Louisiana Mental Health Patients lose access

Dear Louisiana NP,

 

About a month ago, I sent an email to each region entitled "Louisiana Healthcare is circling the drain". The first part of the ask was the same -- echoing our recurrent call to action --- join LANP, encourage your friends to join LANP, donate to PAC, visit your legislators.  Some of you have heeded that and it is reflected in our membership numbers. We are just over 1,600 members strong!! Thank you for those that are dedicated to the only APRN State membership organization figthing to preserve and advance your rights to care for the citizens in Louisiana. 

The second ask, well --- not such a great response  --- actually, not even one response! Not one APRN emailed the health policy committee letting us know that you are committed to either your Representative or your Senator. Here was that ask ---

WE NEED YOU! Attached is a list of legislators in your Region. Click here to find your specific legislator https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/FindMyLegislators.aspx. Determine just ONE of your legislators House or Senate that you will personally establish a relationship and make it your mission to educate on the NP Role and how it can improve Access to Care for Louisiana. Then,

1. Let the Health Policy Committee know that you are committed to "X" Legislator.
2. Schedule a meeting with them. Use the attached Strategy Worksheet to prepare for your meeting.
3. Keep in touch with the Health Policy Liaison for your region or the LANP Health Policy team about your meetings (lemoine@louisiana.edu; president@lanp.org; or Keli@oursoconsulting.org)
4. Talk to your friends a colleagues to cover the other Legislators in your area!

Kansas recently passed full practice authority – without any restrictions. When asked what they felt made them successful – they said that it was Kansas NPs that got involved across the state. They had 2 or 3 NPs assigned to EACH legislator. They were responsible for educating them, getting patients in front of them, visiting NP owned clinics. This was 2 years PRIOR to introducting their bill. We cannot wait til a bill is introduced and expect to have the level of education done that needs done in a matter of weeks. It has PROVEN ineffective. Please stop waiting, please get involved, please be engaged, please ask questions. Let’s get this done!!

Here is a prime example of the problem. This week, no less than 10 of your PMHNP colleagues lost their collaborator. Due to difficulty in even finding ONE collaborator, most did not have a second. So, when news spread of the death of their collaborator -- all across the state, our colleagues had to go into waiting rooms and call patients to inform them that they could not see them or refill their medications until they got another collaborator. DEVASTATING! to thousands of patients across Louisiana. 

Don't believe this affects you? Think again. How many patients are seen in cardiology, ortho, neuro, derm practices (or any other specialty) that have comorbid mental health issues. How many patients in primary care? Where are the patients going to go? I bet you will find them going to urgent cares and ER's seeking help and refills. This is not just a PMHNP problem --- this is a healthcare problem in Louisiana. One that removal of outdated, uneccessary legislative barriers would fix. Maybe it doesn't impact you personally at the moment, but it will. Remember the "greater good" theory from school? Working for the Greater Good implies serving the needs of something bigger and perhaps more worthy than your own self-interest.

It is past time that we find our voices, unite, and improve Access to Healthcare in Louisiana.

Are you with me?

 

Yours in service,

Kathy Baldridge, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP

President LANP

 

Jennifer Lemoine, DNP, NNP

Health Policy Co-Chair

 

Kyle Lavergne, DNP, FNP

Health Policy Co-Chair

 

Keli Williams

LANP Lobbyist