Each month through the partnership of Plaquemines Community Care Centers Foundation, INS. and Plaquemines Medical Center with donations from local food markets and the Bayou Health Plans, health forums are presented to the residents of Plaquemines. Not only are the presentations are on the risk factors, education/early detection, and management of chronic diseases, but also address, emergency and disaster preparedness, healthy eating with nutritional factors and gardening.

The month of August, Signs and Symptoms of Depression was presented by Meredith F. Dubose, LCSW of Plaquemines Community C.A.R.E. Meredith presented an enriching dialogue on the definition of depression and its’ commonality among adults and children with an estimated 121 million people around the world who currently suffer from some form of depression. Also, depression was noted by state, with Louisiana being one of the highest rates of adults meeting the criteria with the factors of obesity, heart disease, stroke, sleep disorders, lack of education and less access to medical insurance.

In addition, the causes of depression were a great part of participant engagement with the audience providing examples of someone whom they knew, family, friend, or neighbor who had faced major life changes, trauma, social issues, medical issues, etc.

Furthermore, one of the greatest causes of depression is the vulnerability and resilience of the community during disasters. Having encountered disasters, the majority of participants stated that they were no longer vulnerable to catastrophes, but were better prepared and resilient.

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