March 17, 2008 |
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As the weather begins to warm and we approach the early days of spring, it’s not too early to get ready for Mother’s Day on May 11th. This year, consider giving a gift honoring your mother or another mother in your life by ordering a Mother’s Day card from IMCHC.
A small donation will allow you to choose a card, including one customized with a picture of your choice that will be sent to the recipient by May 10th. Donations must be made by May 2nd; starting March 19th, visit the IMCHC website for more information or to place your order.
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| IMCHC ANNOUNCEMENTS |
2008 IMCHC Membership Drive
Are you a member of the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition? If not, consider joining this year and help celebrate our 20th anniversary of working towards making Illinois the healthiest state for our women, children and families.
Membership benefits include event registration discounts and access to member-only events. Visit our website or contact Lilah Handler to join today.
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Register Now for the School Health Center Annual Conference
This year’s exciting conference Collaboration, Community, Commitment will take place in Springfield on May 15th and 16th. The conference will feature School Health Centers 101, a pre-Conference for new and emerging school health centers, a Youth Panel featuring the Illinois Coalition for School Health Center’s (ICSHC) first Youth Advisory Council and workshops for medical and mental health providers and clinic administrators. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with peers in their field and receive the most up-to-date information in child and adolescent health.
Please visit IMCHC’s website to view the conference brochure and to register on-line. Contact Drew Guzman with questions about the conference or to submit a nomination for the ICSHC’ s 2008 Outstanding Leadership Award.
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IMCHC Annual Meeting and Luncheon
IMCHC’s 2008 annual meeting and luncheon will take place on June 10th at Maggiano’s Little Italy. Jennifer Block, journalist and author of Pushed: The Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care will be our keynote presenter. IMCHC will also kickoff our 20th anniversary celebration at the annual meeting. Tickets are limited and will be available by the beginning of April. Visit IMCHC’s website or contact Lilah Handler for more information.
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Nominate Someone for the Loretta Lacey Advocacy Award
The Loretta Lacey Advocacy Award is in honor of the late Loretta P. Lacey, RN, DrPh (1944-1994). Her career spanned from being a public health nurse to Assistant Chicago Commissioner of Health and finally to Professor. Her greatest achievement was to institute the expanded breast and cervical screenings free of charge through the City of Chicago and the Cook County Bureau of Health Services.
Dr. Loretta Lacey spent 25 years in the maternal and child health field as a researcher, teacher, administrator and most importantly advocate. She is remembered each year through this award.
The 2008 winner will be awarded at IMCHC’s Annual Benefit on September 10th at the Garfield Park Conservatory. Visit the IMCHC website to download a nomination form.
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Upcoming PCCM Trainings
IMCHC will be coordinating several trainings on Primary Care Case Management (PCCM), which is a required program for most Illinois Medicaid families. Five trainings will take place in the city of Chicago and Collar County area in April 2008 and will target staff from organizations that serve immigrant communities.
These trainings are opportunities for case managers, social service providers and outreach staff to learn more about eligible client health care options and to understand how to present the PCCM program to eligible clients. Please note that the workshop will not address medical provider or billing questions.
Dates and locations are being finalized; visit IMCHC’s website at the end of this week for a list of confirmed dates and to RSVP.
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Donate your used cell phones and printer cartridges to raise money for IMCHC!
IMCHC is accepting used cell phones, ink jet and laser printer cartridges for recycling to support our newest fundraising effort. Drop off your old cell phones and empty printer cartridges to our 1256 W. Chicago Avenue office or pass them along to an IMCHC staff member at a meeting. We can also supply posters if you are interested in organizing an office or church collection effort.
For more information about this fundraising initiative, contact Lilah Handler. |
Archived Topics
Visit our newsletter archive to read about recently listed articles from past issues. Past topics include:
• School Health Center Awareness Month
• Nominations for the CAIC immunization award
• “SOUND THE ALARM!” campaign for health care justice
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| Take Action! |
Support Federal Authorization for SHCs
The School-Based Health Center Establishment Act (HR4230) was introduced in Congress in November 2007. Similar to S600, it would establish the first federal grant program for school health centers. Illinois Congressman Jan Schakowsky has signed on as an original co-sponsor of the bill, and Congressman Rahm Emanuel signed on in December, but additional House support is necessary.
Contact your local Congressman and encourage them to sign on. For more information about HR4230 or to contact your Congressman, visit the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care’s website or contact Blair Harvey, ICSHC Project Director.
