Cook County Health • System News • March 2026

March 2026

Dear Cook County Health friends and partners,

This March, as we celebrate Women’s History Month, I want to take a moment to recognize the extraordinary women who have led our health system over the years and shaped the care we are able to bring to the communities we care for.

The legacy and mission of our organization were built on the work of women like Emma Reynolds, Dr. Bertha Van Hoosen, Dr. Olga Jonasson, Dr. Agnes Lattimer, and countless others. Their commitment to service and justice continues to inspire the work we do today.

Every day, women across our health system follow their example and lead with expertise, compassion, and innovation. No matter their position within the organization, countless women are making contributions every day that are essential to the care we provide and the trust we have built in the community.

This trust is especially critical during these uncertain times. Women’s History Month is not only a time to celebrate our history but also to reaffirm our responsibility to make continued progress in equitable care for women.

Our teams are committed to ensuring women have access to the care they need, be it family planning, routine health screenings, specialized care or mental health services. We have worked to spread these services across our health system so that care is close to home, meeting people where they are.

As we honor the achievements of women this month, let us all commit to working together in partnership to a future where every woman in our community has the care, support and opportunity she deserves.

Sincerely,

Dr. Erik Mikaitis

Chief Executive Officer

Cook County Health

Cook County Health Announces Opening of Applications for 2026 Provident Hospital Scholarship Fund

Earlier this month, Cook County Government, Cook County Health and the Health Foundation of Cook County announced the opening of the application process for the 2026 Provident Scholarship Fund.

The scholarship will award $1M in scholarships in 2026, supporting future healthcare professionals, building the local healthcare workforce, and advancing equity in medicine. The scholarship application period closes on Sunday, April 19.

Information can be found here: cookcountyhealth.org/provident-scholarship-fund/

The Provident Scholarship Fund offers $20,000 scholarships to health professional students, including those in medical, dental, physician assistant and nurse practitioner programs, and $10,000 scholarships to undergraduate and allied health students, including those in nursing, behavioral health, surgical and radiology technology, respiratory therapy, and paramedic programs.

The scholarship will also support awardees with mentorship and professional development opportunities.

“By reducing financial barriers for aspiring healthcare professionals, we aren’t just awarding scholarships, we are investing in the next generation of caregivers who will serve our communities. Health equity is not just about the care provided, it is also about who delivers it,” said Dr. Erik Mikaitis, CEO, Cook County Health.

The scholarship is administered by the Health Foundation of Cook County.

The Health Foundation of Cook County invites community members, healthcare partners, and donors to support the Provident Scholarship Fund and help build a stronger, more diverse healthcare workforce by donating at healthfoundationcc.org/.

Pritzker Traubert Foundation Awards First-Ever $5 Million to Chicago Talent Challenge to City Colleges of Chicago, Cook County Health

The Pritzker Traubert Foundation today announced HealthCatalyst Chicago as the inaugural winner of the Chicago Talent Challenge, a $5 million investment to accelerate the training, placement and success of workers in critical healthcare roles.

Launched in 2025, the Chicago Talent Challenge is a competitive open call focused on funding bold ideas to help low-income workers access good jobs in the sectors that need them most. The Pritzker Traubert Foundation focuses on expanding economic opportunity in Chicago by investing in innovations to help residents adapt, adjust and thrive in a changing labor market.

The inaugural Chicago Talent Challenge centers on health care in recognition of the industry’s unique capacity to produce the creative and scalable solutions that our national workforce challenges demand.

HealthCatalyst Chicago is expected to train and place Chicagoans into 1,000 health care jobs over the next three years and up to 400 positions annually thereafter. The initiative is a transformational partnership led by City Colleges of Chicago in collaboration with Cook County Health, with additional employer partners supporting hiring and placement. The goal is to build a single, coordinated pathway for talent tied to real hiring demand.

Learn more: https://cookcountyhealth.org/press-release/pritzker-traubert-foundation-awards-first-ever-5-million-to-chicago-talent-challenge-to-city-colleges-of-chicago-cook-county-health/.

National Kidney Month

National Kidney Month, observed every March, is dedicated to raising awareness about kidney health and the importance of preventing kidney diseases.

The kidneys play a vital role in filtering waste, balancing fluids, controlling blood pressure, and maintaining overall body health. However, millions of people worldwide are affected by kidney disease, often without early symptoms. An estimated 33 million people in the United States are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

During National Kidney Month, the Cook County Health’s Nephrology Department encourages people to learn about the risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and family history. As such, we partner with the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois (NKFI) on programs that help educate and test community members.

CCH and the NKFI would like to remind everyone that early detection and healthy habits can prevent kidney disease and save lives! Please visit our website to learn about symptoms, common conditions and treatment options and information on how to prevent chronic kidney diseases.

Our team of expert care professionals will work with you on an integrated patient-centered treatment plan. To schedule an appointment, please call 312-864-0200 or visit the Patient Support Center Appointments site.

