As the Illinois General Assembly gets underway again for the 2008 legislative session, IMCHC will work with its partners to ensure that legislators support and prioritize programs and initiatives that improve the health and well-being of women, children and families. An updated list of legislation that IMCHC is tracking this session will be updated on a weekly basis on our website.

Governor Rod Blagojevich is scheduled to give his annual budget and state-of-the-state address on Wednesday, February 20th; IMCHC will send out highlights from the Governor’s address to members later this week.

Please consider becoming a new member or renewing your membership with IMCHC and help support our efforts in Springfield and other communities throughout the state to help make Illinois the healthiest state for our most vulnerable populations.

For Chicagoland Cable Viewers, IMCHC on CAN-TV!

IMCHC’s February 12th episode of our weekly CAN-TV show featured Dr. Reshma Dhake, a local dentist who provided valuable information about oral health and helped answer questions from several callers. Dr. Dhake practices at Complete Care Dental and can be reached at 773-84-SMILE (773-847-6453) or by visiting her website. She is accepting new patients and takes a variety of public and private insurance plans, including All Kids, FamilyCare and Medicaid. Dr. Dhake also has staff that speak Spanish and Polish.

The Illinois Coalition for School Health Center's (ICSHC) first ever Youth Advisory Council (YAC) will appear on CAN TV's Channel 21 on Tuesday, February 26th at 3:30pm. Three students from Uplift Community School, Crane Tech Prep High School and AASTA High School from the Campus of Orr will present on the benefits of school health centers, the Youth Advisory Council and ICSHC awareness and advocacy activities. Please call in at 312-738-1060 with questions and comments. Other YAC members involved with writing the show include Little Village Lawndale High School and Proviso East High School.

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.

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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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President’s Budget More Harm than Good for Many Women and Children

President Bush’s recently announced federal budget once again does more harm than good for women and children. The president proposed $200 billion in cuts to the Medicaid and Medicare programs over the next five years, asked for a reduction of more than $570 million from the Medicaid family planning program and reduced Health and Human Services’ Office of Women’s Health’s budget by 10%.

The President did include a nearly $20 billion increase to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), despite claiming that a $5 billion increase was sufficient in his justification of two previous vetoes of SCHIP expansions. Leading Republicans who supported the bi-partisan SCHIP reauthorizations, that included additional funding to cover more children, criticized the President for including an increase in SCHIP funding now, rather than signing the original legislation.

Sources: The Commonweatlh Fund, Kaiser Family Foundation


New SCHIP Bill May Include Additional Medicaid Funds for State, Halt to New Rules

A new House SCHIP reauthorization bill may include an increase in Medicaid match funding to states, as well as a moratorium to new and more restrictive Medicaid rules. Many states, including Illinois, expect to experience severe budget deficits; a temporary increase in federal Medicaid funding could be extremely beneficial in helping to alleviate state financial difficulties.

Source: The Commonwealth Fund

Reports Show Increases in Caesarean Births

A new report released by the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality of the US Department of Health and Human Services, showed that about one-third of US births were done by c-section in 2005. The report also reported that vaginal births after c-section decreased by 60%, from 157,200 to 62,300 in the last decade.

A separate report from Massachusetts mirrored many of the same results from the federal data with 33.4% of state births delivered as c-sections. This report also found that infant mortality among African-Americans was 2.6 times greater than that of Caucasian babies.

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ICSHC Chicago Area Meeting
February 22nd from 8am – 12pm
Proviso East High School
807 South First Avenue in Maywood
RSVP to Megan Erskine

IMCHC Chicago Area General Membership Meeting
February 27th from 1pm-3pm
Metropolitan Family Services
1 N. Dearborn, 10th Floor in Chicago
RSVP to Lilah Hander

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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Illinois Coalition for School Health Center’s Advocacy Day
April 9th in Springfield
Contact: Megan Erskine, ICSHC Project Associate

“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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