Center for Community Health Equity

04/02/2026

As we wrap up our 2023 Health Equity Review, we wanted to shed light on some of the interesting articles we read and analyzed as part of this review. The article we want to share today is: “Experiences of S*x Workers in Chicago during COVID-19: A Qualitative Study.”

This study took place from 2019 to 2022 and posed the question: How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect s*x workers in Chicago? The findings of the study showed that the pandemic exacerbated previous physical and mental health disparities and contributed to additional economic instability and lack of safety among Chicago s*x workers. The criminalization of s*x work forced individuals to operate in the informal economy. It also involved the inability to access safety net programs like unemployment benefits which ultimately resulted in potential health-compromising and risk-taking behaviors for the individuals who were engaged in s*x work.

Please read the whole article attached here:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10252736/

03/28/2026

We continue to be inspired by the work of CCHE -Steans Faculty Fellow Dr. Molly Netter, whose leadership has led to a partnership between DePaul and Worry Free Health to establish a walk-in clinic for the Woodlawn community. We heard how much this clinic has already had an impact on the community from DePaul Nursing students Sydney Nigro-Sullivan, Heba Issa, and Rodrina Enriquez Speakers, Dr Kim Amer (DePaul School of Nursing), Community Partners Anthony Oliver -Founder, Community Venture Corp and Pastor Charles Moodie from Chicago City Life Ministries. You can learn more about Dr. Netter’s work in our most recent interview (coming soon) as part of our Voices for Community Health Equity Podcast on Spotify.

03/26/2026

Please check out some of DePaul University's Master in Public Health Program's professional health opportunities below:

https://lnkd.in/gX_bBnMV

03/20/2026

Rush has been home to the Transforming Chaplaincy research program and is now celebrating ten years of advancing spiritual care through research. Over the past decade, Transforming Chaplaincy has invested in building the evidence base to demonstrate the impact of spiritual care in healthcare through rigorous research, innovative educational programs, and a growing global community of healthcare leaders.

Please check out their 10-year report here:

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03/19/2026

Co-Director Dr. Raj Shah ran a First Aid Mental Health Training for a group of Chicago Scholar students earlier this week. Mental Health First Aid is a training used to teach groups the skills to recognize when someone is facing mental health or substance use challenges and how to best respond. Learn more about the training here: https://mentalhealthfirstaid.org/

CCHE appreciates our partnership with Chicago Scholars and looks forward to more collaborations in the future!

03/14/2026

Join Impact for Equity at Build Coffee & Books on March 26th for the release of the first ever Guide for Chicago Housing Advocates, a comprehensive manual on the entities, programs, funding sources, and ordinances that impact affordable housing development, preservation, rental, and homeownership in Chicago

📍 Location: Build Coffee and Books (6100 S Blackstone Ave)
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM
✅ RSVP Today:

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03/12/2026

ICCR just released a community-facing fact sheet for the Healthcare Sanctity and Privacy Law (HB1312). It is available in 6 languages below and you can access them at: https://www.icirr.org/healthcare-access.

03/07/2026

Please consider attending the event "Communicating, Leading, and Adapting in Times of Uncertainty" in the The Communication Hub (14 E. Jackson Blvd.) on March 11th at 5:30 pm. This panel is being put on by the Center for Communication Engagement at DePaul.

The panel includes:

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago – Stephanie Folkens
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago – Courtney Rowe

Freedom to Read Foundation / American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom – Joyce McIntosh

Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America – Giulianna Larson

In a time when uncertainty feels constant, this conversation will explore how organizations communicate with clarity, lead with integrity, and adapt with resilience.

Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/communicating-leading-and-adapting-in-times-of-uncertainty-tickets-1982312486008?aff=oddtdtcreato

Let's dive into strategies for navigating uncertainty, leading effectively, and communicating like a pro!

03/05/2026

Please take a look at "Community Action and the Fight for Equitable Trauma Care on the South Side of Chicago—Lives at Stake" as well as "Firearm Mortality and Equitable Access to Trauma Care in Chicago," both published in late February. While both articles focus on equitable trauma care in the City of Chicago, the first article's senior author was one of the first guests on our podcast, The Voices of Community Health Equity. Please view the two articles below, as well as the transcript to Marie Crandall's podcast with the Center a few years ago!

Podcast Transcript: https://lnkd.in/gYkVG92U

Community Action and the Fight for Equitable Trauma Care on the South Side of Chicago—Lives at Stake: https://lnkd.in/gvqHnm-R

Firearm Mortality and Equitable Access to Trauma Care in Chicago: https://lnkd.in/g4vrhUhs

02/28/2026

"In Sanctuary: The Power of Resonance and Ritual, Grammy Award–winning Silkroad Ensemble and Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens explore how we can experience music to better understand our world, find comfort, process loss and a changing environment, and rebuild community based on our own humanity. The idea of trance — something that can bring us a deep peace that is hard to find in modern society — is profoundly tied to the communal making of music in many different cultures, from Morocco to India to Ireland. It is also a way to find a stronger human connection amid all the noise. In this program, the musicians will delve deep into one another’s music and traditions, inviting audiences to join them as partners and participants in the performance, instead of solely as passive bystanders."
Please learn more here about this upcoming performance here:

https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/performance/sanctuary-power-resonance-and-ritual?utm_source=rundown&utm_medium=admail&utm_campaign=sanctuary&utm_source=Newsletter_Weekly-Member&utm_medium=WBEZEmail&utm_campaign=News_Newsletter_Weekly-Rundown_News_20260214&utm_content=2/14/2026&DE=WBEZEmail

02/26/2026

Please check out Health & Medicine Policy Research Group's 2026 priorities and scan the QR code below for more detailed information!

02/21/2026

Please consider attending the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice's 2026 AAAC Symposium: We Got Us: Our Health, Our Rights, Our Future.

This event brings together alumni, students, faculty, and community leaders to explore how health and wellbeing are shaped and how we can act collectively to advance dignity, equity, and opportunity.

The day will feature panel discussions connecting research, practice, and lived experience, along with a keynote talk and facilitated breakout sessions for meaningful dialogue across sectors and generations. Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Olusimbo (Simbo) Ige, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

When: Saturday, February 21, 2026
Where: 969 E. 60th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60637

Register here: https://crownschool.uchicago.edu/news-events/all-events/aaac-2026-symposium