In 2021, Cook County Health opened a new dialysis center at Provident Hospital. The 6,600-square-foot standalone facility is located at 430 E. 50^th Place in Chicago. It is a state-of-the-art facility to help patients undergoing treatment for chronic kidney disease.

According to the National Institutes of Health, African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to have chronic kidney disease than white individuals. In addition, African Americans are also four times as likely to develop kidney failure.

As dialysis requires three treatments a week, with each treatment taking several hours, this facility provides an access point for treatment in a local community setting. Cook County Health treats thousands of people with renal disease and more than 100 will start dialysis each year. The dialysis center at Provident provides patients with the continuity of care that they need to improve their quality of life as they are being treated for kidney disease.

To learn about dialysis treatment and other kidney-related conditions, please visit Cook County Health’s Nephrology Department. To schedule an appointment with a health professional, please call 312-864-0200 or visit Patient Support Center Appointments site.

Helping Our Communities, Alicia Payne

Alicia Payne has been a dedicated healthcare advocate with over a decade of experience in Medicaid services and community outreach at Cook County Health. For the past two years she has served as a Community Outreach Specialist for CountyCare. In this role, she is passionate about serving economically disadvantaged communities by educating residents on the benefits of Medicaid redetermination, health screenings, and the comprehensive benefits CountyCare offers. She is extremely knowledgeable in navigating the State of Illinois benefits systems to inform clients of the status of their case.

Prior to her current role, Alicia spent eight years as a Financial Call Center Representative at the Cook County Health Application Assistance Call Center, where she assisted people with redetermination for both Medicaid and SNAP benefits, demographic updates, benefit additions, and new Medicaid applications. She trained over 90% of new hires and consistently supported supervisors and managers with a reliable and positive attitude.

In the field, Alicia leads roughly 25 redetermination events per month across Cook County with an amazing team that includes her manager, another outreach specialist, assisters, care coordinators, rewards specialist, and Foodsmart specialist. Her team conducts tabling events at Health Fairs, Veteran and Back-to-School events, Turkey Giveaway events, and speaking at Faith-Based and Community Organizations-impacting over 100 Medicaid cases per event and providing thousands with important information about CountyCare, Medicaid, and SNAP benefits. Known for her warm, reassuring presence, she builds trust with new and returning clients and finds deep fulfillment in face-to-face problem solving.

Alicia Payne is a dedicated daughter, wife, mother and grandmother. She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Governors State University.

Since 1949, the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois (NKFI) has worked to improve the lives of people at risk for or affected by kidney disease through prevention, education and empowerment. Services offered range from community education events and awareness initiatives to one-on-one phone support.

As advocates for prevention, NKFI addresses the disease in its early stages by offering free comprehensive health screenings for kidney disease and its two leading causes: diabetes and high blood pressure. The KidneyMobile® screening program travels throughout Illinois, focusing on medically underserved communities and individuals considered most at risk, offering free screenings and participant consultations.

J acqueline Burgess-Bishop, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are constantly working toward health equity for all Illinois communities. The data reflects our Black and Brown communities are disproportionately impacted by kidney disease. Our KidneyMobile® screening events help us meet communities where they are by providing much-needed prevention, education and empowerment to reverse the trajectory of kidney disease across the entire state of Illinois. We know kidney equity is health equity.”

To empower patients, NKFI hosts annual events like the Walk for Kidneys, Living with Kidney Disease & Transplantation: Families, Viviendo con Enfermedad Renal y Trasplante, Kidney Camp, Take Charge, Kidney Connections, Big Ask, Big Give, and more. These programs serve to connect people to others experiencing kidney disease and to experts who can connect them with the resources they need most. All patient programs are free thanks to the support of generous donors and sponsors.

To learn more about the programs and events supported by the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois please visit their website.

Community Events

In April, 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.

