In this blog, we frequently make mention of transformations that our Northeast Delta Human Services Authority is creating in our communities. While these transformations are certainly something to celebrate, they could not exist without the internal transformations that our agency had to undergo long before we started making an impact in northeast Louisiana. The visual representation of our agency, coupled with the way we communicate our message, silently speaks volumes about the underlying purpose of everything we do. With this in mind, it is essential as we look to future transformational work in our region that we understand how it was that we got this far.
The foundation of our agency’s work is our vision: to build a unified Northeast Louisiana where individuals are thriving and reaching their full human potential. It is just this type of bright future that our leadership team envisions every day and the motivation that guides us in our daily work. A vision – or finish line – is essential to the success of our agency. After all, how can we claim to make a difference if we don’t know what that difference looks like for our region?
Vision alone was not enough to win the race, however. We needed to know the course to run in order to find the finish line. With this in mind, our mission became: NE Delta HSA serves as a catalyst for individuals with mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive disorders to help realize their full human potential by offering quality, excellent care with greater accessibility. This mission identified the landmarks of our course, known within the agency as our three tenets: 1) greater access to services, 2) excellent customer service, and 3) quality, competent care.
Once the route was established and the finish line envisioned, the focus shifted to creating a visual representation of the agency and our work. While it may sound simple, determining a brand’s logo is often a time-consuming process and requires an insight into the heart of that brand’s existence. It was only after much thought about the essence of Northeast Delta that the idea of transformation, and ultimately of the phoenix, was born. The image of a phoenix in and of itself is vastly symbolic and has often been used to illustrate the concept of new life and rebirth. Just as the phoenix rises from the ashes each morning with a renewed chance at life, so our agency works to help those who encounter challenges associated with addiction, mental illness, and developmental disabilities to transform their situations and begin anew with the support and resources necessary to achieve an improved quality of life.
While the symbolism of the phoenix is understandably resonant with those who see our logo, there is also a deeper subconscious reason they are drawn to the image – the colors. The dominantly orange coloring of the logo creates an innate sense of security and warmth, tied to the color’s association with the sun. The red of the phoenix’s wings, a color often touted as bold and 
powerful, evokes a feeling of fearlessness and excitement for the future that lies ahead. The yellow accent color is associated with happiness and a sense of optimism that a better life is possible. Finally, the purple lettering found in the logo is indicative of the elements of treatment, recovery, and support that are arguably the most important: understanding, wisdom and expertise, and spirituality.
As we move forward with this blog and begin to understand what real transformation looks like, it’s essential to have a foundational understanding of Northeast Delta: who we are, what we do, and why we do it. For the answers to those questions, you need only look as far as our vision, mission, tenets, and logo. We do this for our region, our communities, our friends, our families, and ourselves.
Whether you’re just starting on this transformational journey with us or you’ve been here since the beginning, you’re an integral piece of the work that we do here at Northeast Delta. The information you’ve just read is the outward projection of the internal reflection and planning that has been done within the walls of Northeast Delta, but we can’t reach our vision without your help. We need committed team members to run the race with us.
There will be hard-hitting topics covered in this blog in the future that will make you sad, frustrated, and even uncomfortable. More importantly, though, these topics will give you a better understanding of the issues and a desire to help alleviate the challenges faced by our fellow community members. It is these feelings that, when combined with the resources available at Northeast Delta, will result in the action required to achieve successful transformations in northeast Louisiana.
For those who want to join in the effort, we invite you to connect with us on social media, follow this blog, and visit our website. Start making a difference today by sharing this post on your own social media so others can gain understanding and get involved, as well. We know where we’re going, we know what we’re promising, and we’re making good on those promises every day. Everything you see is by design, and uniquely Northeast Delta.
