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Features

State gets federal grants for programs
to treat substance abuse and HIV/AIDS

[DEC. 3, 2001]  SPRINGFIELD — As World AIDS Day was observed on Saturday, Dec. 1, Gov. George H. Ryan announced that the Illinois Department of Human Services' (DHS) Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (OASA) received three federal grants totaling more than $5 million to improve its drug, alcohol and HIV/AIDS treatment services. The funds will be used to implement pilot programs designed to expand services in targeted areas.

[Click here for World AIDS Day article posted Saturday in LDN.]

"These three grants will strengthen the Department of Human Services’ continuum of care as they work to ensure that the state’s resources are being used in areas that need them most," said Gov. Ryan. "This, coupled with the new pilot programs, will allow the department to improve services and better the lives of thousands of Illinoisians."

The first pilot program award will provide approximately $1.8 million over three years to create a team charged with linking homeless people with substance and mental health services, housing and supportive services on the west side of Chicago. The second pilot program award will provide approximately $2.5 million over five years to serve addicted people in East St. Louis who are at high risk of infection or have HIV/AIDS. These two grants were awarded from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and will be funded through the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

 

OASA’s other grant award totaled $900,000. This grant will be used to research and identify substance abuse services throughout Illinois. This grant was awarded to OASA from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

"Whenever the department can merge its services and interconnect supports, we can better help the client," said DHS Secretary Linda Reneé Baker. "I am very proud of OASA for all their efforts in the community and being awarded these grants, because they strengthen the department’s resolve to provide high quality services to Illinois’ citizens."

The first grant will create an intergovernmental, interagency network to administer services. Partners and providers involved in the initiative include the city of Chicago’s Departments of Human Services and Public Health, the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Northwestern University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and a number of substance abuse treatment, mental health and homeless service organizations.

 

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Under the second program grant, OASA will add 50 methadone treatment slots at its Cornell-Interventions’ East St. Louis site and provide specialized services to reduce the risk of infection, re-exposure and the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C. In addition to group counseling and education, the project will provide enhanced medical and psychiatric services, case management, and a recovery assistant to help clients make the transition from addiction to recovery. The project will be linked with St. Mary’s Hospital in East St. Louis.

The third grant will fund three-year studies that will identify the state’s specific substance abuse treatment needs and how to better allocate those resources.

The Household Survey will assess the current substance abuse treatment needs of the state’s older adolescent and adult populations. The data will be used to better identify those in need of treatment, including adolescents, people with disabilities, people suffering from mental disorders, domestic violence victims, people at risk for homelessness, gay and lesbian populations, pathological gamblers, people receiving government assistance and criminal justice populations, including people currently on probation and those recently incarcerated.

 

The Database Linkage project will analyze data from multiple state agencies in order to track post treatment performance and assist OASA in determining the state’s unmet needs.

The Administrative Client-Level Treatment Data project will develop an integrated database of treatment results and long-term client histories. This information will allow OASA to better understand how treatment episodes are linked and how treatment works over time. The Household Survey, the Database Linkage project and the Administrative Client-Level Treatment Data project will be completed in conjunction with the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Survey Research Laboratory.

[News release]


ALMH first to join TeleBurn Network

[NOV. 23, 2001]  More accurate diagnosis and improved early treatment of burn victims are among the key benefits of the Regional TeleBurn Network being launched by Memorial Medical Center and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, both in Springfield. The network will make possible more accurate diagnosis and improved early treatment of burn victims at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital.ead

The Regional TeleBurn Network is the first interactive telecommunications network of its kind for acute burn care in the country. Funded by SIU’s Rural Health Initiative, it is the first clinical application for Memorial’s TeleHealth Network.

The new network establishes a real-time, visual link between Memorial and Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital. With both audio and visual communication, the on-call physician in Memorial’s burn center can more accurately assess the extent and severity of a burn, prescribe proper administration of fluids, and even direct the treating physician through surgical procedures. The burn center is staffed by SIU’s Division of Plastic Surgery.

