From left to right: Liz Fales, Mizraim Hernandez, Venoncia Bate-Ambrus, Chris Lopez, Frances Baxley, Mary Roberson, and Manny Hernandez

Greetings,

December and January always call to mind “The Work of Christmas Begins,” a litany by African American theologian, civil rights leader, and educator Howard Thurman. Following the glitz and revelry of the holiday season, it is a call to action to help those most in need. However, this year, I also ponder the meaning of Kwanzaa (created by Malanga Karenga in 1966) and how we can apply Thurman’s and Karenga’s principles throughout the year. Reflecting upon lessons learned in 2024 from HFNLC’s Summer Community Listening Initiative (SCLI) and Holiday Open House and Data Walk (HOHDW) deepens my commitment to using these concepts to improve community health and wellbeing and foster equity and social justice.       

                                                                                                                         

 The Work of Christmas Begins

When the song of the angels is stilled,

when the star in the sky is gone,

when the kings and princes are home,

when the shepherds are back with their flocks,                       

To find the lost, it takes Purpose (Nia). To begin with, we must consider how and why they were lost. Do we consider some members of our society disposable, or do we value every community member equally? Once found, what will it take for the formerly lost to regain a sense of purpose? Concerns mentioned by Summer Listening Initiative Table Talk (SCLI TT) participants related to the lost or at risk included poverty (of mind, body, and spirit), social isolation, mental illness, negative intergenerational cycles, crime, and lack of resources. SCLI TT participants identified Community Engagement and Social Support as the 7^th out of 8 most important Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) and the 6^th SDOH regarding those drivers most negatively impacting the community. Purposefully strengthening community engagement and social support systems can help prevent community members from being lost and help them find them when they are.

To heal the broken is no easy endeavor. Breaks may be physical, psychological, spiritual, emotional, relational, or financial. No matter the type of brokenness, faith is an important part of the healing process and can foster resilience. Faith (Imani) can also come in many forms, such as faith in oneself, one’s providers, family, community, humanity, and/or a higher power. SCLI TT participants ranked Access to Healthcare and Provider Availability as the leading social driver of health. While acknowledging key barriers to care, participants demonstrated faith in community assets, including non-profits, community-based organizations, healthcare institutions, and specifically in the role of social workers and Community Health Workers (CHWs) to promote health, healing, and navigate resources.

To feed the hungry is imperative as hunger impacts health, as well as interpersonal, social, academic, and occupational functioning. Access to healthy food was identified 3^rd as a SDOH and 7^th in terms of negative impact in the community by SCLI TT participants who conversed about novel approaches to address hunger and engender healthier eating habits; a few opportunities discussed were community hubs in which people could get multiple resources at one time, bringing health foods into the community via farms stands that accept WIC and Link, Rosalind Franklin University’s Mobile Care Connection collaboration to get fresh produce into under-resourced communities, the development of the Urban Farm, and “Grow Lake County (GLC) a coalition with the mission to be a bridge to connect the community with organizations that are producing locally grown foods.” These are all examples of Cooperative Economics (Ujamaa).

To release the prisoner is a matter of importance to all of us. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, “Illinois releases roughly 219,818 men and 58,038 women from its prisons and jails each year”. How many formerly incarcerated/justice involved individuals return to or make Lake County home is a little more challenging to ascertain. Successful community reintegration and recidivism prevention are crucial to safe and thriving communities. Crime, violence, and safety emerged as themes in four of the five of SCLI Table Talks (SCLI TT). So, too, did the need to address poverty and break intergenerational trauma cycles through mission and value-based approaches premised on love, equity, kindness, transparency, radical hope, and interconnectedness. Better resource coordination and navigation were of particular interest to SCLI TT participants, especially when working with under-resourced populations such as the justice involved. More youth programs and intergenerational opportunities were also recommended overall, but they could also be a deterrent to the school-to-prison pipeline. Legal was ranked 8^th in the SDOH, as mentioned by SCLI TT participants. Interaction with the justice system necessarily impacts Self-Determination (Kujichagulia); reintegrating after self-determination has been limited based on the carceral system can be daunting for returnees without programs like those offered by the Legacy Reentry Foundation, community support, and protective factors such as hopes, dreams, inspiration, and empowerment.

To rebuild the nations, given the state of our global and political climate, this exhortation feels the most challenging. We live in a nation divided by race, class, gender, immigration status, and LGBTQIA status, among many others. Class is often considered a confluence of SDOHs income (ranked second) and education (fifth) by SCLI TT participants. Housing and transportation SDOHs were ranked third and fifth during the SCLI Table Talks. Employment and income, education, healthcare, housing, and transportation are vital to a salubrious, prosperous country. Many SCLI TT participants described the need for workforce development, higher wages, better education, affordable housing and diverse housing stock, and improved transportation, especially in northwestern Lake County. Concerns for the natural and built environment also provided engrossing conversations. Collective Work and Responsibility (Ujima) was viewed by many as a solution with a particular call for more public-private partnerships and joint advocacy, policy, and/or legislative efforts.

