Building a healthier Southland community
Through programs, services and grant opportunities, UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial is working with its Southland partners to improve the health of community members in the Thornton Township service area.
Ingalls identified the following health priorities in its 2018-2019 Community Health Needs Assessment:
Prevent and manage chronic diseases
Asthma
Diabetes
Heart disease
Increase access to maternal health services
Prenatal care
Promote cancer awareness
Breast cancer
Prostate cancer
The next Community Health Needs Assessment will be published in June 2022.
Providing prenatal care and resources
To help increase access to maternal health services, the Healthy Baby Network (HBN) provides community-based prenatal care. This includes medical, nutritional and financial help to the women who need it most. In 2021, HBN enrolled 115 women, and with this program, there were 73 full-term HBN deliveries.
The program also provided nine car seats to families in the community. With in-person prenatal classes paused during the pandemic, HBN hosted a Drive-Thru Baby Shower which provided prenatal resources to 100 women.
Meeting community health needs through education programs and funding
Providing funding and support to local organizations
Through the annual Day of Service and Reflection (DOSAR), UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial sponsored seven community organizations, providing funds for them to use as needed. From youth arts programs to food pantries, these organizations were able to offer more services as a result of DOSAR.