"This is an extraordinary development in health care for Lincoln and Logan County," said Woody Hester, president and CEO at ALMH. "Our hospital’s link to the TeleBurn Network enhances patient care by improving communications capability with Memorial Medical Center."

The system utilizes the Illinois Century Network to provide audio and visual communications between Memorial and all those hospitals and health care facilities that join the network. Computers, cameras, monitors and related telecommunications equipment provide audio and visual communication links between the two hospitals. The technology has been installed in the emergency department at ALMH and at the Regional Burn Center at MMC. The network is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

As many as 15 hospitals in an area from Interstate 80 to the state’s southern tip are expected to join the network in the next several years.

 

 

[to top of second column in this article]

"Prompt, accurate diagnosis and treatment for burn patients are critical," said Dr. Stephen Milner, associate professor of plastic surgery at SIU and medical director of MMC’s burn center. "Until now, burn center physicians relied solely on telephone communication to assess a burn’s severity and recommend initial treatment, without the benefit of visual evaluation."

The new network also makes it possible to assess conditions that can be treated with local care and eliminate the need for patient transport to Memorial’s burn center.

"Outpatient follow-up is another very important benefit," Milner said. "This will save patients, caregivers or family members time, travel expense and inconvenience."

The network was made possible by two grants, totaling $219,780, awarded by SIU to Memorial. The grants, made possible through state funding of SIU’s Illinois Rural Health Initiative, cover costs for equipment, installation, training and other, related costs to connect Memorial with four other downstate hospitals, including Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital. Adding hospitals to the network will depend on availability of future grants.

"ALMH is privileged to join Memorial Medical Center, SIU School of Medicine and the state of Illinois in the network," states Hester. The benefits are many — from improved assessment and treatment for burn patients to better continuing-education opportunities for health care providers in various other disciplines."

The network has application potential for many medical settings, including dermatology, cardiology, pediatric care, emergency medicine and psychiatry, as well as administration of medical care for correctional facility inmates.

[ALMH news release]

 


Health Matters

A monthly feature from  Logan County Health Department

An estimated 300,000 Americans
have it and don’t know it

[DEC. 1, 2001]  World AIDS Day is being observed Dec. 1. The United States theme, "I care... Do you? Youth and AIDS in the 21st century," emphasizes that every individual has a responsibility and an opportunity to make a constructive contribution to the prevention of HIV/AIDS. The goal of this day is to underscore that youth are significantly affected by HIV and to call for greater education and involvement of young people in diagnosing, treating and preventing HIV/AIDS.

As of 2000, 25 percent of teens surveyed in the United States falsely believed that HIV testing was standard in routine exams. Fewer than one-third of sexually active teens in the U.S. have been tested for HIV.

In the United States 800,000 to 900,000 people of varying ages are living with HIV or AIDS. An estimated 300,000 of these are unaware they are infected! Since the beginning of the pandemic 450,000 people in this country have died from AIDS. In the early 1990s new HIV infections were estimated at 40,000 per year and have remained largely at that level throughout the last decade.

The number of new HIV infections and AIDS cases is increasing among women in the United States. Of all HIV-positive women, 41 percent report they were exposed through heterosexual contact, and 20 percent reported infections were through IV drug use. Studies indicate that women are less likely to receive or seek treatment when compared to men because of health care, social or financial barriers.

Statistics for HIV and AIDS remain high for Hispanics and African-Americans. As of 1999, while African-Americans accounted for 37 percent of all AIDS cases, they represented only 12 percent of the U.S. population. Social and economic conditions contribute to the increasing risk of HIV among minority communities.

 

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As of December 2000, 46 percent of all reported U.S. AIDS cases were transmitted through male-to-male sex. Cultural and religious biases may act as significant barriers to treating and preventing HIV transmission among this group.

