Cook County Health • System News • January 2026

January 2026

Dear Cook County Health friends and partners,

As many of you know, on February 1, 2026, new eligibility changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, will go into effect. This will require individuals ages 18 to 64 without dependents under 14 to work or volunteer at least 80 hours a month to maintain their eligibility.

This month, Cook County Health joined local and state officials and the Greater Chicago Food Depository at Provident Hospital to share our concerns about the eligibility changes.

Access to food is a human right, and hunger is unquestionably a medical issue. Limited or inconsistent access to nutritious foods directly affects health outcomes, health care costs, and quality of life.

That’s why it’s alarming that many area residents may soon lose access to this program, at a time when food costs are rising and people are already at risk of losing their health coverage.

When people lose food assistance and health coverage at the same time, the health consequences compound quickly.

Food insecurity is linked to higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and kidney disease.

It also worsens these and other existing conditions, making them harder - and more expensive- to treat.

Please urge your patients, clients and constituents who use SNAP to visit https://abe.illinois.gov/access/ for more information about changes.

Cook County Health remains committed to advocating for our patients and access to healthy foods. As part of last week’s press conference, we also highlighted Cook County Health’s Food as Medicine initiative.

Cook County Health’s Food as Medicine initiative recognizes that access to nutritious food is essential to preventing and treating chronic and acute disease, and that by treating food as part of health care, we reduce barriers and improve outcomes for conditions that are leading drivers of morbidity.

We are building on existing food-related initiatives at CCH to include dedicated food pantries at our Belmont Cragin Health Center and Provident Hospital for patients with food-sensitive medical conditions.

We are grateful to the Greater Chicago Food Depository for stocking the pantries. And along with providing access to healthy foods, our food team works directly with clinical staff to ensure that those resources are combined with nutritional guidance.

We have also launched a public education campaign to help people understand the connection between food and health. For more information, visit our website at cookcountyhealth.org/fam.

Cook County Health will continue to advocate for policies that expand, not restrict, access to nutritious food for all residents and support our patients as best as we can with the resources they need to live healthy lives.

Thank you,

Dr. Erik Mikaitis

Chief Executive Officer

Cook County Health

State, Cook County Leaders and Greater Chicago Food Depository Address Federal SNAP Cuts and Launch CCH “Food as Medicine” Initiatives

On January 21, leaders from the Illinois Department of Human Services, Cook County and the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) at Provident Hospital to sound the alarm on upcoming federal eligibility changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Effective February 1, 2026, federal mandate now requires individuals aged 18 to 64 without dependents under 14 to work or volunteer at least 80 hours per month to maintain SNAP eligibility.

As federal cuts threaten to leave thousands of County residents hungry, Cook County Health (CCH) also unveiled new “Food as Medicine” initiatives designed to integrate nutrition directly into patient care.

Learn more: https://cookcountyhealth.org/press-release/state-cook-county-leaders-and-greater-chicago-food-depository-address-federal-snap-cuts-and-launch-cch-food-as-medicine-initiatives/.

Cook County Department of Public Health Encourages Residents to Test Their Homes During Radon Action Month

Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) is recognizing Radon Action Month by urging residents, no matter where they live, to test their homes for radon, a radioactive, colorless, and odorless gas that can cause lung cancer.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States (after smoking) and is responsible for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

CCDPH offers free radon test kits to suburban Cook County residents. At-home radon test kits are free and easy to use and can be lifesaving.

Learn more: https://cookcountypublichealth.org/2026/01/12/cook-county-department-of-public-health-encourages-residents-to-test-their-homes-during-radon-action-month/.

Cook County Department of Public Health Launches Annual Health Survey to Assess and Improve Community Health

Cook County Department of Public Health has begun distributing its annual Suburban Cook County Health survey to better understand the health status, needs and challenges facing local communities.

An invitation to take the survey is being mailed to 32,000 randomly selected households in two waves between January and April. Invited adults age 18 and older can complete the survey online or through a paper survey. Survey responses are confidential and not personally identifiable. The survey is available in both English and Spanish.

