Louisiana state seal Louisiana Ethics Administration Program
Home Charges Search EAB Decisions Search
STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> Ca.oF.L�'. DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> ;, LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> P.O.BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> cO'�'FIDEN�� (225)219-5600 <br /> »o»" <br /> FAX:(225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www.ethics.1a.gov <br /> October 10, 2023 <br /> Kristin Bonner <br /> Executive Director <br /> South Central Louisiana Human Services Authority <br /> 158 Regal Row <br /> Houma, Louisiana 70364 <br /> Re: Docket No. 2023-261 <br /> Advisory Opinion <br /> Dear Ms. Bonner, <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its meeting on October 6, 2023, considered your request for <br /> clarification on an advisory opinion as to whether the Code of Governmental Ethics ("Code") <br /> prohibits Leah Hood from obtaining outside employment with the Louisiana Mental Health <br /> Association and from referring patients from the South-Central Louisiana Human Services <br /> Authority to the Louisiana Mental Health Association. <br /> FACTS PROVIDED <br /> The Louisiana Legislature established the South-Central Louisiana Human Services Authority <br /> ("Authority") through Act 449 of the 2006 Regular Session to provide administration, <br /> management, and operation of mental health, addictive disorders, and developmental disability <br /> services to the residents of Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. <br /> Mary, and Terrebonne parishes. The mission of the Authority is to promote overall health within <br /> the general population by increasing public awareness and access for individuals with behavioral <br /> health and developmental disabilities to integrated primary care, while promoting wellness, <br /> recovery and independence through education and the choice of a broad range of programmatic <br /> and community resources. The Authority operates a separate clinic in each parish, including <br /> Terrebonne Behavioral Health Center("TBHC") in Houma. <br /> Leah Hood has an independent contract with the Authority to provide peer support specialist <br /> services at TBHC. Generally, peer support services are designed to assist the client/member and <br /> the clinic to develop and maintain the best care for the client suffering from substance abuse or <br /> addiction.At this time, Ms. Hood only provides services to TBHC. <br /> Ms. Hood is seeking outside employment with the Louisiana Mental Health Association <br /> ("Association"), a non-profit corporation in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which offers services for <br /> persons with, or at risk for, mental health and substance abuse issues.Ms. Hood has stated that she <br /> would be employed with the Association as a Certified Target Health Facilitator to teach a group <br /> of people suffering from substance abuse or addiction, on her own time, for ten weeks, on the <br /> Page 1 of 4(BD 2023-261) <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />