NEW ORLEANS – Today, City of New Orleans Director of Health Charlotte Parent announced that after nine years of service to the City, she will leave her post on July 29, 2016, to become the Assistant Vice President of Community Affairs and Network Navigation for Louisiana-based, non-for-profit healthcare system LCMC Health. Parent joined the New Orleans Health Department in June 2007 and has served as the Director of Health since January 2014.
“Charlotte has been a steadfast leader within my administration and has leveraged many critical partnerships between the City and our community leaders,” said Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “She has made great strides toward improving the overall health outcomes for New Orleans residents. Our city’s health rankings have steadily improved since 2010, and Charlotte played a key role in the reopening of the New Orleans East Hospital in 2014. I want to personally thank Charlotte for her hard work and service on behalf the people of New Orleans. She will be sorely missed around City Hall.”
Under Parent’s leadership as Director of Health, the New Orleans Health Department became one of the first 50 health departments in the country to be fully accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB). She also oversaw the transformation of the Health Department from providing direct care services to working to build a culture of health through population health initiatives.
Additionally, she served as vice-chairman of the Orleans Parish Hospital Service District-District A board, which was created to restore healthcare services to New Orleans East, Gentilly and the Lower Ninth Ward. In July 2014, the full-service, $130 million, 80-bed New Orleans East Hospital opened, providing emergency, surgical, cardiology, gastroenterology, radiology and rehab services to residents in that area.
Other key accomplishments include the successful implementation of the City’s smoke-free ordinance, national recognition of the FitNOLA initiative as a model for collective impact and collaboration of community partners, creation of the City’s coordinated public safety response to domestic violence—the Blueprint for Safety and the launch of the public health education program which aims to reduce level of harmful sounds in the environment.
Parent said, “Working in Mayor Landrieu’s administration has been extremely fulfilling and rewarding both personally and professionally as we advanced the City to some of its’ most significant health achievements. Through the efforts of the Health Department and the dedication of its employees, New Orleans is on its way to becoming one of the healthiest cities in America. I have met and worked with so many wonderful, smart and creative people. My commitment to continuing to make New Orleans as equitably healthy and well as possible will not end with my leaving this position. I am dedicated to the premise that we can achieve the best outcomes possible for our community.”
Prior to joining the City, Parent was the Director of Maternal and Child Services at Touro in New Orleans, where she developed and oversaw services for expectant mothers and their families throughout the childbirth and post-natal experience. She received a degree in Nursing from Charity Hospital School of Nursing. Parent has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Loyola University in New Orleans and a Masters in Healthcare Management from the University of New Orleans.
In her new role at LCMC Health, Parent will function as the lead executive on Medicaid expansion operations and implementation across some of their hospitals, liaise closely with their community’s primary care providers and FQHCs and work to build collaboration among nursing leadership. She will work on public health initiatives including population health efforts, alternative care delivery models, clinically integrated networks and other special projects.
Upon Parent’s departure, Jeffrey Elder, M.D., who serves as the City’s Director of Emergency Medical Services (NOEMS), will serve as the Interim Director of Health overseeing the department’s operations and initiatives.
