Partners for Healthy Babies

Talking care of babies and kids can be a lot of things – fun and wonderful sometimes, but confusing, stressful, and frustrating at other times. We put together this special list of need-to-know hotlines, websites and apps that can help you make the most of the best times, and get through the worst ones. Check them out!

Project LAUNCH

Project LAUNCH’s website, LouisianaLAUNCH.org, provides helpful activities, tips, and resources that parents and caregivers can use to help their kids reach for the stars!

• Get help figuring out how to help your little one deal with his “big feelings”
• Find resources related to child milestones and tricky parenting topics like temper tantrums, toilet training, and building healthy relationships
• Learn what small, easy things you can do to support your child’s development in the early days and years

Vroom

Vroom is a free app that gives caregivers daily tips on how they can turn everyday moments with their child into brain building moments! Vroom tailors its tips to your child’s age. It’s a fun and easy way to help your child’s brain grow and develop at an early age! Get a sneak peak at the brain-building tips on their website.

Kidline

Parenting is hard, and KIDLINE can help. KIDLINE 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 it anytime at 1-800-CHILDREN (1-800-244-5373). You can also contact them via text at 225-424-1533.

KIDLINE provides:

• Parenting information and guidance, including how parents can avoid losing their cool
• 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 WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) is a program that provides nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, and food benefits to pregnant women, new moms, and young children.

When you sign up with WIC, you get:

• Vouchers that can be redeemed for healthy foods
• Help with building a healthy lifestyle – learn how to plan out and prepare health meals, pick out nutritious foods, and how to get your whole family involved in healthy eating
• Breastfeeding support and guidance
• 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)
• Find a WIC clinic near you – check online or call 1-800-251-BABY (2229)
• Apply in person – make sure you check the guidelines for what to bring to your WIC appointment

Louisiana Breastfeeding Resources and Support

• LABreastfeedingSupport.org: Enter your zip code to find a list of breastfeeding resources near you, including community breastfeeding support/education groups, WIC clinics, and other helpful programs. New statewide and local resources are being added on a regular basis.
• Louisiana WIC: The Louisiana WIC program offers extra benefits for women who want to breastfeed. WIC participants also have access to trained Lactation (Breastfeeding) Consultants and can sign up for the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program. Find out more on LouisianaWIC.org.

National Resources and Support

• Breastmilk Counts can help you decide if breastfeeding is right for you and offers information about breastfeeding your baby.
• Best for Babes has information, facts, answers, and support to help you with breastfeeding.
• Baby Gooroo provides the breastfeeding basics, benefits, common problems, and answers to questions mom often ask.
• La Leche League helps mothers breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education.
• Black Breastfeeding 360 offers a complete library of resources, information and real-life perspectives about the black breastfeeding experience.

Resources to Quit Smoking

• Quit With Us, Louisiana! and 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) support you through the process of quitting. Call the Quitline anytime, 24/7, to quit now. Services are free and confidential.
• Quit4baby is a free app to help pregnant women in Louisiana quit smoking through Text4baby
  • Based on your 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 message asking if you smoke. If you reply “yes,” then you’ll will get a text about joining Quit4baby. You’ll be sent a link to a sign-up page.
  • You can also sign up for Quit4baby directly online.
• Freedom From Smoking Online (FFS Online) is a program that help 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

• Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can help you find treatment programs for drug and alcohol use. Just enter your city, street and or zip code.
• Office of Behavioral Health’s Addictive Disorders Services: Listing of addiction treatment services provided by the Louisiana regional human service district/authority or through the Healthy Louisiana Plans, for those on Medicaid. The districts and authorities provide treatment for people suffering from addictions to drugs, alcohol or gambling, as well as support for their families and friends.
• RehabCenter.net is an online database of alcohol and drug treatment centers. This website allows you to search for treatment centers by their location, type of treatment offered, or type of payment/insurance accepted.
• AlcoholRehabHelp.org is an information hub, providing information about alcohol and substance abuse, and various options of treatment. All content is sourced from current scientific research (ie. scholarly articles, textbooks, government agencies, and medical journals). Every article is fact-checked by an addiction counseling expert before publication.

Louisiana Hotlines & Resources

• Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV), 1-888-411-1333, is an anonymous hotline for victims of domestic violence. It’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault has a list of sexual assault centers, addresses, phone numbers, websites, and crisis lines.

New Orleans Area Crisis Lines & Resources

• Metropolitan Center for Women & Children provides a crisis line, counseling, and shelter to women in the New Orleans metro area. Call (504) 837-5400 for information.
• Crescent House Healing & Empowerment Center (504-866-7481) protects victims of domestic violence and their children.
• Project SAVE helps survivors of domestic violence in Orleans Parish obtain free emergency legal representation. Call (504) 310-6872.

National Hotlines & Resources

• The Hotline is an organization that provides information and resources about 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 people who have experienced sexual assault or sexual violence.

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

If the baby is less than 60 days old, parents can bring their baby to a Safe Haven, such as a hospital, parish health unit, medical clinic, fire station, or police station. By leaving the baby in the care of an employee at a Safe Haven facility, parents can give up their baby with no questions asked.

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

Child Abuse

• 1-800-CHILDREN/1-800-244-5373 is an anonymous, free, statewide hotline. It offers help for victims of abuse, as well as emotional support and parenting help.
• The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD / 1-800-422-4453) offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. All calls 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.
• Caregivers sometimes shake babies because they are frustrated, often because the baby will not stop crying. Frustrated caregivers can call 1-800-CHILDREN/1-800-244-5373 for help and support – it’s completely anonymous and provided at no cost to the caller.
• Dontshake.org, provides resources for parents and caretakers of victims and survivors of Shaken Baby Syndrome, as well as training for providers.

Safety & Injury Prevention

General safety

• Safe Kids Worldwide has information about child safety to help you prevent accidents and create a safe spaces for your child at home or at play. You’ll find tips and safety guides on child-proofing your home, plus other safety basics based on your child’s age and activities.

Poisoning

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

Car safety

• The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission offers free safety checks for car seats and provides information about child passenger safety.
• Can’t afford a car seat? Try out these suggestions for finding a free or low-cost car seat

Louisiana Medicaid recipients with Healthy Louisiana plans can get a ride to scheduled medical appointments. Call the number listed for your plan to arrange a ride.

• 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.

Find Daycare Services

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

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

Financial Assistance for Daycare Service

The 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 natural disasters, like hurricanes.

• Get a Game Plan offers families information about assembling emergency kits, creating disaster plans and more resources to stay informed about disasters.
• Click Evacuation Information for details about contraflow maps, shelters, and checkpoint information.
• 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.