Senator Landrieu Secures $2.1 million Earmarks for 2-1-1 in Senate Appropriations Bill

In late June, United States Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., secured $7 million for Louisiana projects in the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill that was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Senator Landrieu was successful in the Senate in allowing LAUW to secure $400K for Louisiana 2-1-1! The funding will go to the expansion of the capacity of LA 2-1-1’s system.

In addition to Louisiana Association of United Ways, five other 2-1-1 earmarks were included in the U.S. Senate version of the Labor, HHS Appropriations bill, totaling in $2.1 million for 2-1-1 systems.

Among other things, the bill also covers funding for construction, renovation and equipment of a health training facility at Centenary College of Louisiana in Shreveport and the construction, renovation and equipment of a medical facility in St. Bernard Parish, which was left completely underwater after Hurricane Katrina and has had no hospital facility since.

 “This bill is all about making investments in American families,” said Sen. Landrieu, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “The provisions of this legislation support community health centers, which will increase access to primary care for all Americans and mitigate skyrocketing health care costs. The bill supports education, increasing funding to under-resourced schools and helping to ensure that all of our children have access to quality education. It invests in workforce development and medical research, helping to move our country and the state forward as we work to grow our economy and cure disease. I am pleased that these critical programs are receiving strong support.”

The Louisiana Association of United Ways (LAUW) and the six LA 2-1-1 providers are currently partners in a full public-private partnership that has proven a successful national model.

Louisiana 2-1-1 Providers are:
• Southwest LA Education and Referral Center dba 232-HELP/2-1-1
• VIALINK/2-1-1 (Southeast LA)
• Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center/United Way 2-1-1
• The Volunteer Center of Southwest LA/310-INFO/2-1-1
• United Way NELA/United Way 2-1-1
• Centerpoint Community Services