IHA June Webinar Series: SDOH Screening and Community Partnerships 
Identifying the health-related social needs of your patients can help improve their health outcomes. Rigorous screening for social drivers of health (SDOH), such as financial instability and unsafe housing, and strong linkages to community organizations are key to enhancing well-being and quality of life.

A complimentary IHA webinar series, “Cultivating Community Connections and Addressing Social Drivers of Health,” will center on screening processes and community partnerships over two webinars in June.

• June 24: “Integrating Social Care into Your Medical Practice,” on SDOH screening that fosters trust between patients and clinicians; and
• June 26: “Addressing Social Needs at the Individual and Community Level,” on building systems for sustainable, measurable impact.

Each webinar will be held from noon-1 p.m. CT and led by Natalie Graves, MPH, Director, Research and Implementation at Convergence Health. Graves has over 10 years of experience leveraging quality improvement strategies and promoting peer-to-peer learning to transform healthcare. 

There is no fee to attend. Funding was provided by the IDPH Improving the Health of Illinoisans Through Chronic Disease Prevention grant. Registrants will receive a link to the webinar recording after each session. Register today. 

Staff contact: Abby Radcliffe

Cook County Releases Behavioral Health Strategic Plan 
On May 28, the Regional Behavioral Health Strategic Plan for Cook County 2025 - 2027 was released, highlighting the critical challenges facing the behavioral health system and helping to shape targeted interventions to improve outcomes across the county. The plan focuses on five priority areas:

1. Systems alignment with enhanced coordination through Regional Behavioral Health Collaboratives, an Intergovernmental Advisory Group, and alignment with state and federal initiatives, such as the Illinois Behavioral Health Transformation Plan and guidelines from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration;
2. Workforce development, including advocacy to enhance compensation, benefits, and career development opportunities, including internships, scholarships, and the expansion of peer support specialist roles;
3. Behavioral health services for children, youth, and families that prioritize integrating services into schools and community-based settings, addressing family support needs, and ensuring timely access to care;
4. Access to treatment, support, and recovery services through identification of service gaps, enhancing access and coordination, promoting innovative care models, and expanding the use of evidence-based practices; and
5. Crisis system enhancement to reduce unnecessary arrests, hospitalizations, and reliance on emergency services while increasing access to community-based care.

Staff contact: Lia Daniels

Registration Open: 2025 Illinois Summit on Antimicrobial Stewardship
Registration is now open for the 2025 Illinois Summit on Antimicrobial Stewardship on July 10 in Champaign. This event brings together experts in the field to discuss the latest advancements in antimicrobial stewardship. Whether you are a healthcare professional, researcher, or industry representative, this summit is the perfect place to learn, collaborate, and stay up to date on best practices in antimicrobial stewardship.

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Summarize the regulatory and national landscape for antimicrobial stewardship;
• Apply national guidelines and best practices for implementing and evaluating facility antimicrobial stewardship programs;
• Identify tools and resources for implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs; and
• Review past successful antimicrobial stewardship programs and lessons learned.

Click here for information on registration, cost, hotel arrangements and FAQs. Continuing education credit is available.