Governor Pritzker Announces $20 Million Investment in Humboldt Park Health

 Governor Pritzker Announces $20 Million Investment in Humboldt
Park Health

Governor Pritzker joined Humboldt Park Health leaders to announce $20 million in funding for the safety-net hospital on the west side of Chicago, a product of the Governor’s historic Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan. $19 million will establish the new, state-of-the-art Humboldt Park Health Wellness Center – set to open 18 months after construction kicks off this summer – and an additional $1 million is supporting infrastructure improvements throughout the hospital.

“Every single Illinoisan deserves the opportunity to be as healthy as possible regardless of their race, gender, age, economic status, or zip code,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “As another step to advance that mission, I’m
proud to announce a $20 million investment from our Rebuild Illinois
capital plan to establish the new, state-of-the-art Humboldt Park Health
Wellness Center – a community hub for wellbeing in all its forms.”

The new Humboldt Park Health Wellness Center will serve as a low-cost community hub for area residents to access exercise equipment,
individual and group fitness classes, swimming facilities, community gathering spaces, and much more. The facility will increase access to preventative care and early interventions for the predominantly Latino community, which in turn greatly reduce hospitalizations and lower medical costs.

“At HFS, we make health equity central to everything we do each
day,” said Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director
Theresa Eagleson. “Through their participation in our Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives and all of the work that they’re doing in the community, Humboldt Park Health is a strong partner in the mission to advance health equity in Illinois.”

Advancing Healthcare Equity
This funding builds on the Pritzker administration’s commitment to
equity in the healthcare space. In March of 2021, Governor Pritzker signed
into law the Hospital and Healthcare Transformation Bill, increasing access
to community-based health services and creating innovative collaborations
that bridge gaps in the delivery of care. With support from federal matching
funds, Illinois is investing up to $150 million annually into collaboratives
that fill healthcare gaps and focus on underlying health conditions in areas
high on the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s social
vulnerability index scale, communities that have been disproportionately
affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and areas served by critical access
and safety net hospitals, including rural parts of the state.

On June 30, 2021, the state announced the funding for the firstr ound
of Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives funding. The collaboratives
that have received funding demonstrated equity-focused solutions and
demonstrated innovative visions for closing gaps and removing access barriers to quality health care for people in their communities, to help achieve the ultimate goal of reimagining the health care system in Illinois.

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