Press Releases
Year
Hepatitis A Vaccine Available for People At-risk
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2018
Contact
Contact: Candi Crause
Director of Infectious Disease
(217) 531-5372 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Hepatitis A Vaccine Available for People At-risk
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Currently Offering Hepatitis A Vaccine
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Public Health, is offering hepatitis A vaccine to people at the greatest risk of becoming infected in our community. Although there are currently no outbreaks in Illinois, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported hepatitis A outbreaks in states across the county, including neighboring states.
Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. It is usually spread from person-to-person through contaminated food or water. According to the CDC, the major risk factors associated with the recent outbreaks include drug use (injection and noninjections), homelessness, or both.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is offering individuals at highest risk of acquiring infection (e.g., people who use injection/non-injection drugs, men who have sex with men (MSM), persons who are homeless, people who have been recently incarcerated, and people with chronic liver disease) free hepatitis A vaccinations. Vaccines will be promoted in the CUPHD Sexual Health clinics with MSM and people who use injection drugs and through the harm reduction project. Hepatitis A vaccines will also be provided during outreach services at the Champaign County Jail and the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen.
Persons who do not qualify for the free Hepatitis A vaccine can still receive it at local pharmacies or health care providers. CUPHD also has a limited amount of Hepatitis A vaccine for the general public at a cost of $147, dependent upon income. Medicaid and private insurance is accepted as payment.
For more information about hepatitis A, go to the IDPH website or to https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HAV/index.htm.
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Saturday Services Available at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2018
Contact
Brandon Meline, Director of MCH
(217) 531-4308 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Saturday Services Available at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
Weekend hours make visits convenient for working families
Champaign, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is currently open the third Saturday of every month from 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM to provide an option for working families that find it difficult to schedule visits during weekdays.
CUPHD offers Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinic hours as well as provides an opportunity for school physicals and immunizations during the summer. The WIC clinics are walk-in (no appointments are necessary), and the school physicals and immunizations are by appointment from 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM. Families should bring their children, identification, and proof of income in order to sign up for WIC, and immunization records and insurance information for physicals. Physical and immunization appointments are currently being accepted for August 18 and September 15, 2018 with immediate appointments currently available every weekday.
“CUPHD has scheduled regular Saturday hours in the hope that we can serve families that can’t come in on weekdays,” said Brandon Meline, CUPHD Director of Maternal and Child Health. “We want WIC and school physicals to be accessible to all eligible families in Champaign County.”
The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program provides nutrition counseling and healthy food to low-income pregnant women, infants, and children up to age 5. In addition to nutritional support, CUPHD family case managers support women through their pregnancies and their baby’s first year in other aspects of their lives.
All students entering kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade are required to have a physical and immunizations. Students entering 12th grade have a vaccine requirement only.
In addition, Saturday clinics also offer Adult services for STD and reproductive health and Dental services for Champaign-Urbana children ages 0-18 who are covered by All Kids, Molina, Meridian, Liberty, Blue Cross Community & IlliniCare. Call 217-5314279 for a dental appointment.
For more information, visit www.c-uphd.org.
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New Leadership Teams Selected for Kresge’s Emerging Leaders in Public Health Initiative
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2018
Contact
Julie Pryde, Administrator
(217) 531-5369 /
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
New Leadership Teams Selected for Kresge’s Emerging Leaders in Public Health Initiative
The Kresge Foundation announced last week that Julie Pryde, Public Health
Administrator, and Awais Vaid, Director of Planning and Research at Champaign-Urbana Public Health District have been selected to join a group of 40 public health leaders from around the country who will participate in the The Kresge Foundation’s Emerging Leaders in Public Health initiative. The Emerging Leaders in Public Health Program was designed to provide public health leaders of county and local health departments opportunities to build additional knowledge and skills to tackle the challenges they face in their communities.
“We were overwhelmingly impressed by all of the applications for the third cohort of Emerging Leaders in Public Health,” said Dr. Phyllis Meadows, senior fellow to The Kresge Foundation’s Health Program and the Emerging Leaders in Public Health lead. “Collectively, these leaders are dedicated and passionate as well as have the abilities to truly transform the role of public health in their communities.”
During the program, Julie Pryde and Awais Vaid will join other leaders in an actionoriented program focused on the design and implementation of a transformative concept that shifts or expands the capacity of the Health District. The Health District will receive a resource grant up to $125,000 as well as coaching and technical assistance to transform ideas into action. “We are very excited to have been chosen to participate in this initiative and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the health of our community,” said Julie Pryde.
The Leaders will be supported by the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Public Health (UNC), which serves as the National Program Office for the initiative.
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Download 2018-07-05-Kresge-Emerging-Leaders-Public-Health-PR