Results from the survey will help public health officials develop data-driven programs and policies aimed at improving health outcomes and reducing health disparities across suburban Cook County.

Learn more: https://cookcountypublichealth.org/health-survey/.

Cook County Launches “Healthy Beginnings” to Support Families Before, During, and After Pregnancy

Cook County Department of Public Health has launched the Healthy Beginnings maternal and child health program. The Healthy Beginnings program will deliver home-based nursing care, case management, and wraparound services and support to pregnant individuals and their infants across suburban Cook County to reduce preventable maternal and infant illnesses and deaths.

Services are free and open to the public regardless of income or insurance status. Priority outreach is focused on municipalities with the highest burden of maternal and infant risks, including Cicero, Berwyn, Arlington Heights, Oak Lawn, Calumet City, and several others. People can access the program by contacting Cook County Department of Public Health directly or by referral from their health care provider.

To learn more or sign up for services, visit Healthy Beginnings - Cook County Department of Public Health.

Maternal Health Awareness

January 23 is Maternal Health Awareness Day which aims to raisie awareness about maternal health issues and promote actions that improve health outcomes. The observance was originally started by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) to reflect on incremental progress made in improving health outcomes and to address the ongoing challenges, particularly the high rates of maternal mortality in the United States, where approximately 800 women die annually from pregnancy-related causes, with nearly 80% of these deaths considered preventable.

Cook County Health is committed to ensuring that all residents, regardless of income or insurance status, have access to high-quality healthcare. Our Women and Children’s Service Line is designed with an integrated, patient-centered approach. We offer access to essential services, including prenatal care, postpartum support, pediatric care, and reproductive health services. And by leveraging strategic partnerships and securing sustainable funding, the service line has enhanced service delivery through improved care coordination and an added ancillary workforce that helps address the social needs that impact health outcomes.

CCH also has added supportive services, such as doulas, and has established itself as a Doula Friendly Safety Net Hospital.

As Maternal Health Awareness Day serves as a crucial reminder for continued efforts to ensure safe and equitable care for all mothers and babies, we also want to recognize the work of Cook County Department of Public Health. The recent launch of its Healthy Beginnings initiative is a comprehensive maternal and child health education and home visiting program, serving birthing individuals and infants up to 12 months old in Suburban Cook County.

In addition, CountyCare Health Plan continues to enhance its Brighter Beginnings patient benefits and rewards program to help expectant families and babies' access the resources to stay healthy during pregnancy and after the baby is born.

Cook County Health remains committed to raising awareness and taking action, as we work towards reducing maternal mortality and improving health outcomes for mothers and their families.

Cook County Health keeps expanding its maternal child programming. Through our federally funded Healthy Start grant initiative, our CCH MCH patient navigators and our CCH doula workforce, CCH’s ambulatory system aims to do its part to improve maternal and child health outcomes in the state.

Among the work the teams do is improving the coordination of integrated care, which leads to retention and adherence to care plans, and supporting navigation of the health care system.

Through our programs, we

Improve maternal and child health outcomes by providing accessible, high-quality coordinated care and doula support.
Integrate social determinants of health into care delivery while addressing, not just screening for, factors such as housing, food security, and behavioral health.
Reduce healthcare disparities through targeted outreach and culturally competent services and links to support.
Enhance coordination among primary care, specialty care, and community-based services.
Integrate cultural birthing rigor training and professional development among CCH medical staff.

The shared goals of each program are to retain and support education pertaining to care plans for favorable outcomes; well woman, prenatal, post-partum and pediatric. Our MCH integrated care teams support the adherence of care for patients by assisting them in the navigation of the health care delivery system to successfully connect with prenatal care, postpartum care, labor and delivery at Stroger, pediatric care, and linkage to ongoing well-woman care.

