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This report outlines an environmental scan of the doula and CPM workforces in Illinois. Doulas are trained professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to their clients before, during, and shortly after childbirth. CPMs are...
This report underscores the necessity of establishing a more robust and sustainable community birth infrastructure in Illinois. Data was obtained from written surveys, individual interviews, and focus groups provided by community midwives, doulas, physicians,...
Health & Medicine Policy Research Group is proud to share our 2026 Policy Priorities, which outline our top policy priorities to advance health equity and human rights in Illinois. The priorities reflect our commitment to policy change that improves people’s lives...
Health & Medicine has launched a national search for its next Executive Director. Founded in 1981, Health & Medicine is a Chicago-based independent nonprofit organization working to improve the health of all people in Illinois by advancing health equity...
The Good Jobs Challenge was a COVID-19 relief-funded, community-driven, employer-led workforce development federal grant housed at the Economic Development Administration at the national level and administered by the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership at the regional...
Health & Medicine Policy Research Group and Black Midwifery Collective recently convened nearly 100 birth and reproductive health justice practitioners, advocates, and community leaders as part of an 18-month state strategic planning project to advance equitable...
As a doctoral student in criminology, law, and justice at the University of Illinois Chicago, Jenna Pasanen entered her Schweitzer Fellowship year determined to better understand the challenges women face as they prepare to reenter society after incarceration....
Each year, the Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program awards Seed Grants to Fellows for Life who are committed to beginning, expanding, or sustaining innovative community-based initiatives. These projects strengthen health equity, expand access to care, and deepen...
The 2024–25 Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellowship Impact Report highlights how this year’s Fellows are advancing health equity and building lasting change across communities in our region. Through powerful stories, data, and reflections, the report showcases the critical...
As a nurse with more than a decade of experience in acute care, Nicole Walkowiak has seen firsthand the devastating consequences of untreated wounds—from infections that spiral into sepsis to preventable limb loss. As a 2024–25 Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellow and...