Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)

IDPH Chief Medical Officer Arti Barnes opened the Bamberg Health North America Rare Disease Summit 2024 in Chicago today. 💡 She highlighted the importance of the Illinois Newborn Screening Program, which provides timely diagnosis and early treatment for many rare diseases. #NARDS

🙌 Public Health Heroes: Meet Annette Hodge, Section Chief for Health Care Facilities & Programs, Non-Long Term Care Field Operations. Annette oversees the section’s field operations staff and liaises between the Office of Health Care Regulation and other state and federal programs and agencies. Annette’s motivation to pursue a career in public health originated with a longstanding passion for helping others and a desire to positively impact society. After a 15 year career as a bedside psychiatry nurse, she moved to IDPH first as a Health Facilities Surveillance Nurse, then to her current role, where she has served for eight years. Annette recognizes that all people interact with healthcare institutions on some level during their lives, so she knows how crucial it is that all people have an equitable chance of accessing quality care. She sums its importance up simply: “Health is a most prized possession.” 💭 Annette and her team ensure healthcare facilities are accountable for providing safe and effective care for all consumers, promoting health equity, addressing challenges, and responding to crises. Not only does this improve medical trust and support IDPH’s mission, but also works toward lessening the burden of health disparities, particularly in communities that are disproportionately impacted by poor health outcomes. Join us in celebrating Annette’s work and commitment to creating a happier, healthier Illinois. 💙 #PublicHealthHeroes #ThisIsPublicHealth #TeamIDPH #EmployeeAppreciation

Join us for a day filled with insightful discussions and networking opportunities. Learn from experts in the field about the importance of antimicrobial stewardship and how it impacts healthcare. Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your knowledge and connect with like-minded individuals. This year we will be celebrating 10 iterations of the Illinois Summit on Antimicrobial Stewardship, we look forward to seeing you there! 📅 Wednesday, July 17 📍 Lisle, Illinois 📲 Register now!

Calling all #publichealth, #healthcare, #communitypartners, #students, and other professionals – we’re accepting poster and workshop abstracts for consideration for our 2024 Minority Health Conference! This year’s theme is “Mission Possible: Moving from Talk to Action in Advancing Health Equity.” Workshop and poster abstracts must be emailed to dph.cms.info@illinois.gov no later than July 31, 2024 at 5:00 PM CST. Selected presenters must attend the conference in person. 🔗 More details: https://lnkd.in/gfX9Xz47

🙌 Public Health Heroes: Meet Erin Rife, Assistant Bureau Chief for our Office of Health Care Regulation, Long-Term Care. Erin oversees the office’s Compliance Assurance, Licensure and Certification, and Assisted Living Divisions. Erin’s values and beliefs have always been aligned with IDPH’s. After spending 20 years of her career as a provider and working for what was best for her patients, she switched to a regulatory position where she could help populations outside of her own patients. At IDPH, Erin has helped develop the Assisted Living Program, working closely with various communities and organizations to spread our mission. Erin’s unique perspective as a former clinical advisor has informed her work to ensure that her department meets its goals. Her advice to new public health professionals? “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Everyone is here to help you be successful.” Ultimately, Erin’s role reinforces IDPH’s mission and provides proof of how much we care for Illinoisans. As she puts it, “everyone deserves respect despite their age.” Her work ensures the safety and quality of life of our state’s residents as they age. Join us in celebrating Erin’s work and commitment to creating a happier, healthier Illinois. 💙 #PublicHealthHeroes #ThisIsPublicHealth #TeamIDPH #EmployeeAppreciation

The Illinois Homeless Morbidity and Mortality Report will be released early this month. This first statewide Illinois study of its kind found that Illinoisans experiencing homelessness die an average of 17 years earlier than housed Illinoisans. Join us for this webinar hosted along with University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health to learn more about the report's findings. 📅 Monday, July 15 ⏰ 1 - 2:30 PM CST 🖥 Register now: https://lnkd.in/gsZZuaV5

A new month, a new week, and a brand new episode of #ThisIsPublicHealth to kick off your Monday! 🎙 Tune in to hear IDPH Director Dr. Vohra and Dr. Wayne Giles, Dean of University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health discuss the powerful partnerships between IDPH and academic institutions. Learn how these collaborations are shaping the future of public health in Illinois. 🤝 Don’t miss it: 🎧 https://lnkd.in/ghNsM9-n 📽 https://lnkd.in/gqGHk5C2

At April's Illinois Public Health Workforce Transformation Initiative Kick-Off at University of Illinois Springfield, Director Vohra unveiled a new initiative to strengthen our state's public health system and address complex health challenges. The initiative is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Infrastructure Grant (#PHIG). As we collaborate with key partners: local health departments, the Illinois Public Health Association, and the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health we're working to establish a shared vision for a transformed public health system across Illinois. Special thanks also to Policy, Practice and Prevention Research Center (P3RC) for their work on this event. 📰 Read more about the initiative and the kick-off meeting: https://lnkd.in/g69Rg34q

🙌 Public Health Heroes: Meet Celina Avelino, Regional Trainer for Long Term Care Field Operations in our Westchester region. Celina conducts training to surveyors and their supervisors in surveying for long term care facilities to maintain compliance with federal and state regulations. Celina’s passion for public health stems from a deep-seated desire to effect positive change on a large scale, and she is driven by genuine concern for the well-being of communities. Working in long term care and seeing firsthand the transformative impact of public health interventions ignited a career dedicated to improving the lives of others. Celina is also passionate about shaping and mentoring new surveyors as they embark on their journey in ensuring quality healthcare standards. “Each interaction is an opportunity to not only teach the intricacies of healthcare regulations, but also to instill a sense of purpose and dedication to the work that we do.” 💭 Celina’s team is dedicated to teamwork and collaboration to develop comprehensive training materials and strategies and cultivate an empowering learning environment for new surveyors to thrive in their careers and make a meaningful impact in healthcare regulation. Join us in celebrating Celina’s work and commitment to creating a happier, healthier Illinois. 💙 #PublicHealthHeroes #ThisIsPublicHealth #TeamIDPH #EmployeeAppreciation

Getting to Zero Illinois is a state-wide initiative to end HIV in Illinois by 2030. Today, the Office of the Governor- Illinois spoke on the GTZ-IL Plan 2.0 to continue building on our progress and evolve our response to better meet Illinoisans' needs, putting us well on our way to be a state free from HIV by 2030. 📸 Pictured here is Dr. Olusimbo Ige, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner and John Peller, AIDS Foundation of Chicago President/CEO with Director Vohra. #GTZIL2030