Louisiana Models and Innovations
These stories feature model programs and successful rural projects that can serve as a source of ideas. Some of the projects or programs may no longer be active. Read about the criteria and evidence-base for programs included.
Promising Examples
Northeast Louisiana Regional Pre-Diabetes Prevention Program

Updated/reviewed March 2024
- Need: To prevent or slow the progression of diabetes for at-risk residents in Rural Northeast Louisiana.
- Intervention: The North Louisiana Regional Alliance developed a program that offered screenings, education, and an intense course for participants throughout the Northeast Louisiana region to lower the risk of diabetes.
- Results: The program saw an overall decrease in blood sugar levels in residents who participated in their initiatives.
School-Based Health Center Dental Outreach

Updated/reviewed July 2020
- Need: To improve the oral health status of children ages 3 to 17 living in rural areas of Louisiana.
- Intervention: School-based nurse practitioners perform oral health assessments, apply fluoride varnishes when indicated, and make dental referrals, with completion rates of the latter tracked by dental case managers.
- Results: Significant numbers of school children are receiving oral health examinations, fluoride varnish applications, and receiving care coordination to improve numbers of completed dental appointments.
Youth4Health

Updated/reviewed December 2019
- Need: To educate youth about obesity and healthy lifestyle choices.
- Intervention: An educational program about healthy living was implemented in Lincoln and Claiborne Parishes in Louisiana for youth ages 9-18.
- Results: Youth4Health program produced greater awareness and participation in healthier lifestyles by target youth and their families, as well as church congregations.
Other Project Examples
AGRIMEDIC
Updated/reviewed February 2024
- Need: To reduce farm injuries and improve EMS and fire/rescue's response to these injuries in rural Louisiana and Mississippi.
- Intervention: AGRIMEDIC is a two-day training for first responders.
- Results: 810 first responders have received training.
It's a Girl Thing: Making Proud Choices
Updated/reviewed February 2023
- Need: Teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, in young girls were concerns for members of Union Parish, Louisiana.
- Intervention: Union General Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital, created the program It's a Girl Thing: Making Proud Choices to teach prevention, self-confidence, and personal responsibility to teen girls.
- Results: Teen pregnancy rates in Union Parish have dropped by 18%, exceeding the program's initial goal of 5%. Graduation rates have also increased the longer girls remain in the program.
Together We Can Be Bully Free
Updated/reviewed February 2023
- Need: Union Parish, a rural county in Louisiana, was experiencing higher than average suicide rates among youth.
- Intervention: Union General Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital, started a program to educate students grade 4 through 12 on the negative effects of bullying and how to model positive social behavior.
- Results: The 3,000+ students trained have learned how to recognize, report, and react to bullying.
The Adolescent Pre-Diabetes Prevention Program

Added October 2018
- Need: Prevention of type 2 diabetes in adolescents living in rural parts of Louisiana.
- Intervention: Through screenings, the Adolescent Pre-Diabetes Prevention Program detects the onset of prediabetes. Through nutrition and physical activity education, the program teaches high school students and staff how to adopt healthy lifestyles.
- Results: The program has seen an increase in enrollment and continues to see decreases in body weight, body mass index, and A1C levels among participants.
Last Updated: 3/26/2024