New Orleans Fellows & Projects
2019-2020 Cohort
Ha'reanna Campbell
Xavier University College of Pharmacy
Campbell is addressing substance use and abuse among adolescents in New Orleans by establishing an educational intervention and prevention program in the local community. Adolescents will engage in activities fostered around the understanding of the harmful effects of substance use, in addition to learning drug refusal and coping skills to enhance their mental health. The program will also incorporate parent education on substance misuse and abuse, and the biological, psychological, and/or social risk factors of mental health. Ultimately, the program will aim not only to foster positive attitudes and behaviors related to substance use, but also to build strong parent-children relationships.
Community Site: Hahnville High School
Valentina Carrillo
Louisiana State University, School of Dentistry
Carrillo is addressing oral health in the Hispanic community of New Orleans by educating the patients of Luke’s House and directing them to practices and organizations in the city that best fit their dental, language, and financial needs. In addition to educating about brushing habits, dental plaque, and flossing, this program will provide dental supplies for patients. The program will additionally ease the language barrier for patients receiving treatment at the LSU School of Dentistry.
Community Site: Luke’s House Clinic
Nicole Dominique
Louisiana State University, School of Medicine and School of Public Health
Dominique is addressing homeless individuals’ mental wellbeing in New Orleans by training medical students to provide community resource guides to the patients at free student-run health clinics operated through local homeless shelters. By providing a durable and concise guide of local resources, medical students will broaden their services to the shelter residents to also include active plans about resources that individuals can utilize. After receiving these guides, homeless individuals will be more aware of resources in the New Orleans community and be better able to utilize them.
Community Site: National Alliance on Mental Illness - New Orleans
Emily Fiore
Tulane University, School of Medicine and School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Fiore is addressing the health and social needs of people who inject drugs (PWID) in New Orleans by establishing a mobile wound care service. She will organize a culturally competent medical outreach team that provides health services and risk reduction trainings for PWID and for practitioners who wish to work more effectively with this population. Successful implementation of this project will lay the groundwork for a sustainable, collaborative effort between practitioners and PWID to create a drug user-centered health service and advocacy organization that leverages the training and status of health professionals to address the unique health and social needs of PWID, as directed by community leaders who use drugs.
Community Site: New Orleans homeless encampments
Nikka Khorsandi
Louisiana State University, School of Medicine and School of Public Health
Khorsandi is addressing barriers to access to care faced by low-income individuals in the Greater New Orleans area by creating a consumer advisory council. This council will consist of people who access care at local community health centers (CHCs) and represent populations of patients served by CHCs. This council will identify barriers to access as well help to develop strategies to reduce these barriers. In addition, general patient advocacy training will be developed to be used at community events to educate community members on how to advocate for their own medical needs. Community Site: 504HealthNet
Jessica Seay
Louisiana State University, School of Medicine and School of Public Health
Katelyn Wren
Xavier University, College of Pharmacy
Seay and Wren are addressing adolescent mental health in New Orleans by developing a comprehensive mental health education program for high school aged students in New Orleans charter schools. In addition to putting students in contact with mental health care providers, the program will teach students both how to take care of their own mental health and how to better relate to others struggling with mental and behavioral health problems. This program aims to reduce the stigma associated with mental health, ultimately increasing the social support within schools and the availability and usage of mental health services.
Community Site: New Orleans area charter high school
Alexandria Van Dall
Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Van Dall proposes to host a positive parenting course for incarcerated parents in Orleans Parish. Participants will receive instruction on child development, approaches to bonding, healthy communication, and other topics tailored for them specifically.
Community Site: Orleans Parish Prison
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