If you have engaged in any behavior that can transmit HIV — sexual transmission or needle and blood contact — it is important that you seek counseling and testing. Are you certain the needles used in body piercing or tatooing were clean? Your risk for HIV increases if contaminated equipment was used. Engaging in a committed, monogamous relationship with a person who is free from HIV or other STD is safer if you both mutually agree to refrain from any high-risk behavior.

We all have the power and responsibility to make a difference. We appeal to our youth and those who influence them to educate themselves on how to prevent HIV infection and to help others learn how to prevent the spread of this devastating illness. For more information on HIV prevention or testing, phone the Logan County Health Department at (217) 735-2317.


Click here for a previous LDN posting, "How long has it been since we talked about AIDS?" by Trisha Youngquist.


Lincoln Park District

 

Red Cross

Red Cross CPR and first aid class

[NOV. 29, 2001]  The American Red Cross will offer a class in CPR and first aid at the Logan County branch office, 125 S. Kickapoo in Lincoln, on Dec. 18 and 20. The class will be from 6 to 10 p.m. on the 18th and will be completed on the 20th with hours from 5 until 10 p.m.

Preregistration is required. For further information, call 732-2134 between noon and 4 p.m. on weekdays. 


December Red Cross blood drives

[NOV. 29, 2001]  Woody Jones Insurance Agency will sponsor Red Cross blood drives at the Lincoln Sports Complex on Dec. 5 and 19. Both drives will be from noon until 5 p.m. Donors are encouraged to call (800) 728-3543, Ext. 441, to make an appointment if they wish. Walk-ins are always welcome.

During November, the following people reached goals in their blood donations: David Smith, 12 gallons; Roberta Frye, seven; George R. Mogan, five; Dennis Kimberlin, three; and Brittany Ott, one gallon.


Events

December 2001


Wednesday, Dec. 5
SPONSOR: Woody Jones Insurance Agency
WHO: Public
WHAT: Red Cross blood drive
WHERE: Lincoln Sports Complex
WHEN:
Noon to 5 pm

Tuesday, Dec. 18
SPONSOR: American Red Cross
WHO: Public; by preregistration
WHAT: CPR and first aid class; first of two sessions
WHERE: 125 S. Kickapoo
WHEN:
6-10 pm

Wednesday, Dec. 19
SPONSOR: Woody Jones Insurance Agency
WHO: Public
WHAT: Red Cross blood drive
WHERE: Lincoln Sports Complex
WHEN:
Noon to 5 pm

Thursday, Dec. 20
SPONSOR: American Red Cross
WHO: Public; by preregistration
WHAT: CPR and first aid class; second of two sessions
WHERE: 125 S. Kickapoo
WHEN:
5-10 pm

 

 


Honors & Awards

 


Announcements


Mobile health unit schedule

The Rural Health Partnership has announced the schedule for its mobile health unit. Effective Feb. 1, 2001, the unit will run as follows:

 

Morning: 9-11 a.m.

 

 

Afternoon: 1-3:30 p.m.

Monday

1st and 3rd

Hartsburg

1st and 3rd

Emden

 

2nd and 4th

San Jose

2nd and 4th

Greenview

Tuesday

Weekly

Chestnut

Weekly

Mount Pulaski

Wednesday

Weekly

New Holland

Weekly

Middletown

Thursday

1st, 2nd, 3rd

Elkhart

Weekly

Atlanta

4th

Friendship Manor-Lincoln

Friday

1st, 2nd, 4th

Latham

1st

Beason

     

2nd and 4th

Broadwell

 

3rd

Maintenance/ special events

3rd

Maintenance/
special events

The mobile health unit does not operate on the following dates/holidays during 2001:  Feb. 19 (President’s Day), April 13 (Good Friday), May 28 (Memorial Day), July 4 (Independence Day), Sept. 3 (Labor Day), Oct. 8 (Columbus Day), Nov. 12 (Veterans Day), Nov. 22-23 (Thanksgiving break), and Dec. 24 - Jan. 1, 2002 (Christmas break).

