December 11, 2012, Ruston – Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home in Ruston Louisiana has achieved licensure to operate as a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) by Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals.

“Our staff made this happen,” states Rick Wheat, President and CEO of Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services. “Receiving this new license is validation of our employees and their efforts to make this happen well. Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home is now licensed to provide the most intensive level of residential care in Louisiana for children with the greatest behavioral and emotional needs. Our staff members have done remarkable work during 2012 preparing for this new license and they have done it without taking their eyes off what is most important – caring well for our children and their families. Our employees are awesome!”

Now that the 84-bed Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home has successfully achieved licensure, Methodist Home for Children of Greater New Orleans in Mandeville will be the next Methodist facility to complete the PRTF licensure process. Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana in Sulphur was granted PRTF license “001” in October of this year.

Obtaining these three PRTF licenses has been an expensive endeavor. A facility must be fully operational as a PRTF on the day of the licensing survey. Across Louisiana, the agency’s staff has grown from 400 to 462 during the ramp up to PRTF licensure. New staff positions include Psychiatrists, Nurse Practitioners, additional Registered Nurses and LPNs, additional licensed mental health professionals and an increased number of Mental Health Specialists.

Indicating the importance of the Home’s Board of Directors and supporters, Wheat said, “This achievement is a result of our Board of Directors’ confidence in the agency’s ability to make this transition. We have been able to achieve these new licenses because Methodists in Louisiana have strongly supported our ministries during our 126 year history. Our supporters believe in our mission, believe in our staff, and believe in caring for Louisiana’s children and adolescents with the greatest emotional and behavioral needs. Without the guidance of our Board and the financial support of our many active donors across Louisiana, we could not have accomplished this.”

Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services works continuously to enhance its ability to care for children and adolescents whose needs are challenging. Wheat points out, “this new license raises the bar for us and allows us to increase the intensity of our treatment programs so we can better care for the children in Louisiana with the most intensive needs. This is another step in our pursuit of our mission to guide children and families home to experience God’s love by following the teachings of Christ.”

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CONTACT INFORMATION:

Rick Wheat, President/CEO
Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services
904 DeVille Lane, Ruston, LA 71270
(318) 255-5020
rick.wheat@LMCH.org
http://www.LUMCFS.org