Blog Archive | Odyssey House

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Detox Temporarily Moved to Bohn

our Medically Supported Detox facility at 4730 Washington Ave. sustained heavy damage due to the storm. While the facility does have power, it is currently uninhabitable and will required notable repair work before we can move clients back to this location....

Briscoe Re-Opening

After being closed for over a year after the devastation of Hurricane Laura, OHL Briscoe is officially back in action and serving clients! OHL hosted the ceremonial reopening ribbon cutting ceremony for its Briscoe-Lake Charles facility. This event was...

Transformative Grant Partner

Odyssey House is proud to have been awarded as a Gilead COMPASS Initiative 2021 Transformative Grant Partner! As a recipient of this 18-month grant, OHL will help to combat the spread of HIV in the South through educational trainings surrounding HIV education...

Community Clean Up

OHL participated in a community clean up effort on S. Claiborne, as part of an ongoing effort to help to clean vacant and blighted areas. The area is in very close proximity to our 732 N. Claiborne facility, which most recently housed our Sobering Center....

Client Success Story!

We are so proud to share the stories of our clients who have completed the program and move on to accomplish amazing things. Meet Gary, who is now a local business owner and author! Read all about his path to “Recoding Recovery” here!

26 Mar

OHL Presentation at UN NGO Event

COO Shawny Robey presented on behalf of OHL at a United Nations NGO Committee on the Status of Women virtual event. OHL was on a panel titled “Addressing Gender Based Violence: a key element in gender-sensitive addiction treatment programs”,...

19 Mar

Mayor Visit to OHL Briscoe!

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter visited our Lake Charles-Briscoe facility as part of his tour of Lake Charles-area businesses and facilities that are rebounding after Hurricane Laura. We are thankful to be considered a notable resource to the City of Lake...

05 Mar

COVID Unit is Open!

After months of preparation, our standalone COVID-19 Isolation/Quarantine Unit is open! We moved three clients from our temporary second floor isolation unit into the official unit yesterday. This was a tremendous team effort and we appreciate all of...

Client Success Story!

Very Local New Orleans published an inspiring piece about Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine & Pastries, a local eatery with an added mission to use the restaurant as a force for good, a safe place that welcomes ex-inmates trying to make their way in a post-prison...

OHL Named a Best Rehab Center by help.org!

Earlier this year, OHL was notified that it had been named a 2020 BEST REHAB FACILITY BATON ROUGE by Help.org. Yesterday, Help.Org released its 2020 BEST REHAB FACILITY NEW ORLEANS and we are also on that list! Not surprising since that is our core service...

2019 Annual Report Available!

Check our OHL's 2019 Annual Report here! The publication of this report was delayed due to the multiple significant events and changes of 2020; however, putting this report together was a wonderful way to reflect on the great successes our Agency...

2020 Health Center Quality Leader

OHL's CHC was recognized by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a 2020 Health Center Quality Leader. OHL was awarded a certificate of achievement in recognition of ranking among the top 30% of health centers for best overall...

31 Aug

International Overdose Awareness Day 2020

Yesterday was International Overdose Day and our Prevention Departmentdid an amazing job commemorating this important day. The department partnered with Low Barrier Shelter and provided free health services in the field including Naloxone trainings and...

13 Jul

CHC Featured in Video

A few months ago, OHL received $50,000 in Emergency COVID-19 funding for our Community Health Center from Direct Relief. They recently compiled a video from other grantees and chose our Clinic Practice Manager Ebony Chambliss to lead off the video, based...

Community Health Center is Recognized!

Our Community Health Center has been reauthorized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home! Thank to the hard work and dedication of the CHC, our practice remains officially Recognized! As such, we will...

24 Jun

OHL's Past, Present, and Future

Curious about how OHL started? Check out this video that we commissioned, outlining how OHL started in 1973 and how we have grown into the agency we are today. It features some very familiar faces, including OHL's first Executive Director Maggie Pike,...

OHL is now listed as one of the Top 3 Addiction treatment centers in New Orleans, LA by ThreeBestRated. Their review team used a rigorous 50-Point Inspection which includes everything from checking reputation, history, complaints, ratings, satisfaction,...

23 Apr

James Wise: His Path to Recovery

Most people who have been to our Bohn facility know Mr. James well for his tremendous work ethic and wonderful attitude. However, you may not know the full story of how he came to OHL. Check out this short video on this amazing man and peer! His story...