April 2 – Tenants' Rights Workshop & Community Resource Fair– Park Forest Richton Park Neighborhood Network Resource Center, 200 Main Street, Park Forest, IL 60466.
April 8 – Triton College's Annual Mental Health & Wellness Resource Fair – Triton College’s Student Cafeteria, 2000 Fifth Avenue, A-106, River Grove, IL 60171.
April 8 – Senior Direct Source's Community Health Fair – Pentecostal Church of Christ Cathedral, 3840 216th Street, Matteson, IL 60443.
April 11 – Imagen Marketing Consultants' Spring Forward Health Fiesta – McCormick YMCA, 1834 N. Lawndale Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647.
April 11 – West Side United's Community Baby Shower as part of Black Maternal Health Week 2026 - “Rooted in Justice and Joy.” – Garfield Park Fieldhouse, 100 N. Central Park Avenue, Chicago, IL 60624.
April 11 – UCAN Youth Summit – 3605 W. Fillmore, Chicago, IL 60624.
April 12 – Magnificent Mile Chapter Jack and Jill of America Health Fair and Blood Drive – American Red Cross, 2200 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60612.
April 13 – Illinois Veterans Benefits and Resource Fair: Empowering Illinois Veterans – University of Chicago David Rubenstein Forum, 1201 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637.
April 18 – The Collaboration for Early Childhood's Baby Expo 2026 – Roosevelt Middle School, 2500 Oak Street, Bellwood, IL 60104.
April 18 – Bryan A. Leach Foundation's Annual Health and Wellness Fair/Youth Basketball Tournament – Gary Comer Youth Center, 7200 S. Ingleside Avenue, Chicago, IL 60619.
April 18 – Posen-Robbins School District 143.5's Health & Wellness Fair – Posen Intermediate School, 14545 California Avenue, Posen, IL 60469.
April 20 – Victims Resource Fair in Mckinley Park - 2210 W. Pershing Road, Chicago, IL 60609.
April 22 – Cook County Health 's Bronzeville - Mural Unveiling – Bronzeville Health Center, 467 E. 31st Street, Chicago, IL 60616.
April 23 – South Suburban Pads' Community Health Fair – South Suburban PADS, 950 175th Street, Homewood, IL 60430.
April 23 – Chicago Public Schools' Coffee & Catch-Up with the Chief – virtual.
April 23 – Walk with a Doctor – Englewood Red Shield Salvation Army, 945 W. 69th Street, Chicago, IL 60621.
April 24 – Senator Mark Walker, Representative Nicolle Grasse and Rolling Meadows Human Services Senior and Veteran Resource Fair – Rolling Meadows Park District’s Park Central Banquet Hall, 3000 Central Road, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008.
April 24 – State Representative Will Guzzardi's Second Northwest Side Job Fair – Kilbourn Park, 3501 N. Kilbourn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60641.
April 25 – Pam Oliver and the Center for Food Equity in Medicine’s 6th Annual Memorial Blood Drive – Sergeant Means Park – Bradford Barn, 20712 Western Avenue, Olympia Fields, IL 60461.
April 25 – Far South Community Action Council's 2026 Rise Together Family and Community Summit – Corliss High School, 821 E. 103rd Street, Chicago, IL 60668.
April 25 – United Palatine Coalition's 4th Annual Wellness Fair – Buehler YMCA, 1400 W. Northwest Highway., Palatine, IL 60067.
April 25 – Chesterfield Community Council’s Home Expo 2026 – Tuley Park Field House, 501 East 90th Place, Chicago, IL 60619.
April 26 – Cook County Commissioner Josina Morita's Earth-A-Palooza & Nurtured by Nature Partnership – Linne Woods, Dempster Street, Morton Grove, IL 60053.
April 30 – Cook County Health's Juvenile Temporary Detention Center Mural Unveiling – Juvenile Temporary Detention Center,1100 S. Hamilton Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612.

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.

April 1 – Primecare Health Center – 5635 W. Belmont Avenue, Chicago, IL 60634.
April 2 – Friend Health – 5635 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago IL 60629.
April 6 – North Riverside Health Center – 1800 S. Harlem Avenue Suite A, North Riverside, IL 60546.
April 7 – Cottage Grove Health Center – 1645 S. Cottage Grove Avenue, Ford Heights, IL 60411.
April 8 – Provident Hospital – 500 E. 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60615.
April 9 – Alivio Health Center – 2021 S. Morgan Street, Chicago, IL 60608.
April 10 – Chicago Family Health Center – 9119 S. Exchange Avenue, Chicago, IL 60617.
April 13 – Jorge Prieto Health Center – 2424 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago, IL 60623.
April 14 – Robbins Health Center – 13450 S. Kedzie Avenue, Robbins, IL 60472.
April 14 – PCC Wellness Austin – 5461 W. Lake Street, Chicago, IL 60644.
April 15 – Primecare Health Center - 5635 West Belmont Avenue, Chicago, IL 60634.
April 16 – Friend Health – 5635 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago IL 60629.
April 17 – Englewood Health Center – 1135 W. 69th Street, Chicago, IL 60621.
April 20 – Stroger Hospital –1969 W. Ogden Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612.
April 21 – Esperanza Health Center – 4700 S. California Avenue, Chicago, IL 60632
April 22 – Provident Hospital – 500 E. 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60615.
April 23 – Care for Friends – 530 W. Fullerton Parkway, Chicago IL 60614.
April 23 – Mercy House – 901 W. 63rd Street, Chicago, IL 60621.
April 24 – Arlington Heights Health Center – 3520 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60004.
April 27 – Blue Island Health Center – 12757 S. Western Avenue, Blue Island, IL 60406.
April 28 – Lawndale Christian Health Center – 3750 W. Ogden Avenue, Chicago IL 60623.
April 29 – Zeta & Free n Deed – 14200 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, Suite 117, Dolton, IL 60419.
April 30 – Hope Community Church – 5900 W. Iowa Street, Chicago, IL 60651.