Maternal Health: Louisiana advocates are pushing doulas, home visits, and wellness checks to tackle the state’s high pregnancy-related death rate and “maternity care deserts,” with programs like Family Connects New Orleans offering free in-home nurse visits after births. Food & Water Safety: USDA plans to add wild-caught peeled and deveined shrimp to emergency food assistance, while Louisiana health officials report 23 cyclosporiasis cases (1 hospitalized) tied to contaminated food or water—symptoms can include explosive diarrhea. Public Health Alerts: CDC warns West Nile is surging earlier than usual, and a new COVID subvariant (“Nimbus”) is becoming dominant as wastewater signals rise. Healthcare Access & Workforce: LSU Health Shreveport will fund up to six PA students through an LDH H.E.R.O. grant to expand rural clinical training and staffing. Behavioral Health: Northeast Louisiana launches a regional mobile crisis system across 12 parishes for faster, in-person mental health and substance-use response. Drug Safety: A North Louisiana lab found nearly 1 in 3 tested prescription-style pills were counterfeit, including fentanyl and designer benzodiazepines.