25 Mar

Drive-Thru Covid-19 Testing

OHL's pilot drive-thru COVID-19 testing was a success! Overall, the first run went very well. We talked to 20 individuals, of those we screened 12 to see if they qualified for a test, and ultimately tested 4 individuals who displayed symptoms. Additionally,...

New Service: S.A.F.E.R.

The Prevention Department rolled out a new service this week, called S.A.F.E.R. (Syringe Access for Everyone, Really). Rather than the more traditional methods of syringe access where injection-drug users visit a stationary access location, OHL’s...

Safe Prescription Disposal

In an effort to prevent misuse of leftover substances, OHL reached out to DisposeRX and received a donation of 1,000 patented drug disposal packets. DisposeRx was designed to help reduce the occurrence and/or severity of certain risks associated with...

Meeting the Speaker

On Tuesday, February 11th, OHL CEO Ed Carlson and Policy and Advocacy Specialist Lonnie Granier attended a small meeting with newly minted Speaker Clay Schexnayder on behalf of the Louisiana Primary Care Association, a membership organization where Ed...

Southern Decadence Donation

This week, we were absolutely thrilled to be invited to the check presentation ceremony by Southern Decadence XLV, as they honored OHL as the chosen charity for 2019. OHL was chosen due to our program inclusivity and our LGBTQIA+ services. We are so incredibly...

Revive. Survive. ODP Toolkit is Here!

OHL's Revive. Survive. Overdose Prevention Program is a five-year SAMHSA funded grant designed to addess and alleviate the opioid epidemic in New Orleans. We just published a full report on the program's work over the past year! Check out the...

New Prevention Department Grant!

OHL was awarded a 1-year HRSA Ryan W hite Part C grant, which will be administered through the Prevention Department. Starting in January, our new Outreach Coordinators will be providing FREE Health Services to individuals in St. Tammany, Plaquemines,...

2018 Economic Impact of OHL's CHC

Annually, the Louisiana Primary Care Association (LPCA) helps produce an economic impact report for its network of Community Health Centers and individual organizations. Below, you can see the economic impact of OHL's CHC! It's great to see how...

OHL Sobering Center Officially Opens!

Another week, another ribbon cutting! This time we were thrilled to celebrate the ribbon cutting for our Sobering Center, a 25-bed facility to receive individuals identified as publicly intoxicated by NOPD, State Police, other law enforcement agents based...

Revive Survive ODP is the Key to Local Conference!

Revive. Survive. OverDose Prevention Project Director, Helena Likaj, was a key note speaker at this year's LPCA 2019 Conference! It was a wonderful opportunity to discus the importance of community centered programs grounded in reducing deaths associated...

Tonti Construction Begins!

The timing is right on cue as we signed the contract to begin work on our 1125 N. Tonti facility a few days ago. We are completely renovating the Tonti facility and designing it into a long-term housing and IOP facility. The services will remain largely...

Odyssey House on the World Stage

This week, OHL CEO Ed Carlson and Development Manager Ann Tucker embarked for Thessaloniki, Greece to represent the agency before the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities! The World Federation of Therapeutic Communities (WFTC) is an international...

OHL Celebrates Southern Decadence!

OHL had a blast walking in the Southern Decadence Parade this past Sunday! Pictured is our CEO Ed Carlson, Board Member Bob Moffett and the Grand Marshall of Southern Decadence this year, Countess C. Alice, who chose OHL as this year's charity! This...

30 Aug

Bohn Ribbon Cutting!

Our ribbon cutting ceremony was this past Tuesday and it was a GREAT success! Despite threatening rain clouds at the exact time of the event, the weather held up. We had close to 150 people in attendance, including Governor John Bel Edward, Mayor LaToya...

OHL Outreach

Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC), in partnership with 504HealthNet, have launched a program to provide New Orleans hospitality workers access to high-quality, affordable health care at over 50 sites around...

14 Jun

Pride 2019 Success!

PRIDE 2019 was a great success! In partnership with the New Orleans Health Department, OHL iPrevent and participating OHL staff distributed hundreds of resources regarding OHL's various programs including PrEP Packets, Condoms, Lube, Agency overviews,...

Meet the OHL Briscoe Team!

OHL was recently awarded a contract to take over a treatment facility in Lake Charles! The facility is known as Briscoe, and operates on a similar treatment level as OHL. When the agency that currently operates the facility decided to leave the state,...

New All-Female Sober Living House Completed!

