This Pew Trusts fact sheet profiles Louisiana’s expansion of efforts to provide access to opioid use disorder treatment. The fact sheet details how new legislation requires the Louisiana Department of Health to increase the number of providers to offer medication-assisted treatment and explains how state Medicaid funds can be used to cover case management at hospital settings. Additional legislation in the fact sheet also highlights requirements that the Louisiana Department of Health conduct a needs assessment and develop pathways for opioid treatment programs to receive approval.

This Center for Law and Social Policy report identifies challenges that state level officials encounter in implementing the 2014 reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant program. State profiles from Alabama, California, and Louisiana are highlighted. Also presented are lessons learned as a result of the lack of resources and data needed to implement the law more effectively.

This paper from MDRC highlights the work of YouthForce NOLA, which works to prepare New Orleans public high school students for post-secondary education and careers in three in-demand local industries: health sciences, creative media and technology, and skilled crafts. The paper provides an overview of the main principles and elements essential to creating a career pathway for high school-aged youth. MDRC is currently completing an implementation evaluation of the program.

This blog post from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services profiles a program in New Orleans called Bridge/Grace House. Bridge/Grace House offers comprehensive long-term residential treatment for men and women who suffer from substance use disorders. Part of the program provides vocational counseling and workforce services designed to ensure lasting recovery and success after treatment; 96% of program participants who complete their full treatment leave the program employed. Additional links are provided in the post to learn more.

This brief examines the Accelerating Opportunity initiative that began in 2011, which helps adults with low basic skills obtain well-paying jobs through increasing their credentials. It reviews the implementation, impact, and cost benefits evaluations of the program in Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, and Louisiana. It showed promising gains for low-skilled adults in the area of education, but earnings impacts were mixed.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Regions VI and VIII hosted the Bi-Regional TANF Technical Assistance Meeting on June 28-30, 2016 at the Region VI Program Office in Dallas, Texas. The meeting brought together TANF program directors and other stakeholders to discuss innovative strategies and collaborations to learn strategies, engage in strategic dialogue, and build linkages with peers to improve program outcomes and promote economic and social independence for individuals, children, and families. During the meeting, attendees engaged in listening sessions and discussions, shared best practices, and participated in workshops and action planning in order to more successfully serve the program participants in their communities.