Union General Hospital, Farmerville, Louisiana

Union General Hospital, located in Farmerville, Louisiana, was recognized for the development of its innovative programs geared toward adolescent behaviors, It’s a Girl Thing: Making Proud Choices and Together We Can Be Bully Free.

Positive Outcomes:

• Teen pregnancies in Union Parish decreased by 18% in the first three years of It’s a Girl Thing
• The number of bullying-related cases reported to the Union Parish Sheriff’s office has decreased from 24 calls per week to 3 calls per week  
• The two programs have served over 3,000 students in five years

Top Accomplishments:

It’s a Girl Thing meetings are offered both at Union General Hospital and Union Parish School District. While the meetings are well-attended, they have an even bigger following on social media. The program has contributed to a decrease in suicide attempts and an increase in students choosing to attend college and to the number of girls seeking counseling. Because of the Together We Can Be Bully Free program, there has been a decrease in the number of adolescent suicide attempts reported through the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office. 

“We have a goal in all our programs to teach our youth what is happening to their bodies and minds, recognizing the intimate relationship between development, health and behavior, encouraging self-responsibility and self-care, and providing a friendly environment and an innovative team approach in each of our sessions.” – Evalyn Orman, CEO