Our amazing Maintenance Team has been hard at work completing OHL's newest Sober Living House, which will be used for female clients. Women clients completing OHL's Long-Term Treatment will have the opportunity to seek one of the spots in this...

OHL Receives Grant from Junior League!

OHL accepted a check from Junior League of New Orleans of $5,000 to provide at least 250 women in our Adult Residential Program with soap and shampoo, feminine hygiene products, and other supplies that support physical and mental health. The Community...

OHL's CHC is a Recognized Provider!

Odyssey House's Community Health Center has been officially re-certified as a Patient-Centered Medical Home. The patient-centered medical home is a model of care that puts patients at the forefront of care. Practices that earn recognition have made...

Economic Impact of OHL's Community Health Center

OHL is a member of the Louisiana Primary Care Association (LPCA), a statewide advocacy organization in support of community-based health centers that works to stress the importance of healthcare access as the foundation to building healthier communities....

OHL Receives Cox Charities Grant

Odyssey House Louisiana Inc. has been awarded a $3,100 grant from Cox Charities, one of five market organizations that will receive funding through the 2018 CoxCharities Community Investment grant program. While OHL appreciates all funding it recieves,...

Revive. Survive. Overdose Prevention

Odyssey House Louisiana’s (OHL) new program Revive. Survive. OverDose Prevention Program (Revive. Survive. ODP) is a five-year SAMHSA funded grant designed to address and alleviate the opioid epidemic in New Orleans. The Revive. Survive. OverDose...

OHL Contribution to International Magazine

Recently, OHL was asked to contribute to an international publication, EXIT® Magazine 2018, which was dedicated to the theme "Mental Health: Benefits of Addiction Treatment for People, Communities and Governments." Exit Magazine is Dianova Portugal's...

OHL Helping to Establish Recovery Support Systems in Uganda

OHL believes in global activism! For several years, OHL has partnered with Global Livingston Institute to support free concerts in East Africa centered around culture sharing, public health, and economic development. OHL supports several live music festivals...

iPrevent Presents at Community Health Center Expo

Sunday, August 26, staff members from OHL's iPrevent team attended the National Association of Community Health Centers CHI Institute and Expo in Orlando, FL. The iPrevent team's abstract was accepted for presentation and iPrevent used this platform...

Another Pirate Ball In The Books!

OHL's Pirate Ball was a success! OHL’s Pirate Ball is a swashbuckling good time filled with great food, libations, entertainment, and silent auction. Thanks to all who came out to support and/or volunteer! For those that didn't, we hope...

OHL Case Manager Honored By UNITY

OHL Community Supportive Services (CSS) Case Manager Tiba Hankton was awarded Outstanding Case Manager of the Year award at UNITY Annual Meeting! This award recognizes the outstanding work Tiba has done in the past year in assisting clients maintain stable...

Make Change NOLA

OHL is pleased to be one of four nonprofit agencies that will receive funding support through the newly announced Make Change NOLA, a city-wide initiative that combines a public awareness campaign with mobile giving to harness the generosity of New Orleanians...

JOIN US FRIDAY, JUNE 15!

Join us for Pirate Ball 2018! Food! Raffle and silent auction! Live music! Pirate revelry! Dust off your old pirate garb and join Odyssey House Louisiana for a night of adventure. OHL’s Pirate Ball will be a swashbuckling good time! All proceeds...

OHL's 1st Prophylactic Prom a Success!

OHL's hosted its inaugural Prophylactic Prom Friday, March 9. Held at Eiffel Society, Prophylactic Prom was a funky, fun special event, loosely resembling your high school prom, but rather than taffeta and tuxes, the "prom court" attire feature creative...

OHL Breaks Ground on its New Facility!

It's official! Odyssey House is moving to 2700 S. Broad! OHL and its community partners broke ground today on OHL's new facility, scheduled to be completed in early 2019! The $14.4 MM project will historically restore and expand the Bohn Motor...

Bike & Brunch 2017 a SUCCESS

OHL's Bike & Brunch event was a ride-way success (bad pun, sorry!). We had gorgeous weather and even better company for our social bike ride through the Marigy/Bywater. To refuel after all those calories burned on the bike, we made sure our participants...

Crime Reduction Plan for New Orleans

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, with murder and drug abuse rampant in New Orleans, OHL developed a white paper that discussed a plan for reducing crime in the city through substance abuse treatment, a resource that the City of New Orleans underfunds...