For more information on the mobile health unit schedule and services, contact Dayle Eldredge at (217) 732-2161, Ext. 409.


This family resource list to save and use is provided by the Healthy Communities Partnership (732-2161, Ext. 409) and the Healthy Families Task Force.         

Resources for Logan County families

Agency

Phone number

Address

911

911 (Emergencies)
732-3911 (Office -- non-emergency)

911 Pekin St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital

732-2161

315 Eighth St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Aging (Department of)

785-3356

421 E. Capitol, #100
Springfield, IL 62701-1789

American Cancer Society

546-7586 (24 hour)

1305 Wabash, Ste. J
Springfield, IL 62704

American Red Cross

732-2134
1-800-412-0100

125 S. Kickapoo
Lincoln, IL 62656

Catholic Social Services

732-3771

310 S. Logan
Lincoln, IL 62656

Chamber of Commerce

735-2385

303 S. Kickapoo St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Community Action (CIEDC)

732-2159

1800 Fifth St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Community Child Care Connection

525-2805
1-800-676-2805

1004 N. Milton Ave.
Springfield, IL 62702-443

Crisis Pregnancy Center

735-4838

513 Pulaski St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

DCFS (Department of Children & Family Services)

735-4402
1-800-252-2873
(crisis hotline)

1100 Keokuk St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Heartland Community College GED Program

735-1731

620 Broadway St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Hospice Care of Illinois

1-800-342-4862
(24 hour)
732-2161, Ext. 444

720 N. Bond
Springfield, IL 62702

Housing Authority

732-7776
732-6312 (24 hour)

1028 N. College St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Illinois Breast & Cervical Cancer Program

735-2317
1-800-269-4019

LCHD - 109 Third St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Illinois Department of Public Health

782-4977

535 W. Jefferson
Springfield, IL 62761

Illinois Employment and Training Center (replaces JTPA office)

735-5441

120 S. McLean St., Suite B
Farm Bureau Building
Lincoln, IL 62656

Legal Assistance Foundation

(217) 753-3300
1-800-252-8629

730 E. Vine St., Ste. 214
Springfield, IL 62703

Library - Atlanta

(217) 648-2112

100 Race St.
Atlanta, IL 61723

Library - Elkhart

(217) 947-2313

121 E. Bohan
Elkhart, IL 62634

Library - Lincoln

732-8878

725 Pekin St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Library - Mount Pulaski

792-5919

320 N. Washington
Mount Pulaski, IL 62548

Lincoln Area YMCA

735-3915

319 W. Kickapoo St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Lincoln/Logan Food Pantry

732-2204

P.O. Box 773
Lincoln, IL 62656

Lincoln Parents’ Center

735-4192

100 S. Maple
Lincoln, IL 62656

Lincoln Park District

732-8770

1400 Primm Rd.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Logan County Department of Human Services (Public Aid)

735-2306

1550 Fourth St., P.O. Box 310
Lincoln, IL 62656

Logan County Health Department

735-2317

109 Third St., P.O. Box 508
Lincoln, IL 62656

Logan Mason Mental Health

735-2272
1-888-832-3600
(crisis line)

304 Eighth St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Logan-Mason Rehabilitation Center

735-1413

760 S. Postville Dr.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Oasis (Senior Citizens of Logan County)

732-6132

501 Pulaski St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Project READ

735-1731

620 Broadway St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Salvation Army

732-7890

1501 N. Kickapoo
Lincoln, IL 62656

Senior Services of Central Illinois

732-6213
1-800-252-8966
(crisis line)

109 Third St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

Sojourn Shelter & Service Inc.

732-8988
(217) 726-5200 (24-hour hotline)

1800 Westchester Blvd.
Springfield, IL 62704

U. of I. Division of Specialized Care for Children

524-2000

1-800-946-8468

421 S. Grand Ave. West, 2nd Floor
Springfield, IL 62704

U. of I. Extension Service

732-8289

122 S. McLean St.
Lincoln, IL 62656

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