Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Governor JB Pritzker's administration have commenced the 2024 Minority Health Conference in Naperville. This three-day event aligns with IDPH's efforts to implement the Healthy Illinois 2028 State Health Improvement Plan, which emphasizes addressing racism as a public health crisis.

Governor Pritzker highlighted the conference theme, "Mission Possible: Moving from Talk to Action in Advancing Health Equity," through a videotaped message. He emphasized action towards health equity, mentioning his Birth Equity Initiative aimed at reducing maternal mortality disparities among black women and other new parents. The initiative will allocate around $23 million for various measures, including Birth Equity Resource Building Grants for community-based reproductive healthcare providers and support for birthing hospitals.

IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra stated that addressing systemic health disparities is a major priority for IDPH. He expressed enthusiasm about the conference serving as a catalyst for action towards health equity across Illinois.

The event at Northern Illinois University's Naperville campus gathers experts and practitioners to discuss health disparities, social justice issues, and build 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.

Megan Bang from Northwestern University will speak on partnerships with Indigenous Peoples for collective wellbeing. Josh Sabo of Heartland HOUSED will address homelessness in Springfield and Sangamon County, referencing findings from the "Illinois Homelessness Morbidity and Mortality Report 2017-2022."

Despite racial and ethnic minorities comprising four out of ten Illinoisians, they face higher disease burdens such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, HIV, substance abuse, infant mortality, and COVID-19 rates. IDPH continues collaborating with healthcare partners to combat these disparities and advance health equity statewide.

For more details on IDPH’s 2024 Minority Health Conference agenda, information is available online.