To bring peace among the people can feel very daunting due to the difficulties mentioned above. However, SCLI TT participants were up for the challenge! They shared various strategies, such as dismantling racism (interpersonal, institutional, and systemic), combatting stigma, valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and putting aside egos. The importance of civic engagement was explored at some tables. Community Engagement and Social Support can help cultivate peace and nurture Unity (Umoja). Here are a few local and national opportunities to engender Unity, such as joining TRHT Racial Healing Circles, January 21st Day of National Racial Healing, and January 25th Lake County Joy Summit.

To make music in the heart speaks directly to Kuumba (Creativity). The arts have transformational power. According to UI-Champagne Urbana’s Dimension 2022 article entitled, “Mapping the Arts: The Role of Artists in Community Vibrancy and Wellness” by Mariana Seda, “Arts can be a powerful agent for community change…it fosters connection across sectors to improve physical and economic health, social justice, and wellbeing”. While the arts specifically did not emerge as a major theme in SCLI Table Talks, many participants described the need for innovative approaches, youth-centered and intergenerational programming, better stress-management and self-care, storytelling, including people with lived experiences, leadership development, and trust-building. All of these can be cultivated by the arts. One example is in the upcoming re-release of ‘Sing Sing,’ a film that illustrated the healing power of the arts. Some SCLI TT participants also talked about the positive and negative aspects of media and the importance of having positive representation. Lastly, remember that music is not simply good for the heart figuratively but may also be good literally. Per a September 2024 feature in Harvard Health Publishing by Maureen Salamon, discussing music as medicine, “Music therapy doesn't just soothe the soul — it can help people with a variety of health conditions feel and function better”.

In closing, January 1^st is the final day of Kwanzaa and January 6^th is Epiphany, the traditional end to the Christmas season, but the values espoused by Thurman and Karenga are worth employing 24/7!



Happy New Year,

Venoncia

Take 10! Transforming Care for Women with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and Their Families Topic 3 (Overview Session): Considerations for Male Clinicians Treating Women with SUDs

January 7, 2025

10am‒10:30am CT/11am‒11:30am ET

Click Here to Register

This 30-minute overview session will introduce participants to the emotional, physical, and socioeconomic factors that uniquely impact women during treatment, and especially how these factors relate to considerations for male clinicians treating women with SUDs.

Cultural Responsiveness Learning Collaborative: Moving from Good Intentions to Actionable Outcomes, Part 1

Wednesdays: January 8, February 12, 2025, March 12, and April 9, 2025

10:00 AM–11:00 AM CT / 11:00 AM–12:00 PM ET

Click Here to Register

This learning collaborative will focus on implementing cultural responsiveness in behavioral health settings to help community-based organizations, service providers, and individual community leaders move from good intentions to actionable outcomes and sustainability. The learning collaborative is open to everyone committed to learning about and advancing DEI efforts. The knowledge base gained through this series aligns with the National CLAS Standards and the NIATx Change Leader Academy curriculum.

NIATx Change Leader Academy

January 23, 30, February 6 and 13, 2025

10:00 AM–11:30 AM CT / 11:00 AM–12:30 PM ET.

Click Here to Register

The NIATx Change Leader Academy (CLA) is the web-based version of the popular NIATx Change Leader Academy. The CLA has given thousands of behavioral health organizations the tools to make real changes that improve their systems of care. This interactive, expert-led program includes four weekly 90-minute learning sessions. An optional organizational consultation is available following the four sessions. This training and consultation are free and supported by funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Attend all four days and receive 6 NAADAC continuing education (CE) hours!

Recruit-Hire-Retain-Promote (RHRP): Tools for Building a Culture of Workforce Engagement

January 27, February 3, 10, 17, 2025

1:00 PM–2:00 PM CT / 2:00 PM–3:00 PM ET.

Click Here to Register

This learning collaborative will focus on implementing cultural responsiveness in behavioral health settings to help community-based organizations, service providers, and individual community leaders move from good intentions to actionable outcomes and sustainability. The learning collaborative is open to everyone committed to learning about and advancing DEI efforts. The knowledge base gained through this series aligns with the National CLAS Standards and the NIATx Change Leader Academy curriculum.

Attend all four days and receive 4 NAADAC continuing education (CE) hours!

