About
BATON ROUGE HEALTH DISTRICT
About Us
The Baton Rouge Health District is a collaborative network of top healthcare organizations dedicated to making Baton Rouge a leading destination for health services. This nonprofit alliance includes healthcare providers, government agencies, educational institutions, and research centers, working together to enhance healthcare quality and stimulate economic growth in the region.
Key founding members include the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Baton Rouge General Medical Center, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana (now Louisiana Blue), Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Ochsner Health, Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, and Woman's Hospital. This partnership fosters a robust healthcare ecosystem that supports community well-being and positions Baton Rouge as a hub for health innovation.
Our mission is to be a place-based health collaborative that delivers health and economic development benefits to our members, Baton Rouge, and beyond.
We envision the BR Health District as a high-performing destination for healthcare at the heart of a healthy and vibrant community.
BATON ROUGE HEALTH DISTRICT
History
Baton Rouge will undergo a significant transformation with the development of a 1,000-acre district seamlessly integrated into the cityscape. This district will become a crucial center for health and innovation throughout the Gulf Coast Region.
The Baton Rouge Health District is pivotal to the city’s health narrative, blending medical care with community vitality. Here, healthcare seekers and active residents coexist, educators develop future medical professionals, and researchers innovate for tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
At the heart of our efforts is the community's well-being, inspiring a healthier future for all.
Our mission is driven by
key pillars: promoting a health-focused environment, advancing medical education to build a skilled workforce, fostering research and innovation, and forming strong partnerships to accelerate progress.
These pillars guide and uphold our commitment to transforming Baton Rouge into a leader in health and wellness.
Baton Rouge is becoming known for its excellent medical facilities and leadership in health innovation. It’s a place where great care, medical expertise, and a welcoming community come together.
The story of the Baton Rouge Health District shows the city's strong commitment to health and wellness. Every new project and partnership adds to its rich history, marking an important chapter in Baton Rouge’s development.
This progress is a major step toward a healthier future for the whole Gulf Coast Region.
BATON ROUGE HEALTH DISTRICT
Timeline
2011
FuturEBR, East Baton Rouge Parish's comprehensive plan, identified the South Baton Rouge medical corridor as one of the essential areas that needs a master plan.
2014
BRAF convenes over 30 community leaders through an advisory committee in support of the district planning process. Articles of Incorporation were filed officially forming the Baton Rouge Health District as a nonprofit entity.
2015
The Baton Rouge Area Foundation released the master plan for the Health District, which included a vision for the organization, key diagnosis and challenges, and proposed treatments to tackle four focus areas: Healthy Place, Health Innovation and Research, Healthcare Education and Workforce, and Coalition Building.
2016
The Baton Rouge Health District hired its first Executive Director, Susie Sonnier, and introduced a board composed of leading CEOs from major health and research institutions, aiming to boost health outcomes and economic growth and position Baton Rouge as a top healthcare destination.
2019
The Baton Rouge Health District hires second leader, Steven Ceulemans, to move the organization from the planning stages to the implementation and programming stages.
2020
Baton Rouge Health District Launches $1.2M Health-Tech Catalyst Innovation Program Supported by a $600,000 EDA grant and matching funds from local members, this new initiative aims to advance regional healthcare technology.
2022
Baton Rouge Health District Funds Three Projects at First Launchpad Innovation Awards. At its first Launchpad Innovation Pilot Awards, hosted by the Baton Rouge Health-Tech Catalyst and funded by the EDA, three of the five finalists received $30,000 each. The event took place at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, with plans for another funding round this fall.
2023
Baton Rouge Health District hosted the national Anchor District Forum conference, highlighting the work of the community to national leaders across the country.
2024
With the U.S. Economic Development Administration announcing an investment in Louisiana's infrastructure, BRHD begins the R.E.A.C.H. project with $3.4 million allocated to improve the Baton Rouge Health District in collaboration with Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome.
News from the District
