Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center

The Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center focuses on the public policy areas championed by Governor Blanco during her career in state government: education, poverty and economic opportunity, criminal justice reform, health and healthcare, the coast and environment, and governmental ethics. The Blanco Center is an independent, interdisciplinary research center bringing together experts to conduct applied policy-related research, host events to advance policy, and assist those making and implementing policy in Louisiana with best practices, enhancing public services, and technical assistance. A partnership between the University of Louisiana at Lafayette College of Liberal Arts and Edith Garland Dupré Library, the Blanco Center aims to provide policymakers and the public with the information necessary to improve lives and communities across Louisiana. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gMduMFWe

Join us in Shreveport next week for Whole Health Louisiana's third regional training. Carla Burgos, Director of Special Initiatives at Community Foundation of North Louisiana, will lead a discussion on the fundamentals of trauma-informed care (TIC). Whole Health Louisiana is a statewide initiative transforming how we address childhood adversity and trauma. Anchored and funded by the Louisiana Department of Health with implementation led by the Blanco Center, this statewide plan aims to educate and inform stakeholders on the principles of TIC and how they can be applied within systems across all sectors of the state. 📅 Tuesday, September 10  ⏰ 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.   📍 Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport, St. Mary Medical Center, 1 St Mary Pl, Shreveport, LA 71105; Community Center   ✏️ Fundamentals of TIC, strategies on how to implement TIC, and region-specific identification of gaps and resources  🎟️ Register now: https://lnkd.in/ePrqxHpv  ➡️ WHL Website: https://lnkd.in/erDphTUv 

To mark the Blanco Center’s five-year anniversary, we’re highlighting research related to our priority research areas.     🌐 Providing analyses and leading community engagement to support ConnectLA's development of Louisiana’s first ever statewide Digital Equity plan is part of our priority research area on poverty and economic opportunity 📈  By 2029, the necessary structures will be in place to sustain Louisiana’s work toward digital equity. This means that all Louisiana residents will have the opportunity to access: 🛜 Affordable broadband  💻 Appropriate devices  ⌨️ Accessible applications  🤳 Digital skills support  Learn more in Louisiana’s Digital Equity Plan and 2024 Plan Update: https://lnkd.in/etwM5rJv 

📈 From the Blanco Center Data Team 📊 Lafayette was the gathering point for our first Whole Health Louisiana training. 30 dedicated professionals—including nurses, social workers, and student service providers—came together to deepen their knowledge on trauma-informed care and share strategies for improving community health. The turnout from participants outside of our host city underscores the commitment of individuals who traveled to engage in this training. This event was part of a series of 9 regional trainings designed to make vital health knowledge accessible to practitioners throughout Louisiana. See the state map below to find a regional training near you. Together, we’re driving change across the state! ⚜️

✏️ Last week, the Blanco Center hosted Whole Health Louisiana’s second regional training in Baton Rouge at East Baton Rouge Public Library, Jones Creek Regional Branch Library.   Tekoah B. Boatner HS-BCP, Executive Director of Youth Oasis Children's Shelter, an organization that provides support to youth and young adults recovering from trauma, provided a compelling keynote that summarized the fundamentals of trauma-informed care. Sheri Eastridge, Louisiana ACE Educator Program Coordinator, provided commentary. The training included individual and group assessments of trauma-informed care preparedness and breakout sessions for sharing implementation strategies. Register now for next week’s regional training or a regional training near you: https://lnkd.in/ePrqxHpv  

To mark the Blanco Center’s five-year anniversary, we’re highlighting research related to our priority research areas.     🌊 The Blanco Center is proud to be a part of a team of researchers working to address increasing flood risks and disproportionate impacts of climate extremes along the U.S. Gulf region as part of our Coast and the Environment priority research area 🌀 The team has been awarded $5.8 million, funded by the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, or EPSCoR. This project, involving six major universities led by UL Lafayette, aims to provide vital support and solutions for communities most affected by these challenges.  Led by Dr. Emad Habib, the interdisciplinary team includes three senior researchers from the Blanco Center: Dr. Liz Skilton, Dr. Anna Osland, and Dr. Stephen Barnes.  Learn more about the award: https://lnkd.in/gMCy24ew   

Julian Hartwell, Chief Data Scientist at LA FIRST, attended the American Sociological Association annual conference in Montreal last week. The theme was "Intersectional Solidarities: Building Communities of Hope, Justice, and Joy" which featured a diverse panel of sociology researchers from around the world.  Particularly relevant to our research at LA FIRST were the sessions on income mobility, crime, and health. Julian hopes to bring back valuable insights from these presentations to aid in the research at LA FIRST. 

Join us tomorrow for our Whole Health Louisiana regional training ⤵️ 📅 Tuesday, August 20 ⏰ 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 📍 East Baton Rouge Parish Library, Jones Creek Regional Branch Library ✏️ Fundamentals of TIC, strategies on how to implement TIC, and region-specific identification of gaps and resources 🎟️ Register now: https://lnkd.in/ePrqxHpv ➡️ WHL Website: https://lnkd.in/erDphTUv

To mark the Blanco Center’s five-year anniversary, we’re highlighting research related to our priority research areas.    🌱 The Southwest Louisiana and Central Acadiana Resilient Future project is part of the Blanco Center’s research program on Economic and Environmental Resilience 🌊   The U.S. Department of Commerce and NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration have recommended $59.8 million for projects in Louisiana to make the state’s coast more resilient to climate change and other coastal hazards. The Southwest Louisiana and Central Acadiana Resilient Future project is recommended to receive $1,998,800. The project goal is to develop a coordinated vision and sustainable, resilience-focused action plan. The project will set up a regional collaborative to offer continued coordination and sustained knowledge and resource sharing. 🤝 In partnership with the ByWater Institute at Tulane University  ➡️ Read more: https://lnkd.in/eWDuNvQU 

✏️ Last week, the Blanco Center hosted Whole Health Louisiana’s first regional training in Lafayette at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.   Sheri Eastridge, Louisiana ACE Educator Program Coordinator, provided an engaging keynote address that summarized the fundamentals of trauma-informed care. The training also featured individual and group-wide evaluation of TIC preparedness, breakout sessions aimed at sharing implementation strategies, and a group-wide discussion on the identification of regional gaps and resources.  Register now for next week’s regional training in Baton Rouge or a regional training near you: https://lnkd.in/ePrqxHpv