HJBR Sep/Oct 2022

42 SEP / OCT 2022  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs the North American Society for Pediatric Gastro- enterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and the American Gastroenterological Association. Louisiana Healthcare Connections Recognized for Giving Campaign Louisiana Healthcare Connections announced it was recognized by the Capital Area United Way (CAUW) for the health plan’s workplace giving campaign, which provides vital resources across the Baton Rouge area. Of the more than 300 companies that run workplace giving campaigns, Louisiana Health- care Connections was one of 12 to receive the Achievement Award, which is based on the fol- lowing criteria: 51% or more employee participation (80.30%) • Average employee gift of $120 or more ($140.80). • Gifts to CAUW are not designated. • There is a corporate gift (employee gifts match at 50 cents on the dollar). • Management supports CAUW with a lead- ership gift. Additionally, Louisiana Healthcare Connections had the highest per capita giving of all campaigns that raised between $50,000 and $99,999, earning the Community Builder Award. The health plan was also recognized as one of the Top 25 Work- place Campaigns and one of the Top 25 Support- ers of CAUW. “As a health plan that serves Louisiana’s Med- icaid population, we understand that any one of us may need Medicaid and community support at some point in our lives,” said President and CEO of Louisiana Healthcare Connections Jamie Schlottman. “Working together with partners like United Way allows us to combine our efforts to coordinate vital services that help our members recover, rebuild, and thrive.” Capital Area Human Services Receives Accreditation CARF International recently announced the highest level of accreditation has been awarded to Capital Area Human Services for its outpa- tient mental health treatment services for adults, children, and adolescents; and for its outpatient treatment substance use disorders/addictions services for adults, children, and adolescents; and for its residential treatment substance use services for adult men. CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process and continu- ous improvement services that center on enhanc- ing the lives of the persons served. The accreditation designation signifies the agency’s rigorous per review process and its sup- port for the continuation of the quality improve- ment of the services. “This is the fourth accredita- tion earned by Capital Area Human Services and it clearly demonstrates the agency’s commitment to measurable, accountable, and high quality ser- vices,” said CAHS Executive Director Janzlean Laughinghouse, PhD, LCSW. CAHS first received accreditation from the inter- national organization in 2012. The re-accredita- tion was awarded through Nov. 30, 2024. Capital Area Human Services provides mental health, addiction recovery, and developmental disability services to the parishes of Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, West Feliciana, and West Baton Rouge. Andre Bonnecaze, MD, Leads Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s Supportive, Palliative Care Clinic Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has announced that Andre Bonnecaze, MD, will over- see the organization’s Supportive and Palliative Care Clinic, a specialized facility focused on help- ing patients attain the highest possible quality of life by focusing on pain relief, other symp- toms, and stresses of cancer or other serious ill- ness. The Supportive and Palliative Care Clinic is located in Baton Rouge at 4950 Essen Lane, but patients from across Mary Bird Perkins’ network have access to the clinic’s full range of services. Bonnecaze is a graduate of Louisiana State Uni- versity, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. He earned a medical degree from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Bonnecaze is currently a member of the Amer- ican Board of Internal Medicine, the Society of Hospital Medicine, and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. “We are so excited to welcome Dr. Bonne- caze to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center,” said Jonas Fontenot, PhD, MBA, chief operating offi- cer and Dr. Charles M. Smith chief of physics. “We know that living with cancer can impact a patient’s quality of life and make accomplishing even the most routine daily activities challenging. Our Supportive and Palliative Care Clinic provides a wide range of support services designed with each patient’s specific needs in mind. Bonnecaze and his talented team will work to ensure every patient within our network has the support and resources they need in their fight against cancer.” “Triumphing over cancer requires strength of body, mind and spirit,” said Fontenot. “Studies have shown that when patients enroll in palliative care at an early stage, they tend to have better outcomes. Providing this specialized care helps us succeed in our mission to improve survivorship and lessen the burden of cancer.” Two Studies Look at Female Athletes’ Mental, Physical Resilience Two new studies will examine female athletes’ mental and physical resilience via two newly funded grants, dedicated to improving perfor- mance and helping people thrive throughout their lives. “Female athletes face a unique mix of stresses to their mental, physical, hormonal, and immune health during training and competition,” said Tiffany Stewart, PhD, director of the Behavior Technology Laboratory at Pennington Biomed- ical Research Center. “For too long, sports have Andre Bonnecaze, MD