelmed, and frustrated. It’s a free, 24/7 helpline staffed by trained professionals. You can call anytime: 1-833-LA-CHILD (1-833-522-4453). You can also reach them via text at 225-424-1533.

Louisiana Parent Line provides:

• Parenting information and guidance, including how parents keep their cool during tense moments
• Positive discipline tips
• Phone counseling and confidential emotional support
• Referrals to community resources in Louisiana
• Help for victims of child abuse
• Information on the Louisiana Safe Haven Law

Louisiana Breastfeeding Support

• LouisianaBreastfeeding.org: Enter your zip code to find a list of breastfeeding resources near you, including support groups, WIC clinics, and other helpful services. The team is always adding new resources.
• Louisiana WIC: The WIC program offers extra benefits for women who want to breastfeed. WIC participants also have access to trained Lactation (Breastfeeding) Consultants. You can also sign up for the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program. Find out more on LouisianaWIC.org.

National Resources and Support

• Breastmilk Counts offers information about breastfeeding to help you decide if breastfeeding is right for your family.
• Baby Gooroo offers personal stories, videos, and facts to answer common questions about breastfeeding.
• La Leche League helps mothers breastfeed through mother-to-mother encouragement, information, and education.

Child Abuse

• Louisiana Parent Line is a free, confidential helpline for parents or caregivers in crisis. Helpline staff work to reduce the risk of child abuse by offering emotional support, parenting guidance, and resource connections. Call 1-833-LA-CHILD (1-833-522-4453) or text 1-225-424-1533.
• The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is a 24-hour hotline for kids and teens who may be experiencing abuse. Childhelp offers support during crises,  referrals to emergency or social services, and options to report suspected abuse. Call or text 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453). All conversations are confidential.

Shaken Baby Syndrome

• Shaken Baby Syndrome is a form of child abuse that occurs when a baby or small child is violently shaken. Shaking a baby for even just a few seconds can cause severe injuries or even death. Dontshake.org provides resources for caregivers of Shaken Baby Syndrome victims and survivors.
• Caregivers sometimes shake babies because they are frustrated, often because the baby will not stop crying. Frustrated caregivers can call Louisiana Parent Line at 1-833-LA-CHILD (1-833-522-4453) for help and support. It’s completely free and anonymous.

Safety & Injury Prevention

General safety

• The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) tests and reviews household products to ensure they’re safe for families. If CPSC finds an item that poses a danger to children, then they may recall the product and offer an alternative. Check the CPSC Recall List and follow CPSC on Facebook or Twitter to get the latest product safety news. You can also report an incident to help other caregivers avoid unsafe products!
• Safe Kids Worldwide has child safety info to help you prevent accidents and create safe spaces for your child to grow and play. Check out their interactive guide to home safety, plus fact sheets and other safety basics based on your child’s age and activities.

Poisoning

• PoisonHelp.org and the Poison Hotline, 1-(800) 222-1222, offer free 24-hour medical advice seven days a week. Call in an emergency, and visit the website if you have questions about specific medications, household products, or poisons.

Car safety

• The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission offers free car seat safety checks and provides information about child passenger safety.
• Need help paying for car seat? Explore these community resources to find free or low-cost car seat services in your area.

Find Daycare Services

Licensed Daycare Facilities: A list of licensed daycare facilities searchable by Parish.

Child Care Center Checklist: A list of suggested questions to ask daycare centers when searching for child care services.

Financial Assistance for Daycare Service

The Louisiana Department of Education’s Child Care Assistance Program can help families pay for childcare if parents are working or going to school. Monthly payments are based on the number of hours a week the parents work, family size, household income, and the amount charged by the childcare provider.

General Childcare Resources

ChildCare Aware, Louisiana: Find general information on childcare in Louisiana, including what child care centers are required to do to remain licensed, resources related to financial assistance, and resources for children with special health needs.

These resources can help you and your family prepare for severe weather emergencies.

• Get a Game Plan offers families information about assembling emergency kits, creating disaster plans, and resources to stay informed about disasters.
• Louisiana’s Emergency Preparedness Guide has maps, shelter contacts, and checkpoint information. It’s also available in Spanish and Vietnamese.
• March of Dimes provides information on preparing for an environmental disaster while pregnant.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information on creating a plan to help navigate families through disasters.

