News Release

Secretary Leavitt Taking Health, Social Services Resources to Evacuee Locations Throughout Gulf Region

Secretary Mike Leavitt is taking a team of health care, public health and social service leaders to Louisiana and the Gulf Region today as part of ongoing efforts to extend care and services to where evacuees of Hurricane Katrina are located.

Secretary Leavitt said the team would build upon existing state, local and federal efforts to provide for the immediate health care needs of evacuees by extending services for ongoing medical, mental health and social services needs as well as public health and disease prevention. HHS health care experts and medicines were pre-deployed to the region before the hurricane and subsequently delivered immediately following to augment the needs of FEMA and state and local health agencies.

Secretary Leavitt will be accompanied by the following HHS leaders: Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Richard Carmona, Surgeon General; Wade Horn, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families; Charles Curie, Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; Dr. Mark McClellan, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Dr. Garth Graham, Director of Office of Minority Health. In addition to the HHS leadership team, the Secretary will be joined by Dr. William Winkenwerder, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; General Joe Kelly of the Department of Defense; and Joe Becker of the American Red Cross.

�We�ve spent this important first week providing for the immediate health care needs of hurricane victims and the public health needs of the Gulf region, which will remain ongoing efforts. Now, we want to make sure the full reach of the federal government�s health and human services are being extended to every area where evacuees are being located,� Secretary Leavitt said. �We have a great deal of work to do to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina get back on their feet and begin recovering from this tragedy. We�re going to be where they are in order to help them every step of this journey.�

Over the next several days, the Secretary and his team will be going to evacuee locations throughout the Gulf Coast region, including Louisiana and Texas. At evacuee locations, the Secretary will make sure HHS resources are stood up or expanded where necessary to meet the ongoing needs of hurricane victims.

Today, the Secretary will be going to the following sites in Louisiana:

12:10 p.m. (Central Time)       New Orleans Airport
The team will be working with evacuation efforts at the airport, where medical facilities are in operation.

3:45 p.m. (Central Time)       Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The team will go to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (Entrance) on the LSU Campus, where evacuees are located as well as health care facilities that HHS personnel are helping to staff and operate.

5 p.m. (Central Time)       Media Availability
At approximately this time, Secretary Leavitt will hold a media availability at the Entrance to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on the LSU Campus in Baton Rouge.

Please understand that times are approximate and may alter depending on the work needed to be done in these communities. HHS will keep media apprised of any significant time changes.

After Louisiana, the Secretary and team will be going to sites in Texas, including Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. More specific information will be forthcoming as locations and times are confirmed.