News, Access Health Louisiana Primary Care at Pythian, Belle Chasse C.H.C, Kenner C.H.C., South Broad C.H.C, St. Bernard C.H.C., St. Charles – Norco C.H.C, St. Charles Community Health Center – Luling, St. Tammany – Slidell C.H.C, Tangipahoa C.H.C, Washington C.H.C, Woodworth C.H.C.
Access Health Louisiana Receives 7 Awards
Access Health Louisiana received national recognition for its behavioral health, heart health and diabetes health services in August 2025. No other Federally Qualified Health Center in Louisiana received both the National Award for Behavioral and Diabetes Health. This dual distinction affirms AHL’s leadership in both targeted clinical excellence and overall system-wide performance. It reflects top-tier outcomes in behavioral health, preventive care, and chronic disease management. The non-profit ranks in the top 20% of all community health centers in the United States and its territories for quality according to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Chatrian Roberson, the senior vice president of population health for AHL, said the awards mean that the residents of 16 Louisiana parishes that AHL serves have better health outcomes because they have increased access to preventative and integrated care.
“St. Charles parish residents have access to the highest quality and low-cost primary care and behavioral health care in the nation right here in their neighborhood,” Roberson said. “Make the most of it. Use it.”
Chenier Reynolds, a spokesperson for the AHL, said the nonprofit was recognized as a national quality leader for its clinical quality and its care to uninsured populations. The Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recognized AHL based on its 2024 performance.
“AHL emerged as a top-performing federally qualified health center – earning three national quality awards while continuing to provide better care at lower cost to more vulnerable patients than any other health center in Louisiana,” Reynolds said.
She said AHL measures its impact through its population health.
“By evaluating patient data that shows individuals are improving in their clinical outcomes, such as more hypertensive or diabetic patients getting in control, or even uptakes in patient immunization rates, lives are improving,” Reynolds said.
Patient engagement is another way to measure improvement, she said.
“Patients enrolling in school-based health services, medication assisted treatment programs, or even pharmacy services, all point to more individuals taking an active role in their healthcare,” Reynolds said.
She said some examples of patient success might include the convenience that AHL’s school-based health centers offer to families. AHL operates clinics at five parish public schools.
“Instead of children having to check out of school to go to urgent care for an acute illness, they can be treated at school and sometimes return to class,” Reynolds said. “This saves mom and dad time from taking off from work to bring their child to the doctor.”
At AHL clinics, patients can see multiple providers for different services without having to drive to various locations, Reynolds said. AHL operates clinics in Luling and in Norco.
“For instance, the St. Charles Community Health Center in Luling offers adult and pediatric primary care, behavioral health, psychiatry, dental, WIC, pharmacy services and more,” Reynolds said.
AHL can also provide prevention services to eligible Medicare patients with prediabetes now that a federal health agency recently approved AHL as a supplier. Only five other organizations in the state offer the program, which helps to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes through education and lifestyle changes.
About 21 percent of AHL’s patient population is uninsured, but its annual cost per patient is nearly 40 percent below the statewide average for community-based health clinics. Reynolds said the organization has lowered rates by reducing costly emergency room visits.
One of the main ways they do this is by making it easier for patients to see a doctor for routine care. For instance, AHL offers same-day appointments and extended clinic hours, including Saturdays at some of its locations. They also provide telehealth and virtual visits, which are helpful for patients who have trouble with transportation.
“The key to lowering the total cost of care is to divert avoidable visits to lower-cost, high value settings by strengthening access, coordination, behavioral health integration, patient education, and social supports,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds said she wants residents to know that AHL makes a point of hiring providers and staff who live within the communities they serve.
“It is through a foundation of trust with our patients and focusing on providing high quality care to all patients regardless of their insurance status, or lack thereof, that AHL is able to meet and exceed guidelines put forth for national quality standards,” she said.
In addition to the HRSA honors, AHL has also been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as a Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) Supplier – a distinction held only by five organizations in the state of Louisiana with AHL being the only Federally Qualified Health Center. This major achievement is a reflection of AHL’s ongoing commitment to improving health outcomes through prevention, education, and access. As a MDPP supplier, AHL is now authorized to deliver structured, evidence-based lifestyle change services to eligible Medicare patients with prediabetes, helping them reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes through proven interventions.
“At AHL, we don’t just measure success by numbers—but by lives improved,” said Mark Keiser, CEO of Access Health Louisiana. “Our model proves that it’s possible to deliver high-quality, low-cost care—without compromising on access or mission.”
