Collective impact through assessment, action planning, and collaborative implementation in partnership with communities. 

About

Formed in 2015, the Alliance for Health Equity is a collaboration between the Illinois Public Health Institute and area hospitals, health departments, and community organizations across Chicago and Cook County. The Alliance for Health Equity envisions improved health equity, community wellness and quality of life across all neighborhoods and municipalities of the City of Chicago and Suburban Cook County.

The Alliance is one of the largest collaborative hospital-community partnerships in the country with the current involvement of nonprofit and public hospitals, local health departments, and representatives of local community organizations participating in workgroups and implementation strategies. 

Our partners are working together to bring our vision to life by completing the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and convening specialized workgroups to address pressing concerns for our community. The Alliance currently convenes workgroups on food, housing, mental health, and social and structural determinants. 

The work of the Alliance for Health Equity is made possible by funding and contributions from member hospitals and government and private grants. 

Purpose

Improve population and community health by: 

  • Promoting health equity  

  • Building capacity, promoting shared learning, and connecting local initiatives 

  • Addressing social and structural determinants of health 

  • Developing broad city/county wide initiatives and creating systems 

  • Engaging community partners and working collaboratively with community leaders  

  • Developing data systems for population health to support shared impact measurement and community assessment 

  • Collaborating on population health policy and advocacy 

Vision

Improved health equity, wellness, and quality of life across Cook County from the neighborhoods of Chicago to the municipalities of the suburbs.

Values

We believe the highest level of health for all people can only be achieved through the pursuit of social justice and elimination of health disparities and inequities

We value having a shared vision and goals with alignment of strategies to achieve greater collective impact while addressing the unique needs of our individual communities

Honoring the diversity of our communities, we value and will strive to include all voices through meaningful community engagement and participatory action

We are committed

  • to emphasizing assets and strengths and ensuring a process that identifies and builds on existing community capacity and resources

  • to data-driven decision making through implementation of evidence-based practices, measurement and evaluation, and using findings to inform resource allocation and quality improvement. 

  • to building trust and transparency through fostering an atmosphere of open dialogue, compromise, and decision making.  

  • to high quality work to achieve the greatest impact possible


Our Team

    • Jackie Rouse, Advocate Health Care

    • Kelli Day, Ann & Robert Lurie Children's Hospital

    • Shannon Morgan-Jermal, Ascension

    • Genny Turner & Tynisha George, Chicago Department of Public Health

    • Gina Massuda-Barnett & Deloris Walker, Cook County Department of Public Health

    • Dillon Bannis, Insight Chicago

    • Margo Brooks, Jackson Park HospitalTesa Anewishki, Loretto Hospital

    • Holly Manprisio & Lisa Azu-Popow, Northwestern Medicine

    • Rukiya Curvey Johnson & Julia Bassett, Rush University System for Health

    • Helen Margellos Anast & Mara Ruff, Sinai Health System

    • Leslie Rogers, South Shore Hospital

    • Jenise Celestin, Swedish Hospital, Endeavor Health

    • Michelle Peters, Loyola Medicine, Trinity Health

    • Fabiola Zavala, Advent Health

    • Cotis Mitchell & Aisha Achesah, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System

    • Advocate Health Care

    • Ascension

    • Cook County Health

    • Insight Chicago

    • Jackson Park Hospital

    • Loretto Hospital

    • Northwestern Medicine

    • Rush University System for Health

    • Sinai Health System

    • South Shore Hospital

    • Swedish Hospital/Endeavor Health

    • Loyola Medicine/Trinity Health

    • UI Health

    • Chicago Department of Public Health

    • Cook County Department of Public Health

    • Evanston Health & Human Services Department

    • Oak Park Health Department

    • Skokie Health Department

    • Stickney Public Health District

Partners