Company to invest $46 million to expand Lafayette office; project to result in additional 242 new indirect jobs in Acadiana
Lafayette, LA — Governor John Bel Edwards and LHC Group Chairman and CEO Keith Myers joined state, local and federal officials to break ground on the home health company’s $46 million Lafayette home office expansion. With the groundbreaking, LHC Group will create 500 direct new jobs in Lafayette with an average salary of $40,000, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in 242 new indirect jobs, for a total of more than 740 new jobs in Acadiana.
The LHC Group expansion follows the April 2018 completion of its merger with Almost Family of Louisville, Kentucky. The combined companies, operating under LHC Group, now cover 60 percent of the nation’s age 65-and-older population. From over 780 locations, LHC provides home health, personal care and hospice services. Some Louisville-based roles will be relocating to Lafayette as part of the expansion. The company will retain 612 Lafayette-based jobs, bringing the total Lafayette workforce to more than 1,100 employees.
“The sick, injured and infirm residents of our communities are among the most vulnerable people – especially as they age – and today’s LHC groundbreaking means more of these residents will gain access to the quality care and support they need,” Gov. Edwards said. “LHC Group is a homegrown company that through a series of successful acquisitions has spread the compassion and medical expertise of Acadiana to 36 states. Today’s groundbreaking affirms LHC Group’s commitment to Louisiana. LHC recognizes our highly skilled workforce, our welcoming business climate, and the commitment of everyone in Acadiana and Louisiana who has helped LHC grow from a small firm to the second-largest home health provider in the U.S.”
The expansion will include 204,000 square feet of new office space, which will bring LHC Group’s total home office facility to 270,000 square feet. Enlarging the home office will occur in two phases. The first phase will begin immediately, with completion expected by the end of 2020. The second phase will follow by building out two reserve-expansion floors, providing enough space for additional employees in the future. The LHC Group expansion will generate 400 construction jobs at peak building activity.
“As LHC Group has grown to become one of the nation’s leading providers of in-home healthcare, so too has the demand for the services we provide – both here in Louisiana and across the country,” Myers said. “With our expanded home office facilities in Lafayette, we will be able to more efficiently provide the support our clinicians require to meet that demand. Louisiana is our home, and our company is grateful to the state for supporting our efforts along the way and helping make this project a reality.”
At the groundbreaking, the American Red Cross recognized LHC Group for supporting Red Cross disaster relief as a member of its Annual Disaster Giving Program. As part of the program, member organizations like LHC Group pledge financial and in-kind donations in advance of disasters, providing the Red Cross with a strong infrastructure, trained volunteers, innovative technology and critical resources necessary to provide relief and support to those in crisis.
“The American Red Cross relies on the generosity of our volunteers, donors and partners to fulfill our lifesaving mission,” said Cliff Holtz, chief operating officer at the American Red Cross. “Annual donors like LHC Group ensure we can deliver urgently needed relief as quickly as possible and that our teams have the supplies and skills necessary to assist people in crisis – whether that’s a family after a home fire, or a community coping with a natural disaster or other devastating emergency. We are grateful for partners like LHC Group who support us in doing this important work.”
LHC Group is a healthcare provider that specializes in the post-acute continuum of care, primarily for Medicare beneficiaries in the U.S. Founded in 1994, the company started as a single home health agency in the village of Palmetto, Louisiana. Following the company’s merger with Almost Family, LHC Group today forms the second-largest home health provider in the nation. The company operates in 36 states and has more than 32,000 employees nationwide.
“We are excited to welcome LHC Group employees who are new to the community and we especially appreciate the confidence in Lafayette to provide them and their families with an incredible quality of life,” said Lafayette Mayor-President Joel Robideaux. “Lafayette has much to offer and we commit to being a great partner for LHC Group.”
LED began discussions with LHC Group about a potential expansion project in June 2018. To secure the project, the State of Louisiana provided a competitive incentive package that includes a $3.5 million performance-based grant to offset the costs of temporary facility space, recruitment efforts and relocation efforts associated with the project. LHC Group will receive the comprehensive solutions of LED FastStart® – the nation’s No. 1 state workforce development program – and the company expects to utilize the state’s Quality Jobs Program.
“The growth of LHC Group into one of the largest home-healthcare providers in the United States will translate into more jobs and more prosperity in Acadiana,” said President and CEO Gregg Gothreaux of the Lafayette Economic Development Authority. “Healthcare is the largest, single employing industry in the region. LHC Group’s existing jobs and the new jobs that will be created will continue to contribute to the region’s diversification efforts. LHC Group’s commitment to grow here will help establish Lafayette’s position as one of the major healthcare hubs in the Southeast U.S.”
“From their roots in rural St. Landry Parish to the exciting expansion of their home office campus here in Lafayette, LHC Group has been an anchor in Acadiana for 25 years,” said President and CEO Troy Wayman of One Acadiana. “1A could not be prouder to partner with such an innovative leader in the healthcare sector and we are excited to celebrate their phenomenal growth.”
About LHC Group
LHC Group Inc. is a national provider of in-home healthcare services and innovations, providing quality, value-based healthcare to patients primarily within the comfort and privacy of their home or place of residence. LHC Group’s services cover a wide range of healthcare needs for patients and families dealing with illness, injury or chronic conditions. The company’s 32,000 employees deliver home health, hospice, home and community-based services, and facility-based care, in 36 states – reaching 60 percent of the U.S. population aged 65 and older. LHC Group is the preferred in-home healthcare partner for 340 leading hospitals around the country. For more information, visit LHCgroup.com.
