The Louisiana Department of Health's (LDH) Office of Public Health (OPH) for Region 7 (Northwest Louisiana) is hosting a youth health awareness event and open house on Thursday, April 13. 

In recognition of April’s designation as STI Awareness Month, visitors will have the opportunity to receive testing and education on sexually transmitted infections, reproductive health and overall health. There will also be educational materials on how to spot the signs of human trafficking. Visitors may speak with health unit staff on hand to answer questions and provide information on the health unit, as well as community health workers and several other local partners with resource tables. In addition, Arcadia Mayor O’Landis Millican will provide a proclamation on the importance of staying healthy, and a dance-off competition will conclude the event.

The event will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 13 at Bienville Parish Health Unit, 1285 Pine St., Suite 102, Arcadia. The event is free to attend.

“We are excited for the public to have this opportunity to meet us as we seek to serve our community and help spread the word that our doors are open,” said OPH Assistant Secretary Doris Brown. “We know people rely on our facilities for treatment and prevention, and we encourage you to take the time to visit during this open house to learn what we have to offer.”

In addition to the above-listed health resources, staff will help Medicaid members update their contact information and answer questions about their coverage. The recent passage of the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act ends continuous Medicaid coverage, and as a result, annual Medicaid eligibility reviews are returning. We want everyone who is eligible for Medicaid to maintain their coverage. It is vital that Medicaid members make certain Medicaid has their current contact information. There are several convenient ways for Medicaid members to update their confirmation. Medicaid members can visit healthy.la.gov to learn more.

For more information, call Bienville Parish Health Unit at (318) 263-2125 or Region 7 Communications Coordinator Ana VanEaton at (318) 676-7842. 

About parish health units

Parish health units (PHUs) are operated by the Louisiana Department of Health and provide limited medical and clinical services for our communities. There are 63 PHUs across the state of Louisiana. Each health unit offers services tailored to its surrounding community. Services offered by PHUs include immunizations; reproductive health; Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services; sexually-transmitted infection (STI) treatment and testing; well-woman visits; Community HealthWays; and more. PHUs accept most insurance, Medicaid and Medicare, and offer a sliding-scale fee for services. No one is ever turned away for an inability to pay. Parish health units provide translation services to better assist those with language barriers and are certified through Louisiana Relay to assist those with hearing and speech difficulties.