ANNA MONICA / L’Observateur / April 20, 1999

RESERVE – It was the first in a series of mandatory educational training programs for licensed day care and after school care personnel and for day care facilities to maintain their licenses with the state.

The state is divided into regions, and the St. John Health Unit in Reserve becamethe first to host a seminar in Region 3, which consists of the River Parishes.

Frances McDonald, St. John Parish nursing supervisor, and Linda Monica,assistant nursing supervisor, planned and conducted the event at the Health Unit in Reserve.

Each month one of the parishes will host a seminar with different topics. “ChildAbuse and Neglect” was the subject selected for the Reserve program. Guestspeakers included Dr. Jean Takenaka from the Louisiana Office of Public Health.Dr. Takenaka is OPH medical director for Child Health Services and gave an”Overview of Child Abuse and Neglect.” Also, John R. Rollins of LaPlace, SocialServices supervisor, Department of Social Services, Office of Community Services in the River Parishes, spoke to the group about mandatory reporting on childcare incidences, and both speakers answered a number of questions and concerns from the audience. Group discussions were included in the program,adding to the apparent success of this somewhat new venture.

Continuing education for day care workers was originally done in other ways, but now that health units have become the sponsors, the program will take on a more formal structure. Certificates of completion will only be issued to thosewho complete the required three hours as mandated by the state.

Lafourche, St. Mary, St. James, St. John, St. Charles, Terrebonne and Assumptionparishes are included in Region 3, and each month their respective health units will alternate in conducting training. Those involved in day care are eligible toattend any of these sessions to receive their certificates.

McDonald and Monica are childcare consultants for St. John Parish. They have hadextra training in this area, and people in day care can call upon them with questions and concerns.Back to Top

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