July 29, 2026 | From City of New Orleans
New Orleans Department of Health and Human Services Unveils Three-Year Impact Report Showcasing Community-Driven Health Improvements
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Department of Health and Human Services (NOHHS) just released its 2022–2025 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) Impact Report, offering a look at three years of collective work to strengthen health and well‑being across the city. Powered by the energy and expertise of hundreds of community partners, the report shows how public agencies, healthcare providers, nonprofits, educators, and residents joined forces to take on some of New Orleans’ toughest health challenges together.
The report highlights progress across several priority areas, including increasing access to healthcare, improving behavioral health services, strengthening chronic disease prevention efforts, enhancing public safety, promoting healthier housing, expanding food access, and supporting transportation safety.
"Good health begins long before someone walks into a doctor's office," said Dr. Jennifer Avegno, Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services. "It starts in our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and homes. This report demonstrates what can be achieved when an entire community works together."
Over the past three years, the Community Health Improvement Plan transformed collaboration into measurable results for New Orleans. More than 100 community organizations and over 200 partners came together to implement more than 80 health improvement strategies focused on increasing access to care, improving economic stability, and strengthening community safety. Highlights of this dedicated work span the gamut of issues affecting health outcomes in the community.
Together, partners distributed more than 12 million pounds of nutritious food to families across New Orleans, trained 9,488 residents in naloxone education, conducted more than 500 overdose response trainings, and distributed over 28,000 doses of naloxone, contributing to a 43% reduction in accidental overdose deaths over 4 years. Heart disease mortality also declined from 445.9 to 390 deaths per 100,000 residents, while diabetes mortality dropped from 107 to 84 deaths per 100,000. The initiative also expanded maternal health services by helping to establish the Louisiana Doula Registry and directly training 19 new doulas, launching universal postpartum home visits for New Orleans births, and helping the number of infants exclusively breastfed through six months at NOHD WIC clinics grow more than 380% from 2022 to 2025. Flu vaccinations continued to increase, while traffic fatalities and violent injuries showed welcome decreases thanks to strong prevention and intervention programs spearheaded by NOHHS and CHIP partners. Challenges still remain, particularly in chronic diseases like obesity and cancer, infant mortality, and food insecurity; but the achievements to date demonstrate the power and potential of coordinated community-driven public health investments to improve lives across New Orleans.
“Everyone involved in the last CHIP should be proud of the progress we've made—but our work is far from finished,” said Dr. Flint Mitchell, Deputy Director for Community Engagement, Performance, and Equity. “We must keep our proverbial foot on the gas until everyone understands that quality education for children of all ages, economic opportunity for the entire workforce, civic engagement through voting and community organizing, and many other social and economic factors are just as important to health as seeing a doctor regularly.”
While this report celebrates meaningful progress, it also reminds us that our work is far from finished. Too many New Orleans residents continue to face barriers to good health based on where they live, their income, or their access to essential resources. Chronic disease, behavioral health, maternal and infant health, food insecurity, and housing conditions remain significant challenges for many residents. These are not problems that healthcare alone can solve; they require bold partnerships, sustained investment, and a continued commitment to addressing the social and economic conditions that shape health. Our greatest challenge, and our greatest opportunity, is ensuring that every neighborhood has an equal chance to thrive.
What's Next
Community health improvement is an ongoing cycle of assessment, planning, action, and evaluation. The progress documented in this report represents one phase of that cycle. As the New Orleans Office of Health and Human Service completes the current 2026 Community Health Assessment (CHA), the lessons learned from this report and the community's identified priorities will directly inform the next Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). Together, these efforts will guide NOHHS and its partners in shaping future policies, investments, partnerships, and community-driven initiatives to address emerging needs and improve health outcomes for all New Orleans residents.
2022–2025 Community Health Improvement Plan Impact Report
The CHIP is a citywide roadmap for improving community health that is updated every five years. Residents are encouraged to learn more about the CHIP and explore ways to become involved in improving health across New Orleans. For more information, visit nola.gov/health or contact the Health Department at 504-658-2500.