Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Minority Health Conference commenced today in Naperville, hosted by Governor JB Pritzker's administration and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The event spans three days and aligns with IDPH's ongoing efforts to implement the Healthy Illinois 2028 State Health Improvement Plan. A central focus of this plan is addressing racism as a public health crisis.

Governor Pritzker emphasized action over rhetoric in his videotaped welcome: “The theme for this year’s conference is straightforward: ‘Mission Possible: Moving from Talk to Action in Advancing Health Equity.’ When it comes to achieving health equity, we are taking real action.” He highlighted the Birth Equity Initiative, aimed at reducing maternal mortality disparities among black women compared to other new parents. This initiative will see an investment of approximately $23 million.

Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of IDPH, remarked on the significance of addressing systemic health disparities: “Addressing systemic health disparities is a core pillar of public health and one of IDPH’s major priorities.” He expressed optimism about the conference serving as a catalyst for advancing health equity across Illinois.

The conference takes place at Northern Illinois University’s Naperville campus and gathers experts statewide. Participants aim to share insights on health disparities, build healthcare competencies, and foster collaborations with service providers to better serve historically marginalized groups in Illinois.

This year's conference also acknowledges the U.S Interior Department's recognition of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation as the state's only federally recognized Native American tribe.

Among notable speakers is Megan Bang from Northwestern University, who will discuss partnerships with Indigenous Peoples for collective wellbeing. Josh Sabo from Heartland HOUSED will address homelessness issues in Springfield and Sangamon County. He will also present findings from the “Illinois Homelessness Morbidity and Mortality Report 2017-2022,” highlighting reduced life expectancy among homeless populations.

Currently, four out of ten residents in Illinois belong to racial and ethnic minority groups. These populations face higher rates of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, HIV, substance abuse, infant mortality, and COVID-19-related outcomes. Through collaboration with healthcare and social service partners, IDPH aims to reduce these disparities and promote health equity across the state.

Further details about IDPH’s 2024 Minority Health Conference can be accessed online.