NGO Funding Request


The recipient entity's full legal name:  NAMI SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA

The recipient entity's physical address:
           23577 MARTIN WAY, MANDEVILLE, LA 70448

The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           P. O. BOX 2055, MANDEVILLE, LA 704702055

Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          Jeanne W. Yazbeck

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  6671

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $650,000

What type of request is this?  General Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Amy Ybarzabal, President
158 Frenchman Drive, Mandeville, LA 70448

Ashleigh Castro, Vice President
1359 Rapides Drive, New Orleans, LA 70122

Dave Mancina, Treasurer
290 Laura Drive North, Mandeville, LA 70448

Joy Derise, Secretary
601 Orleans Avenue, Covington, LA 70433

Viviana Aldous, Board Member
5029 Bissonet Drive, Metairie, LA 70003

Jessica Jenkins Brewster, Board Member
P.O. Box 178, Madisonville, LA 70447

David Catherman, Board Member
5350 Magazine Street, Apt. 3, New Orleans, LA 70115

Karlita Cochran, Board Member
824 Andrews Avenue, Metairie, LA 70005

Darlene Cusanza, Board Member
207 West William David Parkway, Metairie, LA 70005

Wharton Muller, Board Member
306 Brighton Lane, Slidell, LA 70458

Stacey Schexnayder, Board Member
128 South Cortez Street, New Orleans, LA 70119

Adriona Taylor, Board Member
604 Del Sol Pass, Covington, LA 70433

Betty Tedesco, Board Member
38 Swallow Street, New Orleans, LA 70124

Nick Richard, Executive Director
1291 Springwater Drive, Mandeville, LA 70471

Juanita Riedlingler, Chief Financial Officer
23577 Martin Way, Mandeville, LA 70448

David Jones, Housing Director
23577 Martin Way, Mandeville, LA 70448


Provide a summary of the project or program:
           NAMI Southeast Louisiana is building a Tiny Homes Village in Lacombe to provide permanent, affordable housing with on-site support for adults living with serious mental illness. The project sits on 6.25 acres donated by a private landowner and is supported by $500,000 in St. Tammany Parish ARPA funds, with DSLD as builder and MSH Architects as designer. Construction of the homes is underway and expected to be complete in spring 2027.

This request completes the village. It funds a community center for case management, peer support, meals, and laundry, a solar and battery system so the village keeps power and refrigerated medications after hurricanes, final site improvements, and furnishings for each home. All costs are one-time. Ongoing operations are paid for by tenant rent, housing subsidies, and other billable services.


What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Professional Services. . . $45,000
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $505,000
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $75,000
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $0
          Operating Services. . . . $0
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $25,000

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          Not Applicable

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          NAMI Southeast Louisiana seeks state funds to complete the Tiny Homes Village in Lacombe, St. Tammany Parish, a community of permanent, affordable homes with on-site support for adults living with serious mental illness. The public purpose is to reduce homelessness, emergency room visits, psychiatric hospitalizations, and jail stays among this population by giving them a stable place to live and consistent support to stay well.

Adults with serious mental illness who lack stable housing cycle repeatedly through emergency rooms, crisis units, shelters, and jails. Each of these systems is expensive and is largely paid for with public dollars, including Medicaid, state-funded hospital care, and parish and state corrections. Stable housing paired with support is one of the most effective ways to break that cycle, and it costs far less than repeated crisis care.

The village is already a strong public-private partnership. A private landowner donated 6.25 acres, St. Tammany Parish committed $500,000 in ARPA funds, DSLD is building the homes, and MSH Architects designed the site. Home construction is underway and expected to be complete in spring 2027. State funds will complete what remains: a community center where residents receive case management, peer support, meals, and laundry, a solar and battery system that keeps the village powered and medications refrigerated after hurricanes and outages, final site improvements for safety and accessibility, and furnishings so residents can move in ready to live.

All state funds requested are one-time costs. Ongoing operations will be sustained through tenant rent, housing subsidies, and billable services, so the state's investment will deliver public benefit for decades without further appropriations.

NAMI Southeast Louisiana has served individuals and families affected by mental illness since 1986. Today it serves nine parishes and brings years of experience operating residential programs, supportive housing, peer support, and clubhouses.


