NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana's top health official announced a plan on Tuesday to revamp the New Orleans-area's mental health system, which has been in disarray since Hurricane Katrina devastated the area.

State Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine said James McDonough, who is credited with improving Florida's prison system, will lead a "transformation team" that will spearhead several new initiatives.

Levine announced the plan at the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital, where the state recently doubled the number of adult psychiatric beds by adding 20.

Access to psychiatric treatment is a major problem in the area.

Charity Hospital, which has been closed since Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005, had a 98-bed mental unit. It has not been replaced, leaving the Orleans Parish jail's 60 psychiatric beds the largest acute-care ward in New Orleans.

"This issue is overwhelming hospitals, law enforcement, community agencies ... and most importantly, families who have a loved one who is suffering," Levine said.

Levine said the state's Metropolitan Human Services District is supposed to work with people to prevent crisis, but has been unable to "get traction."

"We must change this, and it must start immediately," he said.

Levine's plans include adding three teams to monitor mental patients and make sure they take their medicine. One of those teams will work only with people whose problems have led to arrests or court charges against them.

Other proposals include short-term subsidies to provide safe housing for mental patients until they can get longer-term help through federal or other programs; five mental health teams to help community clinics around Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes; and a regional center where police could bring mental patients.

If the New Orleans-area "receiving and triage center" works out, similar centers would be set up around the state.

McDonough, a retired Army colonel and former head of Florida's drug control agency, announced last month that he was retiring as Florida's corrections secretary - a job he was given in 2006 after his predecessor was charged with taking kickbacks from a prison contractor.

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Last updated: 03/27/2008 - 08:46 AM