Champaign-Urbana Public Health District

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and C-U Safe Routes to School to Help Kick-Off Pilot Program in Urbana

Champaign, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), in partnership with C-U Safe Routes to School, is set to help the Urbana Middle School kick-off a new voluntary program that promotes health and sustainability by encouraging kids to walk and bike to school through Boltage.

Boltage is a program that combines technology with incentives to encourage children to walk or bike to school and is geared towards changing habits. Children who participate in the program will receive a ZapTag and will pass under a solar-powered RFID (radio frequency identification) reader when they walk or bike to school. When children pass under the reader, a unique number is transmitted from the tag and is uploaded via the internet. The school can then run activity reports and reward the participants with items such as wristbands, stickers or even public... more...

The Illini District Dental Society, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and SmileHealthy Participate in "Give Kids a Smile"

Champaign, IL - The Illini District Dental Society, in conjunction with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) and SmileHealthy, will be participating in Give Kids a Smile (GKAS) Day on Saturday, April 20, 2013 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana. The event is part of the Children's Dental Access Program through the American Dental Association (ADA) that provides free oral health care services to children of low-income... more...

CHAMPAIGN, IL - Make this Valentine's Day special - give the gift of yourself. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) will be sponsoring the annual Freedom From Smoking program beginning February 19, 2013. According to the American Lung Association, smoking is the leading cause of preventable death.

The Freedom From Smoking program is an eight-week program that helps participants by working together with other quitters to develop and execute their own individualized "Quit Plan". The program is available to anyone 18 years of age and older who lives in Champaign County. The cost is $20.00 but anyone who completes six of the eight sessions will receive a $10.00 refund. The fee includes program materials and an eight-week supply of nicotine patches for those who qualify.

"Quitting smoking can be very difficult, and we want to support individuals in making these difficult behavioral changes so they can be successful," said Nikki Hillier, Program... more...

Governor Quinn has proclaimed February as Women's Healthy Heart Month.

See the PDF for the full proclamation.... more...

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Citizens to Test Their Homes with Free Radon Test Kit

CHAMPAIGN, IL - January is National Radon Action Month and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) encourages citizens to learn more about the threat of radon and to test their homes for the presence of radon. CUPHD has a limited number of FREE radon test kits available for residents of Champaign County. Test kits may be picked up at the Environmental Health Division of CUPHD located at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign; kits are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to Noon and 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Test kits are available while supplies last.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to indoor radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United... more...

Following along with National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month Governor Quinn has proclaimed January as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in the state of Illinois.

See the full Proclamation in the PDF file... more...

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Encourages Everyone to Get Tested

Champaign, IL - Annually, December 1st is observed as World AIDS Day in an effort to raise awareness of the global impact of HIV/AIDS. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that more than one million people are living with HIV in the United States and 33.4 million worldwide. Of the 12,000 new infections each year, one in four is in youth 13 to 24 years... more...

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District to Host Car Seat Checkup this Saturday

Champaign IL-Parents are making five critical, but fixable, mistakes when using car seats, according to new data announced by Safe Kids Worldwide and the General Motors Foundation. With so many safety features now available in both cars and car seats, parents are urged to make sure their kids are getting every advantage by taking the time to do a 15-minute at-home annual checkup.

Seventy-three percent of car seats are not being used correctly. To find out why, Safe Kids analyzed data from more than 100,000 car seat inspections done by certified technicians conducted through its Buckle Up Program, a national initiative established in 1997 by Safe Kids and supported by General Motors and the General Motors Foundation to keep children and families safe in and around cars. Some findings proved that progress is being made, including that 98 percent of children arrived at car seat... more...

Sustainable Events Promote Active Living

Champaign, IL - Carrie Busey Elementary School has partnered with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) to implement a Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH). CATCH is a multi-component initiative that promotes healthy behaviors in students and gives them the opportunity to practice them. CATCH emphasizes the need for a healthy lifestyle to improve both living and learning. CATCH has four core components - nutrition, physical activity, health education and family/community involvement. This is Carrie Busey's fourth year implementing... more...

Community Transformation Initiative Focuses on Obesity and Tobacco Prevention, Healthier Children and Workforce to Address a Public Health Emergency



Champaign, IL - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) has been awarded a portion of the We Choose Health Community Transformation Grant. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is awarding $3.5 million to communities in 60 counties in Illinois and CUPHD will receive $211,922 for the first year. We Choose Health is a multi-year IDPH initiative to encourage and support obesity and tobacco prevention in Illinois communities. IDPH received a Community Transformation Grant (CTG) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work with communities to implement proactive health... more...