OHL Community and Economic Impact

In November 2016, Odyssey House Louisiana (OHL) retained Tripp Umbach to conduct a community and economic impact study to determine the financial and social benefits of OHL’s operations and services on the State of Louisiana, its communities, and...

OHL CEO in Washington, DC

In an effort to inform decision makers and provide expertise on addiction related policy matters, our CEO, Ed Carlson, is in our nation's capital meeting with the movers and shakers. While in Washington, DC, Ed has: - Contributed to a roundtable...

PIRATE BALL 2017 A SUCCESS!

OHL's Pirate Ball 2017 was a great success! There was food, fun, dancing, great music, and a successful silent auction! A great time was had by all, but, most importantly, proceeds raised from the event goes directly back to OHL! THANK YOU to our...

Adams and Reese H.U.G.S. program ROCKS!

OHL is immensely grateful to have a long-term relationship with Adams and Reese, LLP and their H.U.G.S. (Hope, Understanding, Giving and Support) program, which hosts a crawfish boil and talent show for our clients every year! This event is a special...

CEO MEETS HHS SECRETARY

OHL's Chief Executive Officer Edward Carlson met with new Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D., in his personal office in Washington, D.C., Monday to offer policy guidance regarding concerns facing the substance abuse treatment industry....

OHL Letter to Editor: Focus on Drug Demand

The Times-Picayune recently printed an article regarding the increase in violent crime in New Orleans (see article here). OHL CEO Edward Carlson wrote a Letter to the Editor regarding this article that was published on nola.com on March 27, 2017....

Economic Impact of OHL's FQHC

The Louisiana Primary Care Association and Capital Link recently compiled the economic numbers outlining the economic impact and community impact that OHL's Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) contributed to its community. The following represents...

The Domain Companies Hosts Client Holiday Meal!

A thousand thank yous to The Domain Companies for sponsoring a holiday lunch for our Adult Residential clients this week. Our clients were treated to a delicious meal and plenty of sweets! We are so grateful to The Domain Companies for their continued...

US Surgeon General Visits OHL

OHL was honored to host the United States Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, for a tour of our facility, Thursday, December 1. This visit comes on the heels of the Surgeon General's first ever report focused on addiction, The Surgeon General’s Report...

Clients Receive Thanksgiving Treat!

Special thanks to the Law Offices of Anthony J. Engoila, III, Patrick G. Kehoe, Jr., Michael I. Rodriguez, Sr., and Christopher M. Rodriguez for providing a lovely Thanksgiving meal for the clients in our Adult Residential Treatment Program! These attorneys...

OHL Medical Director: A Hero

OHL's Medical Director, Dr. Arwen Podesta, was featured in a Times-Picayune/nola.com feature, discussing her behavioral health and addiction expertise. We have been blessed to have Dr. Podesta on staff for nearly 10 years. She makes a difference in...

JOIN US SEPTEMBER 10 FOR BIKE AND BRUNCH!

Odyssey House is on a roll! Saturday, September 10, 2016 from 10AM-12:30PM, we’re hosting our first ever Bike & Brunch. It’s a progressive party for families and friends to ride the Lafitte Greenway, from the French Quarter to Mid-City....

OHL Letter to the Editor: Treatment Works

OHL CEO Ed Carlson recently wrote a Letter to the Editor commenting on an article published in The Times-Picayune that documented one woman's struggle with opioid addiction (read the original article here). Below is OHL's commentary: RE: "Life...

OHL CEO Pens Letter to the Editor

The Times-Picayune recently printed an article about the impending Medicaid expansion and the implications it could have in New Orleans (see article here). OHL CEO wrote a Letter to the Editor regarding this article that was printed in the paper June...

OHL's PIRATE'S BALL 2016 a Success!

OHL's 2nd Annual Pirate's Ball was a true party with a purpose! Held Saturday, June 4, at the Hyatt French Quarter, there was music and dancing, amazing food from New Orleans' favorite restaurants, burlesque, silent auction and pirates as...

OHL Medical Director Awarded

We're so proud that OHL's Medical Director, Dr. Arwen Podesta, was awarded for Community Leadership at CADA's Annual Awards luncheon this week! The award recognizes "a leader in substance abuse prevention or treatment, who has impacted these...

OHL Health Center Achieves

OHL officially received its award notice from HRSA this week to be recognized as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) New Access Point! This will provide OHL and the Clinic with ongoing annual funding to increase staff and expand healthcare access...

OHL Health Center NCQA Recognized

On November 18, 2014, the Odyssey House Community Health Center received NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long?term, participative relationships....