United Way of Acadiana has partnered with Ochsner and Our Lady of Lourdes hospitals to launch a new program aimed at promoting early childhood development in the Acadiana region. The program, called “Resources for Developing Minds,” provides resources to every new parent in the region to support healthy brain development and early learning for their child.

As part of the program, each hospital, along with Iberia Medical Center, will provide a Resources for Developing Minds bag to every new baby born at their facility. The bag contains age-appropriate books, toys, and other educational materials that are designed to promote positive parent-child interactions, encourage early literacy and language development, and provide families with resources to support their child’s growth and development.

In addition to the materials included in the bag, new parents are also asked to watch a video on early brain development for their baby and complete a survey for data purposes. This information will be used to evaluate the program and make improvements to better serve the community.