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Minority Health

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2023 Minority Health Month Activities

The Center for Minority Health Services was created by statute as a vehicle for implementing change. It is designed to assess the health concerns of minority populations in Illinois and to assist in the creation and maintenance of culturally sensitive programs. To achieve this goal the Center works within the Department of Public Health and with other relevant state and local entities to heighten awareness of minority health issues and services across the state.

Mission: To improve the health and well being of Illinois’ racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and culturally linguistically appropriate programs that will eliminate health disparities.

Wellness on Wheels Mobile Units

The Illinois Department of Public Health Center for Minority Health Services offers the use of its Wellness on Wheels (WOW) Mobile Units to organizations and local health departments wanting to take health clinic services into a community. WOW units can be requested for use providing immunizations, various health screenings, HIV and STD testing, and other services. For more information, e-mail dph.cmhs.info@illinois.gov or call 217-785-4311. To request a WOW unit, fill out the Wellness on Wheels Mobile Request Form.

Love to Love your Heart

A Million Hearts Faith-Based Initiative

By the Illinois Department of Public Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Each year more than 1.5 million Americans suffer from heart attack and stroke, and more than 80,000 of them die. Heart disease or stroke is responsible for 1 in every 3 deaths in Illinois. Heart disease is also a leading contributor of racial disparities in life expectancies.

The Love to Love Your Heart is an initiative of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Center for Minority Health Services in partnership with faith-based communities. The goal of the Love to Love Your Heart initiative is to prevent heart attacks and stroke through education; awareness trainings regarding cardiovascular risk factors including focus on high blood pressure; and promotion of nutrition and healthy activities to support heart health.

Is your faith-based community interested in learning more or ready to get started?

Email DPH.cmhs.info@illinois.gov.

Illinois Department of Public Health, Center for Minority Health Services

Health Equity Council

What is a Health Disparity?

A particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage. Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographical location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

What is Cultural Competence?

The ability to understand, appreciate, and interact with people from cultures and/or belief systems other than one's own.

Why is Health Equity Important?

All Illinoisans deserve to live long, healthy lives, free of modifiable differences in health status and outcomes.

Health inequities affect everyone. Disparities in health status exist between many population groups, with the greatest disparities found between people of different racial or ethnic groups, and between people of different socioeconomic statuses. Significant racial/ethnic and income disparities are observed when examining the rates of illnesses and conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, lung and breast cancer, and infant mortality. Interventions to reduce health inequities can improve the health of all communities.

Health Equity Council

The mission of IDPH’s Health Equity Council (HEC) is to support a work culture within the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) that promotes health equity and works to eliminate health disparities through increased coordination with leadership, programs, and strategic partnerships.

The HEC is comprised of volunteer members from across IDPH who have an interest in advancing health equity. Members assist by providing ongoing support and technical assistance in order to increase the cultural competence of IDPH staff and programs with the goal of reducing health disparities across Illinois.

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