Cook County Health • System News • March 2024

March 2024

Letter from the CEO

Dear Cook County Health friends and partners,

Each March, we set aside time to celebrate the powerful women in Cook County Health’s history who helped shape our mission, as well as recognize those who currently work so hard to ensure women have access to the care they need.

At Cook County Health, we are committed to advancing gender inclusion and celebrating the achievements of women in healthcare.

From Dr. Emma Reynolds to Dr. Mary Elizabeth Bates to Dr. Lena Frances Edwards to Dr. Agnes Lattimer, and the countless women since, Cook County Health has a proud history of women’s excellence.

The common connection between these women is their work towards ensuring equity in health care through innovation. We continue their work today. Our teams work hard to provide an environment that allows open collaboration and provides an outlet for innovation and strategic thinking for everyone, regardless of their gender.

When we talk about Women’s History Month, we cannot do so without talking about women’s health. Cook County Health has long advocated for women to have the autonomy and right to make decisions about their bodies. We continue to work with elected officials to guarantee those rights here in Cook County and beyond.

As we close out Women’s History Month, we’re presented with wonderful opportunities to be inspired by and celebrate the amazing women in our world and in our lives. We ask each of you to honor and applaud the women around you as we celebrate their contributions and inspire future generations of women, encouraging them to pursue their goals without limitations based on their gender.

Thank you for helping us celebrate Women’s History Month.

Sincerely,

Dr. Erik Mikaitis

Interim CEO, Cook County Health

Cook County Health to Award $44M in Behavioral Health Care Grants

On March 6, Cook County Health Office of Behavioral Health announced that it will award $44 million in grants over a 26/27-month period as part of its Stronger Together: Building a More Equitable Behavioral Health System in Cook County Initiative.

The Stronger Together Initiative aims to address behavioral health inequities across the region’s system of care through increased systems alignment, enhanced system quality, and the expansion of access to early intervention and prevention, treatment, support, recovery, and crisis assessment and care.

The open call for proposals began on March 6 and will close on April 17 at 5 PM. Awardees will be notified in June.

This initiative, led by the Office of Behavioral Health at Cook County Health (CCH) is supported by funds from the U.S. Department of Treasury, under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocated to CCH by Cook County Government.

“This is your government in action: creating new opportunities for local organizations to do their essential work in the communities they serve,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. “Cook County is investing in hyperlocal behavioral health interventions because we know that we are stronger together, as a city, a county, and a nation, when we care for those who are too often left behind.”

“Through this grant program, Cook County government and Cook County Health are strengthening the capacity and collaboration of community organizations to advance behavioral health care across the region,” said Cook County Health Interim CEO Dr. Erik Mikaitis. “It is critical that we invest in behavioral health services that are equitable, effective, and accessible.”

Proposals are being accepted by community health centers, community-based organizations, education agencies, faith-based organizations and federally qualified health centers.

“The needs before us are vast and growing. The increasing prevalence of mental health disorders and the expanding gap between the demand and supply for these services have reached crisis levels, particularly in historically under-resourced communities,” said Dr. Thomas Nutter, Chief Behavioral Health Officer, Cook County Health. “We at the Office of Behavioral Health consider this to be a generational opportunity to steward investment of resources into our systems of care and prevention—particularly in under-resourced communities.”

For more information, visit https://cookcountyhealth.org/strongertogether.

Cook County Health Stresses Importance of Measles Vaccinations

In response to an increase in measles cases in the U.S., including Chicago, Cook County Health is reminding residents about the importance of measles vaccinations. The measles vaccine is safe and highly effective. The vaccine has been used for more than 50 years and two doses are 97% effective at preventing measles. Everyone ages one year old and older can and should get vaccinated.

To learn more about the measles vaccine, visit the CDC’s website.

If you have not gotten your measles vaccine, please get vaccinated today. To get vaccinated at a Cook County Health location call 833-308-1988 to make an appointment.

You are welcome to share the downloadable social media graphics on your social media pages.

Family Guidance Centers and Cook County Health Celebrate Launch of Mobile Overdose Prevention Van

Earlier this month, Cook County Health joined Family Guidance Centers and local officials to celebrate the launch of a grant-funded mobile harm reduction unit, which was created to assist in reversing the alarming opioid crisis that has negatively impacted the southside of Chicago.

The Mobile Overdose Prevention Outreach Unit is a program funded by the Office of Behavioral Health at Cook County Health, which provided nearly $1 million to the program over the next three years through Cook County Health and Cook County Government’s allocation of American Rescue Plan Act dollars. The mobile unit will provide harm reduction supplies such as naloxone (Narcan).

Cook County Health Clinical Updates

Cook County Health Primary Care Teams Recognized for Work in Blood Pressure Control

Provident Hospital's Joy Eneogwe (left) and Dr. Chantel Tinfang (third) with patients who are part of a CDC/American College of Preventive Medicine project focused on reducing hypertension among priority populations.

Cook County Health’s primary care medical homes earned Silver Target BP recognition from the American Medical Association and American Heart Association in recognition for their commitment to improving blood pressure control in adult patients.

Congratulations to our medical teams for their work in helping our patients with their blood pressure.

Cook County Health Provides Colon Cancer Education

Cook County Health hosted Colon Cancer Education Fairs at Stroger and Provident Hospitals last week. In total, the team educated 366 people on preventative measures and the importance of screenings.

Congratulations to all who made these events possible and succeeded in reaching our communities!

Cook County Health’s Patient Advisory Councils Seeking New Members

Since 2017, as an important development of our strategic planning process, Cook County Health started Community Advisory Councils, which are made up of patients and community and religious organizations. Community Advisory Councils play an essential role in helping CCH understand the health needs of the communities we serve and share information about CCH’s health services and how individuals can access care, regardless of their ability to pay.

CCH has eight existing councils – Arlington Heights, Blue Island, Cottage Grove, Dr. Jorge Prieto, Englewood, North Riverside, Provident Hospital/Sengstacke, and the Robbins Health Centers. The councils meet virtually every quarter.

This year, we are recruiting interested partners to participate in our councils at the Austin and Belmont Cragin Health Centers. You can submit an application on our website at Community Relations – Cook County Health.

For more information, or if you have questions on participation in our Advisory Councils, please email Marcelino Garcia at mgarcia6@cookcountyhhs.org.