November 2, 2009  
 

Federal - Health Care Reform Updates

Congressional Updates

Right now, lawmakers in both the House of Representatives and Senate in Washington, D.C. are working on putting together one cohesive bill for each chamber from their respective committees. 

On the House side, the three committees working on legislation included Ways and Means, Education and Labor and Energy and Commerce. Last week, Speaker Pelosi announced the combined House legislation, entitled "The Affordable Health Care for America Act"and includes many provisions imperative to the guarantee of quality, health care in America. Some of these provisions include a public health insurance option, Medicaid expansion to include adults without dependents and a national health insurance exchange program. 

On the Senate side, Majority Leader Harry Reid is combining the bills that passed out of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) and Senate Finance Committees. While these bills contained many different provisions, both reformed the private insurance market and considered cost protections for insurance consumers. However, the Senate Finance Committee’s bill did not include one of the most controversial aspects of health care reform: the public option. Senator Reid has indicated this week that he intends to include a public health insurance option with an opt-out provision to allow states to decide whether or not to enact a state run public option.

Read an Associate Press article that summarizes major provisions and costs. 

New Resources from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has released new papers that analyze a variety of aspects of federal health care reform. Specifically they look at the concept of “actuarial value” and how it is used to standardize insurance coverage, and the impact of the Senate Finance Committee’s bills on low- and moderate-income families. If you would like to view these papers please visit the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ website.

Feel free to also contact Sara Howard at IMCHC for more specific information about how potential reform legislation may affect Illinois residents. Click here to also send an email to your legislators.

Visit IMCHC's e-advocacy site to find your legislator or local contact information. Contact Kathy Chan to report the results of your phone calls.

If your organization would like to sign-on to a petition supporting the public option please visit the Campaign for Better Health Care’s website.

Other Legislative Updates

Buffer Zone Ordinance Passed in Chicago

The Chicago City Council Human Relations Committee passed an ordinance, sponsored by Aldeman Vi Daley (D-43), to create a 50-foot zone outside the entrance of health clinics and hospitals. This would be an area in which all individuals would need permission to come within 8 feet of another person. Violations would result in a fine of up to $500. The full City Council voted 28-13 in favor of the ordinance.

Find out how your alderman voted on the measure. Mayor Richard Daley has now agreed to sign the new ordinance into law.

Illinois Coalition for School Based Health Centers  

The ICSHC is pleased to announce a series of fall regional school health center meetings taking place in Silvis, Carbondale and Chicago. The regional meetings offer school health center providers and allies the chance to network with their peers, gain important information on adolescent health and learn best practices in providing services.

Fall meetings will feature an H1N1 and School Health Centers update, a Mental Health Planning and Evaluation Tool Best Practices presentation, Illinois Health Connect updates and important announcements and information from ICSHC, DHS and partner organizations.

North - Central Regional SHC Meeting
Monday, Nov. 2nd, 10:00am- 2:00pm
Larson Center
Silvis, IL
RSVP: Megan at merskine@ilmaternal.org

Chicago-Area Regional SHC Meeting
Friday, Nov. 6th, 8:00am-12:30pm
Orozco Academy
Chicago, IL
RSVP: Megan at merskine@ilmaternal.org

Please email Megan Erskine, ICSHC Project Coordinator, for more information.

Free Conference on Enrollment Strategies for the Children’s Health Insurance Program

The National Children’s Health Insurance Summit is taking place in Chicago this week from November 4-6 at the Chicago Marriott on Michigan Avenue. The purpose of the Summit is to look at strategies for increasing enrollment and retention in the Children’s Health Insurance Program. State coalitions, health care providers and others interested in increasing enrollment into Medicaid and CHIP are invited to attend. Registration is FREE!

For more information please visit their website.

Chicago Department of Public Health to Provide Free H1N1 Flu Shots at Clinics Across Chicago

For Chicago residents without a doctor or whose doctor does not plan to give H1N1 vaccinations, the Chicago Department of Public Health will offer H1N1 flu vaccinations at six locations across the city. The vaccinations are for people at increased risk for flu and flu complications:

** pregnant women
** all children and young adults ages 6 months to 24 years
** people who live with and/or care for infants younger than 6 months of age
** people age 25-64 with chronic health conditions (like asthma or diabetes).
** health care workers

 The six locations are:

          ** Kennedy King College, 6301 S. Halsted
          ** Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn
          ** Richard J. Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski
          ** Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson
          ** Arturo Velasquez Institute, 2800 S. Western
          ** Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett

The locations will be open to serve Chicago residents at increased risk on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays---starting Saturday, October 24.

Hours of operation are 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturdays. No appointments are necessary, and all vaccinations will be delivered free of charge, on a first come/first served basis.

If you have any questions about the clinics, or would like more information, please contact Sheila Sanders.

