Dr. Alex Sloboda (Medical Director of Immunizations and Emergency Preparedness at CDPH) sits down with Joe Amaro (Senior Emergency Management Coordinator with CDPH) to discuss emergency planning and how Chicagoans can best prepare themselves for future public health emergency situations.

Whether it is COVID-19, measles, power failures, or environmental challenges, this conversation explores how emergencies can impact Chicagoans, how we can prepare, and what to do when prevention is no longer an option.

Find emergency preparedness resources: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/emergency_preparedness.html

John Jones (Rapid Response Lead at the Community Safety Coordination Center) and Jarvis Buchanan (Founder and Director ofHood Heroes) discuss the transformative mission of Hood Heroes, focusing on youth employment and empowerment as pathways to build stronger, safer communities. At the heart of impactful community engagement lies a servant's heart, and this episode offers an in-depth exploration of their inspiring work.

Hood Heroes is a community-based organization dedicated to providing meaningful employment opportunities for students from Chicago's south and west sides. In addition to giving young people a chance to earn income, Hood Heroes provides continued mentorship, ownership of their community, positive work ethic, and exposure to various career paths.

Febrero es el mes dedicado a la concientización sobre la salud del corazón, un recordatorio de que hábitos sencillos como caminar, andar en bicicleta o practicar deportes pueden reducir significativamente los riesgos de enfermedades cardíacas. El Distrito de Parques de Chicago juega un papel crucial en la salud cardiovascular de la comunidad, ofreciendo programas y recursos que promueven un estilo de vida saludable y activo de manera equitativa para todos los residentes.

En este episodio, la Superintendente y Directora Ejecutiva del Distrito de Parques de Chicago, Rosa Escareño, nos explica cómo los más de 600 parques y decenas de instalaciones recreativas en Chicago están diseñados para ayudarte a ti y a tu familia a mantener un corazón sano, a través de los 70 centros deportivos en parques, 31 pistas de atletismo, 22 albercas techadas, y las 18 millas de senderos junto al lago

Además, la superintendente nos comparte una serie de eventos que el Distrito de Parques llevará a cabo este mes de febrero para realizar exámenes de salud del corazón, donde personas de todas las edades podrán monitorear su presión arterial, consultar a un profesional de la salud y acceder a muchos otros recursos.

¡Aprende cómo el Distrito de Parques se asegura de que tú y tu familia se mantengan activos, saludables y con un corazón fuerte durante todo el año!

February marks the commemoration of Black History Month and National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness. On this episode, Antonio King (CDPH Public Health Administrator, LGBTQ Health and Outreach Liaison) discusses HIV prevention and community engagement in the Black LGBTQ community with Jamie Frazier (Executive Director of Lighthouse Foundation).

Lighthouse Foundation began as a church in 2019 in response to racist incidents in Chicago’s Boystown neighborhood. The Foundation, now a separate function from Lighthouse Church, has become a multiracial social justice organization that advances justice for Black LGBTQ Chicagoans through empowerment, education, and entertainment. The Foundation focuses on community health needs through a holistic approach – economic, spiritual, and physical wellness.

For HIV, AIDS, and STI resources in Chicago: chicago.gov/sti-hiv 

February commemorates American Heart Month. Dr. Ajanta Patel (Medical Director at CDPH, Chronic Disease Prevention) speaks with Mya Gamble (Community Impact Director with the American Heart Association) and Kathryn Welch (Executive Administrator to the CEO of Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation) about heart health, hypertension awareness, and what resources & activities Chicagoans can use to keep themselves active and aware.

At American Heart Association, Gamble works with community-based organizations and clinic partners to implement sustainable programs around unique health equity issues.

Through Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation (GAGDC), Welch supports neighborhood programs for all ages and walks of life, including housing & senior services, economic development, health and wellness, youth and youth development, and community engagement. GAGDC also offers the community the opportunity to utilize a Higi kiosk, a machine that provides readings of blood pressure, BMI, weight, and discover potential risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Estamos en plena temporada de virus respiratorios, y en Chicago hemos visto un aumento de contagios por influenza. Es importante saber identificar los síntomas y actuar de inmediato para evitar consecuencias graves en la salud.

En este episodio, el Dr. Alfredo Mena Lora, especialista en enfermedades infecciosas, nos comparte recomendaciones para mantenernos seguros durante esta temporada, además de resaltar la importancia de estar al día con las vacunas.

¿Sabías también que hay un virus estomacal llamado norovirus? hablamos también de esto, para que estés informado sobre su nivel de contagio y los síntomas a los que debes estar alerta.

What is Street Outreach? Elvis Ortega (Street Outreach Lead at the Community Safety Coordination Center and the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety) and Sam Castro (Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago) discuss the critical role of street outreach in fostering community safety, preventing violence, and building trust within neighborhoods.

The Institute of Nonviolence Chicago is a community-based organization dedicated to promoting peace, addressing the root causes of violence, and providing resources to help individuals and communities thrive. In this discussion, learn how street outreach workers engage with at-risk individuals, mediate conflicts, and connect people to essential services, transforming lives and neighborhoods

Learn more about The Institute of Nonviolence Chicago: https://www.nonviolencechicago.org/

En diciembre del 2024, CDPH publicó el informe del Plan Estratégico Healthy Chicago 2025, el cual presenta los datos sobre la esperanza de vida en nuestra ciudad y destaca el nuevo enfoque del departamento para reducir las desigualdades raciales en la salud.

En este episodio, la Dra. Geraldine Luna, Directora Médica de CDPH, explica los factores que causan las disparidades en enfermedades y muertes, y cómo el Plan Healthy Chicago 2025 propone siete estrategias para mejorar la salud en las cinco comunidades más afectadas en Chicago por la baja esperanza de vida.

What are Victim Services? Stephaney Harris (Victim Services Lead at the Community Safety Coordination Center with CDPH) and JaShawn Hill (Executive Director of Chicago Survivors) discuss support to survivors of violent crime in Chicago, why it is so important, and how direct and indirect victims of community violence can receive care for their exposure to traumatic experiences.

Chicago Survivors is a victim-led, community-based organization promoting the healing of communities and families affected by violent death through empathetic, trauma-informed, multifaceted approaches to support. The group’s services are free and available 24/7.

If you or those you care about need immediate support, contact Chicago Survivors’ hotline at 877-863-6338. For non-immediate support, visit https://chicagosurvivors.org/

For victim services across Chicago: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/cscc/home/vicitms-and-survivors.html

The Pilsen South Ashland Health Hub (1713 S. Ashland Ave., 312-743-7500) officially opened to Pilsen residents on Monday, October 28, 2024 and offers no-cost mental health services for adults and youth, alongside an expanded range of health care services such as immunizations and referrals to community health partners for Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services and sexually transmitted infections (STI) services.

Dr. Alexander Sloboda and Jeanny Masso, a therapist from the Pilsen South Ashland Health Hub, discuss what the expansion of facilities means for those in the community, why it is important for residents to have access to mental health services, and what is involved in individual and group treatments.