Take 10! Transforming Care for Women with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and Their Families, Topic 4 (Overview Session): Intersections of SUDs and Trauma

February 4, 2025

10am‒10:30am CT/11am‒11:30am ET

Click Here to Register

This 30-minute overview session will introduce participants to the emotional, physical, and socioeconomic factors that uniquely impact women during treatment, and especially how these factors relate to the intersections of SUDs and trauma.

Be a part of a day of community-led presentations and guest speakers centered on the theme of community. Presented by the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Friday, January 17, 2025

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. CST

Presentations Include:

The Lived Experiences and Factors Contributing to the Success of Recent Black Graduates of a Podiatric Medical Education Program - Dr. Jennifer Smith, Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine

Bringing Specialty to Community: Determining the Prevalence of Skin Disorders Among Immigrant/ Refugee Nail Salon Workers - Jenny Lee, CMS Class of 2027

Inclusive by Design: How to Make Online Environments Accessible One Step at a Time - Bryan Roush, Nexus for Faculty Success

Reimagining Community Participation in the Live Well Lake County Network - Angela Baran, Live Well Lake County Network Co-leader; Maggie Morales, Live Well Lake County Network Co-Leader; Jon Ashworth, Live Well Lake County Network Co-Leader; Billy Coleman, Live Well Lake County Network Access to Care Team Co-Leader; Dr. Amanda Simanek and Dr. Yvette Castañeda, Michael Reese Foundation Center for Health Equity Research

Community Engagement in Medical Education: Inviting the Community In- -

Shivani Sharma, CMS Class of 2027; Dr. Melissa Chen, Chicago Medical School; Dr. Susanna Calkins, Nexus for Faculty Success

Searching for Communities: Finding Information on Underrepresented Populations in Health Literature - Claressa Slaughter and Jaena Manson, Boxer Library

Reimagining Health Equity: Empowering Asian American Communities for Lasting Change - Crystal Banh and Brianna Lau, CMS Class of 2027

Redefining Science: Community-Based Participatory Principles as a Transformative Approach to Addressing Health Inequities at a Health Professions University - Dr. Amanda Simanek and Dr. Yvette Castañeda, Michael Reese Foundation Center for Health Equity Research; Dr. Melissa Chen and Dr. Antwoine Haywood, Chicago Medical School; Dr. Kristin Schneider, College of Health Professions

The Future of Equitable Philanthropy

⏰ Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 3:00 PM ET

Now more than ever, organizations leading the work on racial equity need philanthropic institutions to lend support (e.g., via financial resources, influence, bringing along peers, etc.).

Join this panel discussion to hear from those at the vanguard of equitable philanthropy and explore how they think about the work. The discussion will include:

• Models of success that all funders can follow in their pursuit of equitable philanthropy
• Five truths to help donors committed to equitable philanthropy push forward
• Perspectives on hope and perseverance

Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET

Nonprofit boards and CEOs almost universally agree that succession planning and executive transitions are critical to getting things right. This is especially true when the departing leader is a founder or has been in the role for a long time.

In this webinar, they will share what succession planning is and how to build succession plans aligned with your broader organizational leadership development framework.

They’ll cover:

• Components of an effective leadership transition process
• How effective succession planning is rooted in competency-based talent development
• Resources like a sample leadership transition timeline

The Alliance for Research in Chicagoland Communities (ARCC)/Northwestern University Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS), in partnership with Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH), will fund Research Pilot Seed Grants that support partnerships that are driven by Chicagoland communities most impacted by health inequities in research collaboration with Northwestern research teams. Research Pilot awards are up to $30,000 and up to 24 months. The Seed Grant program has a strong focus on supporting communities and partnerships to address racism and other types of oppression in their partnerships and research practices. 

Request for Applications

Application Deadline: April 22, 2025

Virtual Info Session for Research Pilot Grants: January 29, 2025. Register here.

In-Person Info Session & Learning Exchange for all seed grant types: March 20, 2025 (Time/location TBD)

RFP to Support Institutions of Higher Education

The CME Group Foundation, Scheiber Philanthropy, Steans Family Foundation, and Vivo Foundation are launching a Request for Proposals to support institutions of higher education located in Chicago and Lake County to innovate in service of expansion and diversification of the school-based mental health workforce while maintaining the quality of the educational experience required to excel in these roles. 

Awareness around the importance of mental health support for children and adolescents is increasing. As a result, educational systems are increasingly being asked to provide critical mental health services. This is a positive development, but it also creates a gap between the demand and the supply of mental health professionals in educational settings. 

You are encouraged to review the attached RFP to see if this is the right fit for you to lead this critical work. Please see the essential timelines below, as also in the RFP:

· December 9, 2024: RFP opens

· January 16, 2025, at 2 pm: Q&A Call

· February 24, 2025: Submission deadline

· April-May 2025: Award decision window

Please complete the survey below for NIRCO's

Community Needs Assessment.

