OUR HISTORY

Planning for the third psychiatric treatment facility for the State, to be located in the New Orleans area, began in the 1940's. Originally, plans were made to develop the Third Floor of Charity Hospital in New Orleans into a 500-bed psychiatric unit. However, it was felt that a large number of beds were required and space was not available at Charity Hospital. Therefore, the decision was made to build a 2,700 bed hospital, which was thought to be the number of beds required, in Mandeville, LA. Construction of a 400-bed hospital was initiated which would be the first phase of construction. Sometime later, however, with the introduction of Chlorpromazine and the Therapeutic Community Concept, plans to expand the hospital to 2,700 beds were dropped.

In 1948, Senate Bill No. 272 was entered by Messrs. Richardson and Gardiner to create the third hospital of the State of Louisiana for the mentally ill. The bill passed and Southeast Louisiana Hospital was created by Act No. 238 approved by the Governor, July 1, 1948.

Construction of the Adult Services Building, three individual employee residences, a four unit apartment complex and the Boiler Room were begun in 1950 and completed in 1952. The Admission and Diagnostic Building, currently the Administration Building, was also constructed by 1952 complete with an operating room. Only one surgery, a lobotomy, was performed here before the surgery suite was permanently closed.

1952

Southeast Louisiana Hospital opened to employees on October 6, 1952 and received its first client on December 8, 1952; a 22 year old white female admitted on a court commitment from Orleans Parish, with a diagnosis of Schizophrenic Reaction, Chronic Undifferentiated.

1954 - 1963

Additional employee housing was constructed in 1954, 1960 and 1962. In 1955 the Laundry building was added; in 1956 Automotive Maintenance building and in 1961 Warehouse and Maintenance Offices.

The Receiving Building and Adolescent Units were constructed in 1955. In 1959 the Adolescent Services opened with 84 beds which included a school operated under the Department of Education, Special School District #1. That same year, children ages 5 to 14 years were admitted to a small 25 bed unit. The children also received services from Special School District #1.

In 1955 construction began on the Alcoholism Treatment Service and opened to received patients in 1960 with a bed capacity of 60.

In 1963 the hospital was accredited for the first time by the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Hospitals.

1970 - 1972

In 1970/71 a new children's complex was opened, increasing bed capacity to 83. The complex includes a Recreation Building and Gymnasium.

In 1970, a volunteer program, the Thomas L. Young Auxiliary, was organized and continues to provide a variety of services to the people the hospital serves as well as funds for various projects and activities which are not funded through SELH budget appropriation.

In 1972, a Vocational Rehabilitation Unit was added, a joint venture of the Vocational Rehabilitation Department and the hospital. The hospital provided 30 inpatient beds, formerly the 25-bed children's unit, and staff, while V.R. provided personnel and equipment for the education, desensitization and placement of patients in work or training situations.

1982 - 1987

In 1982 a new seventy-four bed adolescent complex was opened which included a new Adolescent School and School Administration Building. The old Adolescent Unit was closed and not used for several years until renovation was completed in 1986/87.

1992 - 1993

On June 24, 1992 a portion of the old adolescent unit was opened as a twenty bed brief stay adolescent unit named New Hope. The average length of stay was 41 days. But, in March of 1997 the New Hope program was converted to an acute care adolescent unit with a length of stay under twenty-one (21) days.

In July of 1992 the Alcohol and Drug Unit (formerly ATS, Alcoholism Treatment Services) was transferred to the management of DHH, Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, but remains housed at SELH.

In October of 1992, an eighteen (18) bed Adult Acute Psychiatric Unit, staffed and managed by SELH, opened at Washington/St. Tammany Regional Medical Center in Bogalusa, LA. Serving the residents of Region IX, it is a tri-agency partnership, e.g., SELH, Region IX Community Mental Health Services and LSU/HCSD.

On March 29, 1993, SELH converted two of the five adolescent wards into a twenty-five bed Developmental Neuropsychiatric Program (DNP) for adolescent patients with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and developmental disability. The remaining three adolescent wards served forty eight adolescent patients.

The thirty (30) adult Vocational Rehabilitation inpatient beds were transferred to the management of Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) on December 12, 1994. Included in the transfer were the twelve (12) positions assigned to the thirty bed unit.

1995 - 2000

In FY 95-96 SELH was reduced by thirteen (13) positions, resulting in the closure of 20 child beds on August 7, 1995.

DNP-Outpatient Services opened in July of 1995 at the New Orleans Mental Health Center in Algiers. DNP-OS is an outpatient collaboration between SELH and the Region 1 Office of Mental Health that targets individuals, ages 2 through 22, utilizing an Assertive Community Treatment model with frequent client contacts and interventions delivered primarily in the home and/or school setting. It is one phase in the continuum of care (including SELH's DNP In-Patient Program) that assesses and treats individuals who possess both a developmental disability and a psychiatric illness.

As a result of budget cuts and a reduction in T.O., SELH closed 20 child and 16 adolescent beds. This resulted in the elimination/layoff of 28 positions on September 8, 1996. With the positions remaining after the closure, SELH opened two partial hospitalization (day treatment) programs on October 28, 1996, one for children and one for adolescents. These two programs, called "Challenges" are housed in the two closed wards. Through a collaborative agreement, the St. Tammany Parish School Board transports youth who live in St. Tammany Parish to and from the programs.

At the end of the Summer in 1998, the remaining two child dorms were consolidated into one 22 bed unit, called "Horizons". Concomitantly a dual track program was established, an acute ten (10) day program in combination with a longer stay program of approximately 45 - 60 days.

In the Spring of 1998, SELH applied for a grant through HUD to establish two Transitional Housing Units, one for six female adults and the other for six male adults. The grant was awarded and the Housing Units opened in August, 2000. Both units utilize existing houses on campus and are staffed by a contract with a provider.

2001 - 2005

In June 2001, the Child and Adolescent Programs were administratively consolidated into Youth Services. The service provides 9 Children and 16 Adolescent Acute and Transitional inpatient beds and day treatment services for both Children and Adolescents.

In September 2001, Strategies for Therapeutic Adult Rehabilitation (STAR), which is a part of Therapy Services, opened to provide assistance to inpatients on Adult Services for the purpose of preparing individuals to return to the community.

In July 2002, Southeast Louisiana Hospital assumed full ownership of DNP Outpatient Services in New Orleans which provides outpatient services to persons aged 2 to 22 who are dually diagnosed with a developmental disability and a psychiatric disorder.

In December 2002, a HUD grant provided permanent housing for 8 Adults to live in apartments on the hospital grounds.

In August 2005, for Hurricane Katrina, the facility evacuated to East Louisiana State Hospital and was there for 30 days.  Due to staffing shortages, the partial hospitalization program known as Challenges did not reopen.  Also as a result of Hurricane Katrina, the Psychiatric Unit at MCLNO closed.  In an effort to meet community needs, state beds were opened on Adult Services in December, 2005.

2006 - Today

During FY 06/07, SELH developed its first comprehensive strategic plan developed by stakeholders which includes the new vision, mission and value statements for the hospital.   During the same fiscal year, Challenges day treatment program reopened.

In August 2007, the hospital held a Summer Kick-Off Campaign entitled Project ERASE (Eliminate Restraint and Seclusion Events).  SELH developed Serenity Rooms and Sensory Carts on each unit throughout the hospital as tools for clients to use in self-calming.

In August 2008, SELH evacuated to East Louisiana Mental Health System due to the threat of Hurricane Gustav and safely returned less than five days later.

In March 2009, 5 beds were added to the Adult Acute Unit.