Our Patient Navigation team links patients with resources such as insurance enrollment, breastfeeding education support, trimester milestone planning, hospital tours, postpartum care adherence, pediatrician, and family planning. The Patient Navigators and Healthy Start teams follow up with patients regarding referrals to resource needs. The Healthy Start team provides prenatal education and well child parenting education. The hospital tours with the MCH Patient Navigators have proven to be a fantastic way to help future mothers navigate Stroger Hospital and feel more comfortable and confident delivering at Stroger.

MCH Patient Navigators operate in the following facilities.

The CCH Doulas hired in 2025 are professionals trained in childbirth who provide emotional, physical, and educational support to our birthing individuals. Doula support can include attending prenatal and high-risk appointments, helping patients navigate barriers to care, offering guidance during times of grief and more. Doulas can be requested by patients, but service is primarily at these sites.

If you know a woman who needs care or is thinking of a place to deliver their child, encourage her to call our Patient Support Center at 312-864-0200 to set an appointment with our professionals. Our Maternal Child Care team is here to take care of you!

Felicia Hollie, Maternal Child Care Navigator

As a Maternal-child care navigator, Felicia Hollie helps mothers and their babies stay on track with healthcare needs after delivery. Her role focuses on making sure newborns receive timely checkups, mothers have postpartum visits, and links patients to a primary care doctor for ongoing well-woman care at locations that are convenient for them. By helping families remain in care at their Primary Care Medical Home and answering questions about options for ongoing care, she believes this helps prevent missed appointments during a busy and sometimes overwhelming time.

Felicia believes that her job is especially rewarding because she gets to build strong connections with mothers and sees cute babies. Providing simple education and resources, offering reassurance, and supporting families after high-risk pregnancies or deliveries are some of her favorite parts of her role. Helping mothers be informed and supported while navigating the healthcare system is also meaningful and fulfilling work.

Felicia is passionate about the work she does because she has lived experience as a mom who lives far from family and recalls needing layers of support as a new mom in the city. She is originally from Louisiana and moved to Chicago in 2009. She is working toward her undergraduate degree at South Suburban College and anticipates completing her degree in 2027. She loves to take her daughter to amusement parks and museums. She also works with her daughter on art projects, gymnastics, and reading.

EverThrive Illinois

For nearly 40 years, EverThrive Illinois has advanced the health and safety of Illinoisans by supporting access to quality health care and providing resources to achieve health equity. From its early beginnings as the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition, its focus has been to broaden coverage for pregnant people to help address the wide range of factors that can impact the health of parents, children, and communities.

EverThrive Illinois strives to affirm and center the experiences and voices of communities most impacted by injustice to achieve reproductive justice for all people and families and to ensure that they have the access, resources, and health care necessary to create and sustain healthy families on their own terms. They have been an ally in pushing for policies that better the lives of families and improve healthcare access for all Illinois residents.

As a partner, EverThrive Illinois believes that all birthing people and infants in our state should have positive health outcomes that are not determined or impacted by their race or ethnicity. Every family, regardless of insurance status, deserves high-quality health care. Their tenets align with CCH's Maternal Child initiatives.

We thank them for leading the Chicago Collaborative for Maternal Health (CCMH) with Alliance Chicago. CCMH combats the maternal mortality and morbidity crisis in Chicago by building awareness in communities and government, fostering collaboration among health and social service providers, and driving quality of care in ambulatory care settings. This program helps improve maternal mortality. To learn more about their programs or initiatives, please visit EverThrive Illinois.

1881 • Cook County Hospital's First Female Intern

Mary Elizabeth Bates, a graduate of the Women’s Medical College of Chicago, (later, Northwestern University Medical School) was the first female intern at Cook County Hospital. She taught at Women’s Medical College, and later moved to Denver, where she served as a general practitioner and advocate for women’s and children’s rights.

Community Events

In February, teams from Cook County Health, the Cook County Department of Public Health, CountyCare, and the Cook County HIV Integrated Programs (CCHIP) may be present and participate in health fairs, resource fairs, presentations, tabling events, or general community events listed below.