Premature Infant Summit – November 17th

IMCHC is a co-sponsor of the upcoming premature infant summit “Collaborating for Preemies: Challenges and Changes” taking place on November 17th at the Marriott in Schaumburg.

This day-long event will feature speakers and panel discussions addressing the rising rate of prematurity, late preterm births, the burden of prematurity and continuity of care. Registration is free, but space is limited.

For questions or to RSVP, contact Kari Lato at 920-206-9611 or MedImmunePrematuritySummits@gmail.com.

Call for Abstracts - The 9th National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions

Abstracts are now being accepted! NCIHC 2010 will showcase successful ways in which health coalitions can improve immunization protection, prevent disease, improve access to care and health outcomes for underserved populations, reduce racial, ethnic, and geographic health disparities, educate new populations, and build community health infrastructures.

Abstracts are welcome from all disciplines and must be submitted electronically no later than February 1, 2010. If you are interested in submitting an abstract, information is available at the following website: http://www.ilmaternal.org/ncihc2010.htm.   

NCIHC 2010 is being hosted by the Chicago Area Immunization Campaign, a project of the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition. 

Campaign to Save Our Babies

On September 16th the Campaign to Save Our Babies released the Emma Report.  The Emma Report includes policy recommendations that can help prevent the more than 1,300 infant deaths that occur each year in Illinois. The report is the product of more than two years of study, focus groups and input from a variety of stakeholders into the causes of infant death in Illinois. To view the Emma Report online please click here.

On September 17th, Robyn Gabel and Tamika Hinton were invited to speak at the Chicago Foundation for Women’s Annual Luncheon. To view a video of their speech and learn more about the Chicago Foundation for Women, please visit their website.



Conference for Ratification of the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child

IMCHC is a co-sponsor of the Conference for Ratification of the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, taking place on November 20th in Chicago. Attendees will learn how the Convention on the Rights of the Child impacts society’s response to the needs of children, as well as learn the status of the Convention in America. 

Conference registration is now available through IMCHC’s website at www.ilmaternal.org/CRC.html

For more information on this conference please contact Sara Howard.



IMCHC Junior Executive Board

The Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition’s new Junior Board is holding meetings on a bimonthly basis at the IMCHC offices. Over twenty young professionals are actively involved in the Junior Board planning events to raise awareness for maternal and child health. Please contact Sara Howard if you would like to learn more about the Junior Board and its activities.

Upcoming events include:

November 3rd – Junior Board Meeting
                Please contact Sara Howard if you are interested in attending.
December – Junior Board Book Group Selection: Pushed by Jennifer Block
                Please contact Sara Howard if you would like to participate in this discussion.

Newsletter Archive

Visit our newsletter archive to read about recently listed articles from past issues. Past topics include:

• Federal and State Policy Updates
• Junior Board Events
• Chicago Area Immunization Campaign Summer Meeting
• Staff Updates

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Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health Brown Bag Lunch Lecture Series

Brown Bag Lunch: Reproductive Justice for Immigrant South Asian Women

Tuesday, November 17 // 12-1:30 pm
Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health
226 S Wabash Ave, Suite 900, Chicago

Aisha Chaudri from Apna Ghar will discuss reproductive justice for women, specifically South Asian and immigrant women. She will address socioeconomic and cultural barriers to reproductive justice, including language, finances, culture, and religion, as well as current domestic policies, such as vaccination requirements for immigrants and individuals seeking permanent residence in the United States. Aisha will then provide a plan of action along with a list of resources for agencies working with South Asian and immigrant women to help address their clients' needs.

Event is free, open to all ages, and wheelchair accessible. Space is limited. Learn more and RSVP online by Monday, November 16.

Why Do They Act That Way?  The Teen Brain and Sexual Health

Dr. David Walsh, author of the best selling “Why Do They Act That Way?” explains exactly what happens to the human brain on the path from childhood into adolescence and adulthood. Revealing the latest scientific findings in easy-to-understand terms, Dr. Walsh shows why moodiness, impulsivity, risk taking, and other familiar teenage behaviors are all linked to physical changes and growth in the adolescent brain.  He then describes the implications of this information for sexual health and teen pregnancy prevention.

This event will be held on November 10th from 10:30am to 12pm.  For more information please visit Health Care Education and Training’s website.

IPIHN Premature Infant Summit
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
7:30am – 4pm
Chicago Marriott, Schaumburg, Illinois
Please contact Kathy Chan for more information.

IMCHC Lake County Meeting
Wednesday, December 2nd
1pm-3pm
University of Illinois Extension
100 S. Highway 45 in Grayslake
RSVP to Lilah Handler

IMCHC Chicago Area Chapter Meeting
Wednesday, December 9th
1pm-3pm
Metropolitan Family Services
1 N. Dearborn, 10th Floor in Chicago.
RSVP to Lilah Handler

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