Louisiana
‘Skyrocketing’ expectations weigh on Louisiana parents amid national mental health crisis
Elizabeth Fontenot, a Baton Rouge nurse-midwife and mother of four children ranging in age from six to 11, took her children to the park in order to have time for this interview with the newspaper. While discussing the stress of parenting, she was interrupted three times by her children with questions. She answered each query and returned to the conversation.
When each of her children reached the ages of eight or nine, she and her husband noticed an increase in emotions when their children experienced disappointment. Not knowing how to respond to help them manage their emotions, Fontenot said, is a stressful part of parenting.
Dr. Vivek Murthy, The U.S. Surgeon General, issued an advisory on the mental health of parents in August of 2024.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, pictured here on May 20, 2016 in Washington, D.C.
Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents highlights the stressors that impact the mental health and well-being of parents and caregivers, the link between parental mental health and children’s long-term well-being, and the urgent need to better support parents, caregivers and families.
The report shares that there are 63 million parents living with children under the age of 18 in the U.S. There are also millions of nonparent caregivers who are caring for children.
According to 2023 data in the report, 33% of parents reported high levels of stress in the past month compared to 20% of other adults, and 48% of parents said that most days their stress is completely overwhelming compared to 26% among other adults — citing the significant mental labor involved with parenting as a negative impact on cognitive functioning and psychological well-being.
When stress is severe or prolonged, it can have a serious effect. For example, 41% of parents said that most days they are so stressed that they cannot function.
If unmanaged, the report says, the stress can become a more severe mental health challenge that can have profound impacts on the well-being of children, families and society. A mental health challenge refers to difficulties that individuals may face which affect their mental health without meeting the criteria of a diagnosable condition.
Louisiana is listed as one of the 12 states with the highest rate of depression among adults, between 24% and 29% in the Public Affairs Research Council data snapshot from November of 2023, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Baton Rouge licensed therapist Allison Schoonmaker, of Crossroads Professional Counseling and mother to one son, sees the pressures on parents in her practice.
Allison Schoonmaker, licensed therapist for Crossroad Professional Counseling.
“The expectations in general for parenting have just skyrocketed, and that has really had a negative effect on parents’ mental health,” said Schoonmaker. “As expectations have skyrocketed, the availability and resources of parents haven’t really changed, so there is ultimately more stress.”
Common stressors
Amanda Ott, mom of two and ninth grade counselor at Denham Springs High School, said economic stressors and family crises impact her students. As a part of Mighty Moms, a Livingston parish group that provides snacks and food to students, Ott has observed an uptick in the need for food assistance among her students.
Amanda Ott, ninth grade counselor at Denham Springs High School.
“In the past, it’s always been like a handful of kids who would come get food,” she said. “Now if I forget, or if I’m not at school, or the kid forgets, the parent will call and ask to come get that food. They rely on it because they just can’t afford the groceries that are needed.”
Financial pressure is one of the major stressors on parent and guardian mental health. Other common stressors mentioned in the report include:
- Time demands
- Children’s health
- Children’s safety
- Parental isolation and loneliness
- Technology and social media
- Cultural pressures and children’s futures
Schoonmaker identified parents’ obsessive concerns for children’s safety, children’s social relationships and children’s social media use as the largest stressors for her clients. Parental isolation is also a common stressor, she adds.
“All our parenting decisions are under a greater microscope than ever before,” she said. “More information is not necessarily helpful information, and our awareness of negative things that are happening beyond our reach makes parents feel unsafe — increasing fear.”
Kirsten Bowers Raby, a single mom of three boys ages 6, 16 and 21, said carrying the emotional load on top of everything else contributes to her parental stress because she doesn’t have a partner’s opinion to help guide decisions for her kids.
Ott cites time demands and cultural pressures “to always be available” as the two main stressors in her friend groups.
“You have to be at everything for your kids, who are involved in so much, so you’re spread so thin between work and all the extracurricular stuff. It’s a different struggle with the expectations put on the kids and parents. I do it, too,” she said. “Like, keeping up with the Joneses and making sure your kid has every opportunity.”
Managing stressors
The Surgeon General’s Advisory calls for a shift in culture, policies and programs to ensure all parents and caregivers can thrive.
Schoonmaker said the human brain is not made to process the amount of information accessible daily, and she suggested that parents minimize their own social media use and news intake by “turning back the clock” to a less-internet focused lifestyle.
