IHA Small & Rural Meeting BH Panel: Common Challenges, Creative Solutions
People in rural communities often have a harder time accessing needed behavioral health (BH) services due to distance and provider shortages. In Illinois, 96.5% of small and rural hospitals are located in areas designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas for mental health professionals. To address these hurdles, Illinois hospitals have come up with creative ways to reach residents—and provide needed care.

At the 2025 IHA Small & Rural Hospitals Annual Meeting, a panel of hospital leaders will describe their innovative approaches to broadening access to behavioral health services. Panelists are:

• Ada Bair, Chief Executive Officer, Memorial Hospital Association;
• Emily Legner, LCPC, Director, Behavioral Health, Memorial Health;
• Molly McCain, MSW, Community Health Consultant, Lincoln Memorial Hospital; and
• Samantha McCarty, BSN, RN, PHRN, Director of Emergency Services, Horizon Health.

Bair will discuss Memorial Hospital Association’s efforts to grow their own behavioral health staff and their Strengthening Minds, Building Futures program, which uses a repurposed RV to provide mental health services at area schools. 

Legner will present Memorial Health’s crisis services, including a crisis center with walk-in and telehealth services and a mobile crisis response team that travels to rural areas. The health system also embeds counselors in local schools and offers support for farmers. 

McCain will detail Lincoln Memorial Hospital’s Reach Out texting program, which hospital staff created to support high school freshman. With positive feedback since the 2024 launch, the hospital plans to expand the program to more students.

McCarty will explain Horizon Health’s Rural EMS Resilience and Response initiative that trains emergency medical services (EMS) personnel on mental health and substance use disorders, naloxone administration, motivational interviewing, and warm handoffs to peer support specialists.

IHA Board Member Will Davis, BS, MBA, CLSS, Illinois Region President of Deaconess Illinois, will moderate the discussion during the June 12 conference for small and rural hospital leaders and board members.

See our program webpage for registration information, the full agenda and speaker bios. Watch a short video about the meeting, held in Springfield, and a special video message from IHA President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi. Register today.

Staff contact: Bridget McCarte

Average Commercial Rate - Data Collection Webinars
The Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has begun collecting average commercial rate (ACR) data from all Illinois hospitals. All hospitals participating in the Illinois Hospital Assessment Program (HAP) must submit this data to HFS no later than June 25, 2025. To download the ACR collection tool, click here. IHA and HFS are hosting a webinar explaining the ACR data collection project on Tues., June 3, from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. CT. To register for this webinar, click here. To view an IHA memo with more background information on this project, click here.

Staff contact: Elizabeth Nelson 

Webinar: Expanding Research Capacity in Safety-Net Institutions
Although safety-net healthcare institutions hold valuable insights for improving health equity, structural and financial barriers often limit their ability to conduct and disseminate research. Join leaders from Sinai Urban Health Institute (SUHI), America’s Essential Hospitals and UI Health Mile Square Health Center for a June 4 webinar, “Expanding Research Capacity in Safety-Net Institutions: Strategies and Solutions.” Dr. Helen Margellos-Anast, SUHI's President, and expert panelists will explore strategies to strengthen research capacity within safety-net healthcare systems and advance community-driven research. Registration is free and open to all. Click here to register. Click here to view a flyer with more details about the program.

Guidance Released on AI Data Security
The National Security Agency, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, FBI and international partners released guidance highlighting the critical role of data security in ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and trustworthiness of artificial intelligence (AI) outcomes. The report outlines key risks that may arise from data security and integrity issues across all phases of the AI lifecycle, from development and testing to deployment and operation. The reference guide is recommended reading for healthcare leaders responsible for the governance, development or deployment of AI systems in their organization. 

CDC Updates Measles Guidance for Travelers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week updated its travel guidance related to measles, following reports of increased numbers of people on U.S. flights contracting the virus. CBS News reported the CDC has identified dozens of cases this year associated with travelers who were infectious while flying on airplanes in the U.S. According to CBS, the CDC dropped its list of countries now facing “high incidence” of measles and now warns only that the virus is “an ongoing risk around the world, and more international travelers are getting infected.” The CDC also changed a previous recommendation that Americans “consider making alternative travel plans” if they could not get vaccinated prior to departing, now recommending travelers should “consider postponing their trip.” The CDC’s May 30 update reported 1,088 confirmed measles cases in 33 jurisdictions, including Illinois and most surrounding states. On Friday, the Illinois Dept. of Public Heath measles webpage reported 10 confirmed measles cases in Illinois.