BP gives $15M to Louisiana for mental health care

Oil giant BP PLC is giving $15 million to Louisiana’s health department to provide mental health services for people with stress and anxiety caused by the Gulf oil spill, Gov. Bobby Jindal’s office announced last week.

The governor’s office said the dollars will pay for support services, outreach, counseling, clinical visits and medication.

At least $6.6 million will pay for services through Catholic Charities and other non-governmental organizations. The remaining money will pay for services from the state and through the regional human services districts.

Jindal thanked BP for the money and said it will pay for six months of outreach and therapeutic services. He had initially asked for $28 million to cover 13 months of services.

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu of New Orleans called the money a “down payment on combating the post traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression that our people may face in the coming weeks and months.”

BP also announced last Monday it will give Mississippi $12 million for similar mental health care there.

Meanwhile, the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans is assessing Louisiana residents’ current and long-term mental health needs because of the spill. The medical school’s department of psychiatry has a state grant to interview about 1,500 adults, some by phone and some in person, in St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes.