REGISTER: IHA’s Hospital State Advocacy Day – May 13
As the Illinois General Assembly moves through its spring session, it is essential that lawmakers hear directly from the hospitals and health systems serving communities across the state. To help elevate that voice, IHA will host Hospital State Advocacy Day in Springfield on Wednesday, May 13. Hospital State Advocacy Day provides an important opportunity for hospital leaders to meet face-to-face with legislators and reinforce the hospital community’s priorities.

Click here to RSVP by May 1. IHA will coordinate meetings with your legislators; please indicate in the RSVP form which state legislators you would like to meet with and your order of preference.

The day will begin with a hospital leader briefing at 7:30 a.m. CT at Vinegar Hill Mall, 107 W. Cook Street, Springfield. Parking is available at their west side lot and along Cook Street.  

Room blocks are available for Tuesday, May 12 at SpringHill Suites Springfield Southwest and the adjacent Fairfield Inn & Suites Springfield Southwest. Reservations must be confirmed by April 21.

Staff contacts: Stacey Dunlap, Nichole Magalis

REGISTER: Leadership Webinars Next Week – March 17 and 19
Two webinars offered to IHA members next week will address the leadership skills needed to guide healthcare teams and organizations through change.

On Tuesday, March 17, “Leading Through Chaos,” will highlight strategies to stabilize teams during uncertainty and how to build a culture where individuals feel supported and empowered. The noon-1 p.m. CT session is offered through the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations. Registration is $195 per hospital. Click here to register.

On Thursday, March 19, “Leading Through Change: Rebuilding Trust and Stability in Uncertain Times,” will showcase core leadership behaviors that cultivate trust and psychological safety, as well as strategies supporting stability, communication and engagement. IHA Strategic Partner Medical Solutions is offering the complimentary session from noon-1 p.m. CT. Click here to register.

SAMHSA Announces Mental Health, Suicide Prevention Grants
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently announced that it will award $69.1 million in grants for three grant programs to support mental health and suicide prevention efforts. SAMHSA will provide:

• $43 million for the Children’s Mental Health Initiative, a program that provides community mental health services to youth with a serious emotional disturbance, which may include efforts to identify and serve children at risk and their families. Click here for more information.

• $16.1 million for Zero Suicide, a program that provides resources for health systems to implement a framework for adults at risk of suicide. Click here for more information.

• $10 million for Assisted Outpatient Treatment, a program to provide outpatient treatment for adults with serious mental illness. Click here for more information.

Applications for each grant opportunity are due Monday, April 20. 

American College of Surgeons Releases First-Ever Workplace Standards Framework
The American College of Surgeons announced last week the first national framework outlining measurable workplace standards for surgeons, aimed at improving surgeon well-being, patient safety, and workforce sustainability. The framework, “Developing Specialty-Specific Workplace Standards for Surgeons,” was published in Journal of the American College of Surgeons, and is adaptable so that each surgical discipline—as well as specialties outside of surgery—can create standards that are customized and relevant to their specialty. The recommendations address issues including call schedule and compensation; access to the OR, clinic, and resources; inpatient census limits; clinical support and team composition; fatigue mitigation and wellness support; and compliance and administrative burden.