Louisiana Hotlines & Resources

• The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) runs an anonymous, 24-hour helpline for people experiencing domestic violence. Call 1-888-411-1333.

• Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault has an index of Sexual Assault Centers, an explanation of Survivors’ Rights, and services to support healing from sexual trauma.

New Orleans Area Crisis Lines & Resources

• The Metropolitan Center for Women & Children offers helpline support, counseling, and shelter for women in the New Orleans metro area. Call (504) 837-5400 for information.
• The New Orleans Family Justice Center has services for survivors of violence and abuse in Greater New Orleans. Call (504) 866-9554
• Project SAVE helps survivors of domestic violence in Orleans Parish obtain free legal representation. Call (504) 310-6872.

National Hotlines & Resources

• The Hotline offers information to help you identify cases of domestic violence, abuse, and sexual assault. Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) for anonymous help for domestic violence, including emotional or psychological abuse.
• Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), the National Sexual Assault Hotline, for confidential help & support for survivors of sexual assault or violence.

Louisiana WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) provides nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, and food benefits for pregnant people, new moms, and young children.

When you sign up with WIC, you get:

• Vouchers to purchase nutritious foods
• Help building a healthy lifestyle. Learn how to find nutritious foods, plan and prepare balanced meals, and get your whole family involved!
• Breastfeeding support
• Referrals to important services and programs that will help you and your family

How to sign up:

• First, check if you are eligible. You must meet income guidelines, but you don’t have to receive Medicaid.
• Next, find a WIC clinic near you by checking online or calling 1-800-251-BABY (2229).
• Alternatively, you can apply in person. Make sure you review the guidelines and know what to bring to your WIC appointment

If you or someone you know is not ready to take care of a new baby, Louisiana’s Safe Haven Law offers help. 

If the baby is less than 60 days old, parents can bring the child to a Safe Haven, including hospitals, parish health units, medical clinics, fire stations, or police stations. Individuals can safely leave the baby in the care of an employee at a Safe Haven facility with no questions asked.

Call 1-800-CHILDREN (244-5473) or visit the Department of Children Family Services page to learn more about Safe Havens.

Resources to Quit Smoking

• Quit With Us, Louisiana! and 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) can help you quit smoking. Call the 24-hour Quitline to get started, today. Support is free and confidential.
• Quit4baby is a free app to help pregnant Louisianans quit smoking. The service is powered by Text4baby
  • Based on your target quit date, Quit4baby sends personalized text messages with smoking cessation education, tips to avoid cravings, relapse support, and more.
  • Once you sign up for Text4baby, you’ll get a text asking if you smoke. If you reply “yes,” then you’ll receive a follow-up message about joining Quit4baby. From there, you’ll see a link to a sign-up page.
  • You can also sign up for Quit4baby directly online.
• Freedom From Smoking helps you prepare to quit smoking and stay smoke-free.
• American Lung Association tells you what products and services (like the patch, gum, or counseling) may be covered by your health insurance (including Medicaid) to help you quit smoking.

Resources for Other Substance Use & Addiction Treatment

• The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can help you find treatment for drug or alcohol dependence. Just enter a street address and city or your zip code to see options near you.
• The Louisiana Office of Behavioral Health’s Addictive Disorders Services lists addiction treatment centers supported by regional human service districts, as well as the services covered by Medicaid. Human service districts treat people suffering from addiction to drugs, alcohol or gambling. They can also offer support for the client’s family and friends.
• AddictionResource.net is an online database of alcohol and drug treatment centers. You can search for treatment centers by location, type of treatment, or insurance coverage.

Louisiana Medicaid recipients with Healthy Louisiana plans can get a ride to scheduled medical appointments! To arrange transportation, call the number listed for your plan:

• Aetna: 1-877-917-4150
• Amerigroup: 1-866-430-1101
• AmeriHealth Caritas: 1-888-913-0364
• Louisiana Healthcare Connections: 1-855-369-3723
• United Healthcare: 1-866-726-1472

Learn more about Healthy Louisiana’s non-emergency transportation services on ldh.la.gov.