In fact, Methodist Home for Children of Greater New Orleans began as a medical facility. It was formed in [...]]]> Life rolls out in cycles. Often the future reaches backward to bring the past into the present. As it stands now, we will soon be providing medical care on site. We did it many decades ago.

In fact, Methodist Home for Children of Greater New Orleans began as a medical facility. It was formed in 1886 by the Methodist Episcopal Church South as the Methodist Home Hospital and originally provided care for unwed mothers and served as an adoption agency.

This photo is of our old “infirmary” in Ruston. We have stories of how local doctors provided free care to our children. As time passed, medicine began to take advantage of advances in technology. Doctors began specializing and somewhere along the way healthcare became one of the nation’s biggest industries.

Long ago, with an eye to the future, the Home sold properties so that the bulk of Lincoln Parish’s medical community sits right next door. Directly across the road from our campus are two outpatient surgery centers, an emergency room, an urgent care center, a hospital and a large, multispeciality medical center, both with full labs and diagnostic services including x-ray, cat scans, and other assorted diagnostic devices. There are physicians who specialize in pediatrics through podiatry, a rehab hospital, dental care … you get the idea. Our former leaders were strategic in the disposition of property so that now, except for a few specialties, Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home is surrounded by all the medical care we need.

When one of our children needs medical care we can literally walk across the road.

A Walk from the Other Direction

With the launch of Louisiana’s new Coordinated System of Care, the walk across the road must start from the other direction. New licensing standards from the Department of Health and Hospitals require that we provide all medical services – except emergency care – on our own campus. After March 1, the physicians, x-ray machines and dental chairs will have to “walk across the road” – so to speak – and provide their services in a clinic we are creating on campus in Ruston. In Sulphur and in Mandeville we are working quickly to contract with medical providers to provide their services to our children in our facilities.

So much about this change has us scratching our heads. The Department of Health and Hospitals’ new licensing regulations require that all routine medical services be provided away from established medical facilities and offered on our campus. Of course, the doctors, dentists and clinics we have spoken with about assisting us have all asked the same question after hearing our request of them: “Why?”

Nor is the state offering start up money for these medical clinics. You’ll notice the photo of our old clinic in Ruston has little in the way of medical equipment. There was no medical technology to speak of that many years ago. Our old clinic consisted of a bed, a sink and a really funny light bulb. Scroll up and look at it by the door.

Today, medical technology rules. Setting up a simple dental room will cost upwards of $250,000. X-ray and EKG equipment is costly, too. Fortunately, some services may be available from mobile providers – so long as the medical RV/bus is parked on our campus and not across the road at the hospital or clinic.

When you look at the old photo, notice the weird lightbulb dangling from the ceiling and held close to the door with string. We’ve improved our lighting a great deal since then. You can be sure of this, the clinic photo you will see at the end of the year will be modern.

With the participation of more than 250 friends gathered for a Dedicatory Service on October 17, 2010, Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana was dedicated by [...]]]> Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana has successfully completed our first year of ministry to children and their families in southwest Louisiana. We thank you for making this possible.

With the participation of more than 250 friends gathered for a Dedicatory Service on October 17, 2010, Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana was dedicated by the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. Made possible in large part by the William L. Henning family, Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana offers 25,070 square feet of heated living space and sits on a 40-acre plot of land in Sulphur which holds the promise of future development.

The residential building contains 28 bedrooms. There are bath and restroom facilities, a cafeteria style dining area, four large living rooms, two classrooms, and an industrial-sized kitchen. The administration building offers reception and waiting areas, offices for the Program Director, the clinical and nursing staff members, comfortable areas for family visits and client records.

Even more important than the beautiful facility for children, designed by Mr. E. J. Ellender, are the 57 incredible people who joined us this first year as employees. They do the real work of ministry. We are overwhelmed by the quality of our staff and by their active pursuit of our mission on behalf of children. We have found exceptional people in Calcasieu Parish who are remarkable for their skills, work ethic, love of children and dedication to our mission.

