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18 JUL / AUG 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs and renovation of state hospitals across Texas; expanded its newborn screenings; eliminated the waitlist for outpatient mental health treat- ment through local mental health authorities; and improved access to women’s health and family planning services in Texas, including a 30 percent increase in the number of women served in the Healthy Texas Women program. Before joining Texas HHS, Phillips served for three years as the chief executive officer of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and spent 12 years with the Louisiana Department of Health in a variety of roles. Phillips earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiol- ogy and a Master of Public Administration from Louisiana State University, and a PhD in public policy from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. She continued honing her process improve- ment skills by earning an Executive Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma. COVID-19 Support Program Assists Providers with Grant Writing, Small Business Loan Applications Louisiana Healthcare Connections is providing assistance to network providers in Louisiana who are seeking relief amid the COVID-19 pandemic through the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the CARES Act. In-network providers may access a dedicated online portal of Provider Financial Support & Resources, where they can research benefits they may be eligible for and work directly with experts to apply for them. Louisiana Healthcare Connec- tions, a Healthy Louisiana Medicaid health plan, is providing access to these resources to aid pro- viders in grant writing and business loan applica- tions, among other key activities, through its par- ent company, Centene. “There are more than 27,000 healthcare provid- ers, hospitals, clinics, and specialists in our net- work, and every day, they are stepping forward to care for one of the state’s most vulnerable pop- ulations on the frontlines of this COVID-19 pan- demic,” said Jamie Schlottman, CEO of Louisiana Healthcare Connections. “We are proud to pro- vide access to these key benefits and resources to our network providers who have been economi- cally impacted during this time.” YMCA of Alexandria-Pineville Receives Grant for Childcare Program for Essential Workers The YWCA of Alexandria-Pineville has been awarded a grant to fund operational expenses related to its childcare program for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant also provides the YWCA with 100 disas- ter kits for distribution to families and individuals affected by the pandemic in the Alexandria area. The grant, provided by Louisiana Healthcare Connections, a Healthy Louisiana Medicaid health plan, ensures that the YWCA of Alexan- dria-Pineville will be able to continue to provide safe childcare services for essential employees, including healthcare workers, law enforcement personnel, and other critical workers. The pro- gram currently serves an average of 25 children per day, and provides them with snacks, activi- ties, and learning opportunities while their par- ents and guardians work. “While we don’t know what each day will bring during this pandemic, we do know that there are people who have to work,” said Katie Vanderlick, YWCA executive director. “We want to help alle- viate any more stress for these essential workers and are happy to provide this service. We are a program-driven organization, and with all of our other programs on hold, this funding is essential to continue this particular program.” “The services offered by the YWCA of Alexan- dria-Pineville bring tremendous value to the local community, and right now, as our state works to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 epidemic, their childcare program is a particularly critical need,” said Jamie Schlottman, CEO and plan president of Louisiana Healthcare Connections. “We are pleased to make this grant available so they can continue to provide this much-needed service to essential workers, including healthcare workers, in the Alexandria region.” Louisiana Department of Health Warns about Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Chil- dren (MIS-C) is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. The cause of MIS-C is unknown but many children with this condition had the virus that causes COVID-19 or had been exposed to someone with COVID-19. In Louisi- ana, 13 cases and one death of a young person have been reported. To respect the privacy of the young person and their family, the Department of Health will not share additional information about the death at this time. The CDC defines a case as MIS-C when: • The patient is under the age of 21, with a fever, laboratory evidence of inflammation, and severe illness involving more than two organs that requires hospitalization; AND • No other plausible diagnoses; AND • Positive COVID-19 test, or exposure to a con- firmed case, within the four weeks prior to the onset of symptoms. Among the 13 cases in Louisiana: • The age range is 0-19 years old. • The median age is 11 years old. • Six of the patients are female and seven are male. • Four are currently hospitalized and eight have been discharged. • In terms of race, seven are African American, three are white, and three fit in the Other category. • In terms of ethnicity, two are Hispanic and 11 are non-Hispanic. Dr. Courtney N. Phillips Joins Louisiana Department of Health as Secretary Dr. Courtney N. Phillips has joined the Louisiana Department of Health as the secretary. Phillips most recently served as executive commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) where she was committed to improving the health, safety, and well-being for millions of Texans. She was responsible for more than 40,000 team mem- bers, a $78.5 billion biennium budget, and more than 220 programs ranging from healthcare, food safety, and benefits to public health tracking and regulation of childcare, nursing, and healthcare facilities. Under her leadership, Texas HHS developed its inaugural business plan, Blueprint for a Healthy Texas. The agency continued to transform inpa- tient psychiatric care through the construction