February 3 – Illinois Medical District’s 2026 IMD Youth Opportunities Fair – Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60612.
February 4 – Provident Hospital Blood Drive Planning – Provident Hospital of Cook County, 500 E 51^st St, Chicago, IL 60615.
February 7 – CCDPH Suburban Vaccination Event – North Riverside Health Center, 1800 S. Harlem Avenue, Suite A, North Riverside, IL 60546.
February 9 – Chicago Department of Family and Support Services’ National Black HIV Awareness Day– Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center, 4314 S. Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, IL 50553.
February 9 – Chicago Department of Family and Support Services’ National Black HIV Awareness Day– Loretto Hospital, 6th Floor Auditorium, 645 S. Central Avenue, Chicago, IL 60644.
February 14 – CCDPH Suburban Vaccination Event – Cottage Grove Health Center, 1645 S. Cottage Grove Avenue, Ford Heights, IL 60411.
February 18 – Southland Ministerial Health Network – Victory Christian International Ministries, 10 Hemlock Street, Park Forest, IL 60466.
February 18 – Prairie State College and ABKE!’s Ready Set Work – Prairie State College Conference Center, 202 S. Halsted Street, Chicago Heights, IL 60411.
February 18 – Aetna Better Health’s ABHIL New Year, New You – New Moms, 5317 W Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60651
February 19 – Mujeres Latina en Accion’s Empower Latinas Educational Lunch – D'Nuez Restaurant, 2000 W. 18th Street, Chicago, IL 60608.
February 20 – Bremen High School's Health & Prosperity Fair 2026 – Bremen High School, 15203 S. Pulaski, Midlothian, IL 60445.
February 21 – CCDPH Suburban Vaccination Event – Blue Island Health Center, 12757 S. Western Avenue, Blue Island, IL 60406.
February 22 – First Ladies Health Initiative’s HIV Education and Testing Event – Cosmopolitan Community Church, 5249 S Wabash Avenue, Chicago, IL 60615.
February 25 – Posen-Robbins School District 143.5’s Black History Month Event – Posen Intermediate School, 14545 California, Posen, IL 60469.
February 28 – CCDPH Suburban Vaccination Event – Arlington Heights Health Center, 3250 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60004.

Redetermination Events

Cook County Health and CountyCare are currently hosting a series of Redetermination events in the System’s facilities, other FQHCs and community partners. For more information, please visit CountyCare’s Medicaid Redetermination Information page.

February 2 – North Riverside Health Center – 1800 S. Harlem Avenue Suite A, North Riverside, IL 60546.
February 3 – Cottage Grove Health Center – 1645 S. Cottage Grove Avenue, Ford Heights, IL 60411.
February 4 – Provident Hospital – 500 E. 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60615.
February 5 – Friend Health – 5635 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago IL 60629.
February 6 – St. Bernard Hospital – 6307 S Stewart Street, Chicago, IL 60621.
February 9 – Jorge Prieto Health Center – 2424 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago, IL 60623.
February 10 – Robbins Health Center – 13450 S. Kedzie Avenue, Robbins, IL 60472.
February 10 – Hope Community Church – 5900 W. Iowa St Chicago IL 60651.
February 11 – Primecare Health Center – 5635 W. Belmont Avenue, Chicago, IL 60634.
February 13 – Chicago Family Health Center – 9119 S. Exchange Avenue, Chicago, IL 60617.
February 17 – Esperanza Health Center – 4700 S. California Avenue, Chicago, IL 60632
February 18 – Provident Hospital – 500 E. 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60615.
February 19 – Friend Health – 5635 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago IL 60629.
February 20 – Englewood Health Center – 1135 W. 69th Street, Chicago, IL 60621.
February 23 – Blue Island Health Center – 12757 S. Western Avenue, Blue Island, IL 60406.
February 24 – Lawndale Christian Health Center – 3750 W. Ogden Avenue, Chicago IL 60623.
February 26 – Care for Friends – 530 W. Fullerton Parkway, Chicago IL 60614.
February 27 – Arlington Heights Health Center – 3520 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60004.