Dear Friends,
During 2019, OCD Louisiana (OCD LA) continued efforts to establish the affiliate in the community and provide resources to residents of the state of Louisiana, both online and in-person.
In the beginning of the year, we worked to create a stronger presence on social media. Please follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/OCDLouisiana), Instagram (instagram.com/ocdlouisiana), and Twitter (twitter.com/louisianaocd). We launched our website (ocdlouisiana.org) in July, which includes information about our mission, board members, events, recommended resources (e.g. books, websites), and how to find a therapist. It enables community members to sign up for our email list, connect with us on social media, and read updates from the IOCDF. We continued to reach out to statewide and local mental healthcare associations, mental health related departments at local universities, mental health providers and physicians, and the community at large to become involved with the affiliate. Our board members gave several presentations on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Hoarding Disorder, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder to current and future mental health providers to increase awareness of these conditions and encourage these providers to seek out further training in these areas. We also assisted a community member in starting a support group for OCD in northeast Louisiana.
Four of our board members attended the 26th Annual OCD Conference, hosted by the IOCDF. We represented OCD LA at the affiliate booth and held a general interest meeting at the conference. At our general interest meeting, 12 conference attendees from across Louisiana joined our board members to learn about OCD LA and discuss how they could become more involved with the affiliate. In October, we hosted our 2nd Annual 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk in New Orleans, raising over $3,200 for the IOCDF and our affiliate. We also organized a “Hope for the Holidays” event, during which attendees created holiday cards that were distributed by the IOCDF to individuals in residential treatment programs over the holiday season.
During this coming year, we hope to recruit new voices into leadership positions so that we can better represent the community we serve. We will continue to give presentations to trainees and professionals in mental health and related fields, and hope to start a consultation group for professionals who work with individuals suffering from OCD or OC Spectrum Disorders. We would also like to have more events for individuals and their families, ranging from presentations from professionals to social events, as well as assisting community members in stating support groups. With regards to fundraising, we plan to host another 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk, co-host a “give-back” night at a local restaurant chain, and create an “exposure house” to provide awareness about OCD for children in the community. We also plan to further develop our website to include opportunities to donate directly to OCD LA, blog posts, and information on OCD and related disorders.
We are very grateful for the IOCDF’s assistance and financial support this year and look forward to continuing our work with the parent organization.
Warm regards,
Kristin E. Fitch, Ph.D.