Lafayette Hospitals, United Way to Partner in Early Brain Initiative for Newborns

Hospitals in Lafayette hope to play a bigger role in early childhood development in the region by working with parents immediately after giving birth.

Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center and Our Lady Of Lourdes Regional Medical Center will join forces in partnering with The Basics program and United Way of Acadiana to start a hospital-based early learning initiative, OLGH CEO Al Patin said during a CivicCon event Wednesday as part of One Acadiana’s Vibrant Community Summit.

The hospitals will serve as the first step in the process, giving parents of the more than 7,000 children born each year a bag with resources they will need to encourage early brain development in children.

“That’s our commitment to this project,” Patin said. “This is a united effort, an absolutely united effort. We believe that spark can help community leaders and community members get behind the next phase of that project. We’re super excited to be a part of this.”

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