Both Ott and Schoonmaker advise more in-person meetings with friends, family, work peers and groups to stave off the loneliness and isolation that parents feel.
“We still need that personal interaction to actually sit down and talk to see that other people are also struggling with the same things,” said Ott. “You see that you’re not alone. Finding your village is so important in today’s world.”
The future North Lafayette library will expand learning opportunities while honoring the lifelong impact of the Louisiana education and civil rights leader.
Watch Lafayette Parish Schools break ground on Paul Breaux K-8 School
Groundbreaking for $50M Paul Breaux K-8 in North Lafayette — with 1,300 students, 66 classrooms and an 18-month timeline.
Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG) has officially designated the Northeast Regional Library as the Norman C. Francis Library, recognizing the lifelong legacy of one of Louisiana’s most influential educators and civil rights leaders.
The Lafayette Parish Council approved the naming, cementing a tribute to the late Francis, whose decades of leadership in higher education and public service helped shape opportunities for generations of Louisianans.
The new library will serve as the cornerstone of North Lafayette’s ongoing revitalization efforts through the Holy Rosary Redevelopment initiative while expanding access to educational resources, technology and community programming.
“By bringing a new chapter of opportunity for residents on the Northside of Lafayette, this library stands as a fitting tribute to one of the most influential educators and civic leaders in Louisiana’s history,” Lafayette Mayor-President Monique B. Boulet said.
Boulet added that Francis dedicated his life to expanding access to education and creating opportunities for others.
“It is only fitting that this library, a place of learning, discovery, and community, bears his name for generations to come,” Boulet said.
Norman C. Francis’ legacy honored in Lafayette
Born in Lafayette in 1931, Francis dedicated his life to expanding educational access and advancing social justice.
In 1952, he became the first African American to enroll at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. After earning his law degree, he joined Xavier University of Louisiana in 1957 before serving as the university’s president from 1968 through 2015, making him one of the longest-serving university presidents in the United States.
His influence extended far beyond higher education. Francis advised eight U.S. presidents, led the Louisiana Recovery Authority following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in 2006.
Francis died in February 2026 at the age of 94, but community leaders say his impact continues to inspire future generations.
Northeast Regional Library’s Upgrades
Conceptual design plans for the new Northeast Regional Library were presented to the Lafayette Public Library System Board on June 29.
The planned facility will encompass 20,533 square feet on a 6.5-acre site and include:
- Space for 44,000–53,000 library materials.
- 37 public computer stations.
- Children’s and teen areas.
- STE(A)M learning and maker spaces.
- Study rooms and quiet reading areas.
- Walking paths and music garden.
- Interactive displays.
- 119 parking spaces, including six ADA-accessible.
Community leaders celebrate library naming
State Sen. Gerald Boudreaux said the designation reflects years of work by local leaders and residents to bring the long-planned Northside library to fruition.
“I would like to thank the Boulet Administration, the Lafayette City and Parish Councils, and most importantly the many community members and organizations that remained committed for years to making this vision a reality,” Gerald Boudreaux said. “Dustin Cravins and the Holy Rosary Redevelopment Committee have developed a master plan that will positively transform this historic property while honoring the remarkable legacy of Dr. Norman C. Francis.”
City Council Chair Kenneth Boudreaux said the project represents a decades-long investment in North Lafayette.
“Seeing this library become a reality is deeply personal. I was honored to help secure the initial funding for this project years ago because I believed the north side of Lafayette deserved a first-class library that would serve generations to come,” Kenneth Boudreaux said. “To now see it bear the name of Dr. Norman C. Francis, a man whose life was defined by education, opportunity, and service, is a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community refuses to stop believing in its future.”
Parish Councilman Abraham “AB” Rubin Jr. called the naming a symbol of perseverance.
“There were times when this project faced real uncertainty, but our community never gave up because we knew this library was worth fighting for,” Rubin, Jr said. “Dr. Norman C. Francis spent his life opening doors for others and believing in possibilities that many thought were out of reach. Naming this library in his honor reflects that same spirit of perseverance and hope to future generations.”
City Councilman Elroy Broussard said the library will become an educational anchor for North Lafayette.