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| Partner Announcements |
Bridge to Healthy Smiles
Bridge to Healthy Smiles is an awareness and three-point legislative campaign dedicated to making dental care more accessible and affordable for all Illinoisans. The three-point campaign includes:
1. Increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates to serve low-income Illinois families
2. Establishing dental clinics for Illinois’ underserved: 10 by 2010
3. Recruiting more dentists with student loan incentives
Visit the website for more information on how to get involved.
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Illinois Warrior Assistance Program
The Illinois Warrior Assistance Program (IWAP) is a first-in-the-nation program that screens all returning Illinois National Guard members for a traumatic brain injury while offering the screening to all Illinois veterans. The program also includes a 24-hour toll-free confidential, psychological helpline - 1-866-554-IWAP (4927) - staffed by health professionals to assist veterans, day or night, suffering from symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
To download and order outreach materials, visit the IWAP website. |
Members of Congress From States with Highest Poverty Least Likely to Support Anti-Poverty Measures
Members of Congress from states with high rates of poverty are less likely to support anti-poverty measures than other members of Congress, according to the 2007 Poverty Scorecard: Rating Members of Congress, released by the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law.
The Scorecard assigned letter grades to members of Congress, according to their voting records on the most important poverty-related issues that came to a vote in 2007, including legislation on affordable housing, health care, education, labor, tax policy and immigrants' rights. With the help of a national advisory board and other anti-poverty experts, the Shriver Center identified and analyzed fourteen critical Senate votes and fifteen critical House votes. |
Free online workshop
The National Women's Law Center is hosting a free webinar, “Economic Stimulus Payments: What Families Need to Know” on March 20th to give service providers and advocates the information they need on the economic stimulus payments.
This online workshop is free to participants, but registration is required. To register, visit the National Women's Law Center website. |
Job Openings with the Campaign for Better Health Care |
The Campaign for Better Health Care (CBHC) is now hiring for several positions in Chicago and Champaign, including health care and faith community organizers. Visit CBHC’s website for job descriptions and information on how to apply.
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| News in Brief |
One in Four Teen Girls Likely to Have STI
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that about a quarter of young women in the US ages 14 to 19 years have at least one of four common sexually transmitted infections (STI). The STIs include chlamydia, herpes simplex virus 2, human papillomavirus or the common parasite trichomoniasis.
Health experts believe that abstinence-only sex education has contributed to this alarming rate and that encouraging the use of condoms may help with prevention. A number of editorials have reacted to these findings with commentary on how abstinence-only education “isn’t working.”
Source: Women’s Health Policy Report – National Partnership for Women and Families, March 12th and 13th
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| Upcoming Events |
Illinois Coalition for School Health Center’s Advocacy Day
April 9th – all day
Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities
206 S. Sixth Street in Springfield
Registration begins at 9:30am in Springfield, but buses will depart from various locations earlier that morning.
RSVP to Megan Erskine or contact her for more information
Chicago Area Immunization Campaign’s Spring General Meeting
April 16th, 9am-1pm
Auditorium, UIC School of Public Health
1603 W. Taylor Street in Chicago
RSVP to Melissa Ponce
Southern Illinois IMCHC Chapter Meeting
April 16th, 12:15pm-2:15pm
Municipal West Building
200 Potomac in Mt. Vernon
RSVP to Lilah Handler
National Infant Immunization Week Kickoff Press Conference
April 21st, 12pm
Lawndale Christian Health Center
3860 W. Ogden Avenue in Chicago
For more information or to RSVP, contact Melissa Ponce
South Central Illinois Perinatal Advisory Committee
April 25th from 9am-noon*
Carle Foundation in Urbana
RSVP to Lilah Handler
*IMCHC's Central Illinois Chapter meeting will take place from 11am – 12pm
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| Save these Dates! |
“Collaboration, Community, Commitment”
Illinois School Health Center Statewide Conference
May 15th and 16th in Springfield
Contact: Blair Harvey, ICSHC Project Director
IMCHC Annual Meeting – 20th Anniversary Kickoff
June 10th at Maggiano’s Little Italy, Chicago
Contact: Lilah Handler, IMCHC Office Manager
IMCHC 20th Anniversary Benefit
September 10th at the Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago
If you are interested in sponsorship or host committee opportunities,
please contact Lilah Handler.
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