In addition to our facilities and our excellent staff, we have been accepted with open arms by the community. The citizens of southwest Louisiana have warmly invited us, accepted us and support us in our work with children who have significant emotional needs. Area agencies – including educational services, social services, medical professionals and law enforcement agencies – have worked to help us become established in the community, have connected us to needed resources and have offered support as we began operation this year.

Our successful work with children with significant needs is a direct consequence of the incredible support we have received during our first year. Thank you, all of you, for welcoming, assisting and supporting the work of Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana.

With gratitude to all of Calcasieu Parish,

Steven Franks
Program Director
Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana

Rick Wheat
President and CEO
Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services

Bunkie, located in Avoyelles Parish, has a long history of being concerned for the needs of troubled children and adolescents. Many, perhaps even some in [...]]]> The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice announced it has selected the town of Bunkie as the home of a new therapeutic secure care facility for adolescents. Congratulations, Bunkie and OJJ!

Bunkie, located in Avoyelles Parish, has a long history of being concerned for the needs of troubled children and adolescents. Many, perhaps even some in Bunkie, do not remember Bunkie was the first site of Louisiana Methodist Orphanage in 1904. From those first years in a wood-framed house in Bunkie, during the last century, Louisiana Methodist Orphanage has grown into Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services. We now provide a broad array of residential, school, home and community-based services for children and families across the state of Louisiana.

Today, more than 100 years past our early years in Bunkie, we continue to remember the support Bunkie provided. You can learn more about our early years in Bunkie on our web site at: History of Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home.

Well done, Bunkie, Louisiana! As you have in the past, you will again play a significant role in improving the lives of Louisiana’s children.

Examples of the agency’s environmental stewardship include timber management [...]]]> Relative to our more than a century of ministry to Louisiana’s children and families, phrases like “carbon footprints” and “carbon offsets” are modern. Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services, Inc. has long given consideration to its stewardship of the environmental resources placed into its care.

Examples of the agency’s environmental stewardship include timber management and reforestation practices on 1,820 acres; reduction in paper product use; and the replacement of 300 watt desktop computers with solid state, energy saving, 5 watt terminals.

Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services, Inc. engages in practices we believe will ultimately have a positive impact on our environment. For example:

• Every newly constructed structure is equipped with energy saving light fixtures and bulbs.
• The lights in our new buildings are activated by motion sensors. Existing structures are in the process of converting to energy saving bulbs.
• We contract with a company to shred our old paper documents (this is scheduled on an as needed basis). This company then recycles the used paper.
• Documents which are used by staff on a frequent or routine basis are digitally stored on our intranet and extranet servers. These documents are printed on an as needed bases to curtail excessive use of the printers and copier machines.
• Ink and toner cartridges from printers and copiers are recycled (sent back to the manufacturer for reuse).
• Recycle receptacles for paper and aluminum are strategically located on campus.
• The temperature of our campus buildings is regulated by administrative policies and procedures to conserve the amount of energy consumed.
• When possible, smaller, environmentally friendly, vehicles are purchased.

So, while our web site has a blue theme, we’re working to be green.

We are proud to announce the main circle drive on our campus will be named DeVille Lane after current President and CEO Terrel J. DeVille. The drive leaving [...]]]> For 911 purposes, the City of Ruston and the Home’s Board of Director’s have been working to name the streets on our Ruston campus as private lanes.

We are proud to announce the main circle drive on our campus will be named DeVille Lane after current President and CEO Terrel J. DeVille. The drive leaving DeVille Lane going past our Maintenance Building and Swimming Pool will be called Wier Lane after the founder of the original Louisiana Methodist Orphanage, Rev. C.C. Wier.

We will still receive the bulk of our mail through our PO Box 929, Ruston, LA 71273-0929 address, but the physical address for package deliveries will be 904 DeVille Lane, Ruston, LA 71270.