Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 48 - PUBLIC HEALTH-GENERAL
Part V - Preventive Health Services
Subpart 7 - Maternal and Child Health Services
Chapter 19 - Maternity Services
Section V-1901 - General Administration

1. Maternity Services are administered in accordance with the Social Security Act of 1935-Title V, Sections 501-516; P. L. 97-35, Title V, 42 U. S. C. 703, and R. S. 46:971-972.

2. The state's Maternity Services Program is coordinated with the Medicaid Program of the Office of Family Security, Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Family Planning Program, and other related federal and state programs. Maternity services offered in OPPHS clinics are closely coordinated with prenatal, delivery and post-partal services provided by state supported and private hospitals and private physicians to ensure nonduplication of effort. OPPHS maternity services are intended to provide a minimum standard of prenatal care to pregnant women in Louisiana in cooperation with other public and private providers.

1. To provide and/or support a minimum standard of prenatal care to all the pregnant women in Louisiana;

2. To participate in efforts to reduce neonatal and maternal mortality and morbidity in Louisiana;

3. To prevent or facilitate the prevention of health problems associated with indigent women in the childbearing years and promote their health and the health of their newborns;

4. To provide direct and consultative prenatal services to pregnant women identified as low risk maternity patients;

5. To maintain and enhance linkages and close coordination with state-supported hospitals and other agencies in order to provide the maximum quality of care possible; and

6. To provide postpartal nutritional services to eligible mothers.

1. Services are targeted to low risk pregnant women from Louisiana's indigent population who are not receiving prenatal care elsewhere. Low risk pregnant women are those women identified not at risk of a significant obstetric complication or a serious medical illness coexistent with pregnancy. Prenatal care is provided by OPPHS in parishes where these services are not provided by state supported hospitals. The services offered by OPPHS are dependent on the level of financial support of the program.

2. These services may vary according to the staff equipment, facility and other resources available in each health unit. The services are primarily nursing services with appropriate medical support and consultation.

1. Maternity services may be requested by contacting the OPPHS parish health unit. Requests for these services may be made in person, by telephone, or by mail. Referrals for such services are also received through various sources including but not limited to state supported hospitals, private physicians, the Office of Family Security and other state agencies. When the patient contacts the parish health unit for services, she will be briefly interviewed to determine the services being requested.

2. The patient is also asked whether she is currently receiving services elsewhere before an appointment is scheduled at the health unit. If prenatal care is not provided by OPPHS in the parish health unit, the patient is referred to the state supported hospital of the region for maternity services.