“As a former member of the Lafayette Parish School Board, I know that libraries are not just brick and mortar, but are gateways to learning and opportunity,” Broussard said. “This library will touch countless lives across the northern parts of Lafayette, and there is no more fitting namesake than Dr. Norman C. Francis, whose extraordinary legacy will remind every young person who will walk through its doors that education has the power to transform lives.”
For additional information about the Northeast Regional Library project and design plans, visit the Lafayette Public Library’s Northeast Regional Library information page.
Aaron Gonsoulin is the General Assignment/Trending Reporter for The Daily Advertiser. Contact him at AGonsoulin@theadvertiser.com.
ST. MARTIN PARISH — As the Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $604 million, excitement is growing in St. Martinville, where a quick stop at a convenience store has many imagining what they would do if they won.
The jackpot, the largest Mega Millions prize offered so far this year, drew plenty of attention at Simmis Mart. Some customers were ready to buy tickets, while others simply enjoyed thinking about the possibilities.
Charlotte Wilson said she has noticed that major lottery jackpots often seem to be won outside Louisiana, but that has not stopped her from hoping.
“When they do hit it’s always out of state. It’s never in Louisiana in a little small town, but if you do hit and I win!” Wilson said.
The excitement extended beyond customers. Store employee Vicky Williams admitted she would not mind seeing some of the jackpot come her way.
“I need to get some of that. I could use some of that money,” Williams said.
Among those purchasing a ticket was Shakina Hart, who said playing the lottery is something she has done before, “I’ve played it in the past, but never won the Mega Millions, so yes, I’m hoping I’m winning on this,” Hart said.
For Wilson, hitting the jackpot would be about more than the money. She already knows exactly how she’d put it to use.
“First of all, I’ll buy me a house and a nice car, and I’ll take care of the homeless people because they have a lot of those that need somewhere to live who are hungry and homeless,” Wilson said.
Hart said her priorities would center on her family, especially her children’s education.
“I have one that wants to be a lawyer and one that wants to be a doctor, so the money would definitely help with their school funding and basic care needs,” Hart said.
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday July 10th. While the odds of winning remain long, the growing jackpot has many people holding onto the same thought: What if their numbers are the ones called?
Louisiana
Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows Welcomes Inaugural Class – Leaders for a Better Louisiana
Nearly 40 years after launching Louisiana’s premier statewide leadership development program, Leaders for a Better Louisiana is proud to announce the inaugural class of Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows, marking an important new chapter in the organization’s longstanding commitment to developing informed, connected leaders equipped to address the state’s most pressing challenges.
Building on the proven model and legacy of Leadership Louisiana, the Health Fellows program brings together leaders from across healthcare, business, public policy, higher education, philanthropy, and community organizations to gain a deeper understanding of the systems, opportunities, and challenges shaping health outcomes across Louisiana. Throughout the year, fellows will participate in immersive sessions across the state, engaging directly with healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, workforce leaders, and innovators while exploring the issues that influence the health and well-being of Louisiana’s people and communities.
“The strength of Leadership Louisiana has always been its ability to bring together accomplished leaders from different sectors and regions to learn from one another while developing a broader understanding of our state,” said Sheree Blanchard, Director of Leadership Louisiana. “The Health Fellows program extends that tradition by focusing on one of Louisiana’s most significant opportunities for improvement. We are excited to welcome this outstanding inaugural class.”
The inaugural class represents a broad cross-section of Louisiana’s healthcare and civic leadership, with participants serving in hospitals, health systems, higher education, business, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and community-based organizations throughout the state. Together, they bring diverse expertise and perspectives that will strengthen dialogue and collaboration around Louisiana’s health challenges and opportunities.
“From the beginning, our vision was to create a program that mirrors the excellence and impact of Leadership Louisiana while taking a comprehensive look at the many factors that influence health outcomes,” said Blanchard. “This first class reflects the caliber of leadership we hoped to attract, and we look forward to watching these fellows build lasting relationships and develop new ideas that will benefit communities across Louisiana.”
Leadership Louisiana has graduated more than 1,600 leaders over nearly four decades, creating one of the state’s strongest cross-sector leadership networks. Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows builds on that foundation by providing participants with a focused exploration of Louisiana’s healthcare landscape while reinforcing the program’s longstanding commitment to collaboration, informed leadership, and service to the state.
The 2027 Health Fellows class will begin its yearlong experience this summer with sessions held in multiple regions of Louisiana.
View the complete roster of the Leadership Louisiana Health Fellows inaugural class.
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