What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          Goal 1: Open a complete, fully equipped village.
1. Complete the community center, site improvements, and furnishings within 12 months of receiving funds.
2. Move eligible residents into every home within 90 days of completion.

Goal 2: Keep residents stably housed and connected to care.
1. At least 85% of residents remain housed after 12 months.
2. Every resident has an individualized care plan and access to weekly peer support and case management on site.
3. Reduce residents' emergency room visits and jail bookings by at least 50% compared with the year before move-in.

Goal 3: Make the village resilient and self-sustaining.
1. Keep the community center powered during outages so residents can store medications and stay connected after storms.
2. Cover 100% of operating costs from rent, housing subsidies, and service billing by the end of the first full year of occupancy, with no further state funds requested.


What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           The capital work will be completed within 12 months of receiving funds, between July 2027 and June 2028.

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                 None
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                 None

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                 N/A

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                  N/A

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               None

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
               None

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
                N/A

          What is the nature of the relationship?  N/A

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                 1. Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Behavioral Health, P.O. Box 629, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0629
2. Metropolitan Human Services District, 1010 Common Street, Suite 600, New Orleans, LA 70112
3. Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority, 1500 River Oaks Road West, Jefferson, LA 70123
4. Florida Parishes Human Services Authority, 835 Pride Drive, Suite B, Hammond, LA 70401
5. Jefferson Parish Government, 200 Derbigny Street, Gretna, LA 70053
6. St. Tammany Parish Government, 21490 Koop Drive, Mandeville, LA 70471
7. Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, 504 Mayflower Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802


(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               1. Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Behavioral Health.
(a) LaGov #2000955553: NAMI Southeast Louisiana provides education and support services to individuals living with mental illness or substance use disorders and their families, and expands peer support groups and recovery services statewide.
(b) LaGov #2000950791: NAMI Southeast Louisiana provides one adult and one youth Peer Support Specialist at Northlake Behavioral Health System, offering education, advocacy, and supportive counseling in individual and group settings.

2. Florida Parishes Human Services Authority: NAMI Southeast Louisiana provides administrative, management, and coordination services for qualified Peer Support Specialists embedded in FPHSA's behavioral health outpatient and residential treatment programs serving Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington Parishes.

3. Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority:
(a) One Stop for Homeless Services: NAMI Southeast Louisiana operates a center that helps Jefferson Parish adults and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness, providing case management, housing navigation, hygiene services, benefits enrollment, and connection to employment and community resources.
(b) Through Jefferson Clinical Services, Inc., with JPHSA as contract monitor: Intensive Case Management and Clubhouse services for Jefferson Parish adults with serious mental illness who are not covered by Medicaid, and a Transitional Supportive Housing program helping adults with serious mental illness move from homelessness to stable housing.

4. Metropolitan Human Services District: NAMI Southeast Louisiana provides community behavioral health services to residents of Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard Parishes living with serious mental illness.

5. Jefferson Parish Government: NAMI Southeast Louisiana provides NAMI in the Lobby, a hospital-based peer support program in which trained staff and peer support specialists engage people experiencing a mental health crisis in the emergency department and connect them to follow-up care.

6. St. Tammany Parish Government: NAMI Southeast Louisiana operates programs at the parish-owned Safe Haven Campus in Mandeville under a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement, providing training, education, and behavioral health support services. The parish also awarded $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for construction of the Tiny Homes Village in Lacombe.

7. Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Division of Probation and Parole: As part of the Statewide Drug Court Enhancement grant, NAMI Southeast Louisiana provides Peer Support Specialists to clients of Veterans Treatment Courts and Mental Health Courts in the 21st and 22nd Judicial District Courts, delivers Mental Health First Aid training to court stakeholders, and provides up to 219 hours of technical assistance to support court planning.



Contact Information
name:  Nicholas Richard 
                                       address:  23577 Martin Way, Mandeville, LA 70448
                                       phone:  985-626-6538
                                       fax:  877-361-1631
                                       e-mail:  nrichard@namisela.org
                                       relationship to entity:  Executive Director