How to Stay
Ronald McDonald House New Orleans
Ronald McDonald House is a home-away-from-home that keeps families together. We provide housing for immediate family members of pediatric patients, from birth to age 21 who are being treated at medical facilities in the South Louisiana area.
When you and your family stay at our House, we want you to find the comfort and care of a home. Most importantly, we want you to find the support you need to focus on what matters most – helping your child heal.
How to Stay
- Families must live more than 40-miles away from RMHC-SLA.
- Families who live within a 40-mile radius of RMHC-SLA may stay at the House if they have a child in the CICU, PICU, NICU or ICU. Exceptions to this may be approved on a case-by-case basis.
- The patient receiving medical treatment must be 21 years old or younger.
- All family members 18 years and older will need to pass a background check.
- Maximum occupancy of each room is four persons, adult, or child(ren). Only one (1) room will be given to a family. Usage of an additional room for extended family members must be approved by Family Services Manager or Executive Director. No additional rooms will be provided for storage of durable medical equipment.
Families who have never stayed at Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Louisiana:
- A referral must be completed by your child’s hospital social worker or another medical professional in the hospital or doctor’s office and submitted no more than 5 days prior to the date you need to stay at the Ronald McDonald House.
- Once a referral has been received and the background check has been passed, you will be placed on a waitlist and will be contacted when a room becomes available.
Returning Families who have stayed at Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Louisiana:
- You may complete the Returning Family Room Request no more than 5 days prior to the date you need to stay
- Once your room request has been received and the background check has been passed, you will be placed on a waitlist and will be contacted when a room becomes available.
All requests are subject to House availability. Priority Admission is on a first come first serve basis. However, when the House reaches 75% capacity the following takes precedence:
- Patients of CHNOLA or other area hospitals receiving intensive care (NICU/PICU/CICU) or have a need for long-term, in-patient care.
- Patients of CHNOLA receiving short-term, in-patient treatment.
- Patients being hospitalized for surgical care in an area hospital.
- Patients receiving out-patient, intensive medical care services from CHNO or other licensed medical providers.
Families of Children’s Hospital New Orleans Requesting Day Use
- A hospital social worker must complete a referral form for both new and returning guest families.
- All guests 18 years and older must undergo a criminal background check and have a current official government issued ID.
- Families must have a child 21 years old or younger who is receiving medical treatment at Children’s Hospital New Orleans.