Strategic Planning and Quality Improvement Manager

The Manager of Strategic Planning and Quality Improvement works with the LCHD leadership and staff to plan, organize, direct, and lead the personnel and work process of the quality management system (QMS) and Strategic Plan. Scope of responsibility encompasses supporting all programming of the organization. The Manager has a detailed understanding of and can skillfully use the techniques of system design, reengineering, project management, quality improvement, output/outcomes measurement, and statistical analysis. This role works across all levels of the organization to ensure LCHD/CHC strategic plan deliverables are met and fosters a culture of quality improvement.

To be successful in this role, this individual:

• Must be a proactive self-starter who is internally motivated to produce exceptional results.
• Shows demonstrated knowledge of quality management principles, continuous improvement tools, work process redesign or reengineering
• Possesses project management techniques and appropriate software acumen to achieve results on time and within budget.
• It is result and outcome-oriented. 

Scheduled Hours: 40 hours a week

• This position is hybrid and requires one to report on-site and work remotely.

Health & Medicine seeks a Workforce Initiatives Manager to lead critical efforts supporting Community Health Workers (CHWs) and other public health workforce initiatives. This full-time role offers the opportunity to be a convener and thought leader, enabling the success of CHW programs across Illinois while contributing to workforce development, research, and policy advocacy.

About us

Health & Medicine is an independent nonprofit policy and advocacy organization with over 40 years of advancing health equity and social justice in Illinois. We support CHWs through learning collaboratives, training, and initiatives that build their capacity to address community needs effectively.

Key Responsibilities

• Convening and leading CHW Learning Collaboratives for skill-building, peer learning, and organizational capacity development.
• Supporting CHW workforce policies, including Medicaid billing implementation and state certification processes.
• Building partnerships with CHW employers, training providers, and funders to sustain and expand CHW programs.
• Conducting research and developing policy recommendations for workforce sustainability.
• Supervising the Workforce Logistics Coordinator.



The ideal candidate has

• A background in public health, health systems reform, or workforce development.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Experience with policy development, data analysis, and program management.
• Passion for health equity, social justice, and systems change.

Benefits

• Health & Medicine offers a comprehensive benefits package, including employer-paid health insurance, paid time off, and a hybrid work model.

How to apply

Submit your resume and cover letter to jobs@hmprg.org with the subject line: [Your Last Name, First Name] Workforce Initiatives Manager. Priority deadline: January 6, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation

Is Hiring Individuals Passionate about Children's Health

ILCHF is a dynamic, responsive learning organization committed to playing an active role in systems change that will enable every child to grow up healthy. As Illinois’ only private foundation focused solely on the health needs of children across the state, we are uniquely positioned to support communities and organizations committed to improving their children's health, with a specific focus on children’s oral and mental health.  

Acknowledging our unique position to support communities, ILCHF seeks to hire an Administrative Coordinator and a Senior Program Officer of Oral Health & Other Initiatives who will bring a sincere passion for the health and well-being of Illinois' children and families. They will be driven by the Foundation’s philosophy of addressing the whole child's needs. They will commit to evolving strategic grantmaking, effective collaboration, and stakeholder engagement efforts that move the Foundation closer to ensuring "every child in Illinois grows healthy."

Administrative Coordinator

The Administrative Coordinator will assist the Foundation team with daily operations of the organization by providing administrative support for its various initiatives and team members. In addition to working closely with the entire ILCHF team, the Administrative Coordinator will interact with both potential and recipients of ILCHF grants, other stakeholders, including funders, academia, and the Board of Directors, building and maintaining relationships advancing the mission of Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation

 Senior Program Officer of Oral Health & Other Initiatives

The Senior Program Officer of Oral Health & Other Initiatives will manage the Associate Program Officer, oversee the continued implementation of the current children's oral health and other initiatives portfolio, and play a key role in working with communities to create and implement future initiatives. The other initiatives portfolio currently includes initiatives focused on nutrition, workforce development, and violence prevention and is intended to evolve in respect to the current needs across the state of Illinois. The Senior Program Officer of Oral Health & Other Initiatives will be thoughtful and flexible in helping develop/execute the timelines, processes, and grants management functions the Foundation will use in awarding and monitoring grants, understanding outcomes, convening stakeholders, and formulating and implementing public awareness/education strategies.

Questions about the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County? Contact:

Dr. Venoncia Bate'-Ambrus

Executive Director

(847) 377-0525, Ext. 25

vbateambrus@hfnlc.org

Angela Baran

Senior Program Officer

(847) 377-0525, Ext. 26

angela.baran@hfnlc.org

Meredith Polirer

Business Operations Manager

(847)377-0525, Ext. 27

meredith.polirer@hfnlc.org

STAY CONNECTED