Illinois Department of Public Health issued the following announcement on Oct. 2.
In an effort to improve the health of women of reproductive age, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Office of Women's Health and Family Services has issued $350,000 in competitive grant funding to 14 organizations across the state. Organizations will use this funding to develop plans to increase the number of women in their community who obtain a wellness check. While each community is different, plans to increase well-woman visits may include removing obstacles to seeking care, delineating what services are available, and identifying opportunities to educate underserved women about the importance of wellness visits.
"Well-woman visits play a critical role in screening, diagnosing, and managing chronic diseases and mental health conditions," said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. "Ensuring women are able to access quality preventive services, such as pap smears, mammograms, and immunizations, is critical to improving health outcomes among women, especially maternal and infant outcomes."
IDPH's goal is to increase the percent of women ages 18-44 years with a preventive medical visit in the past year. For women of reproductive age, these visits should include discussion of a reproductive life plan and identification of activities to achieve optimal health prior to pregnancy. During 2016, 69.2% of women ages 18-44 years had a well woman visit in the past year, translating to 7 in 10 Illinois women. A variety of factors impact a woman's ability to receive care including cost, availability of providers, transportation, competing priorities, and health literacy (understanding the importance of preventive care and knowing how to navigate the health care system).
| Organization | City | Area/Population | Amount |
| Asian Human Services | Chicago | Chicago/Asian | $27,000 |
| Calhoun County Health Department | Hardin | Central/Rural | $23,805 |
| Cass County Health Department | Virginia | Central/Rural | $23,400 |
| Erie Family Health | Chicago | Chicago | $27,000 |
| Fulton County Health Department | Canton | Central/Rural | $27,000 |
| Henry County Health Department | Kewanee | Central/Rural | $27,000 |
| Illinois Migrant Council | Champaign, Rantoul, Rockford, Crystal Lake, Harvard | Statewide/rural | $23,117 |
| Kankakee County Health Department | Kankakee | North/Mixed | $27,000 |
| Mercer County Health Department | Aledo | Central/Rural | $27,000 |
| Metropolitan Breast Cancer Task Force | Chicago | Chicago/Urban | $27,000 |
| OSF St. Joseph Medical Center | Bloomington | Central/Mixed | $22,392 |
| Perry County Health Department | Pinckneyville | South/Rural | $22,429 |
| Primecare Community Health | Chicago | Chicago/Hispanic | $19,538 |
| Will County Health Department | Joliet | North | $26,640 |
Original source can be found here.
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