Governor Quinn Announces Appointments to State Health Improvement Plan Council

CHICAGO – July 21, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today announced 25 appointments to the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) Implementation Coordination Council. Today’s action is the latest in a series of appointments the Governor is making as he continues to fulfill his commitment to improving the health of all Illinois residents. The interdisciplinary council is tasked with developing implementation strategies for the state’s SHIP. The SHIP council will work collaboratively with the Governor’s Health Care Reform Implementation Council to promote statewide improvements in public health.

Effective immediately, Governor Quinn named Joseph Antolin, Patricia Canessa, Jenifer Cartland, Greg Chance, Edwin Chandrasekar, Margaret Gadon, Cathy Grossi, Martin Hatlie, Roger Holloway, Kevin Hutchinson, Ahlam Jbara, Robert Kieckhefer, Tammy Lemke, Janine Lewis, Hong Liu, David McCurdy, Maureen McHugh, James Nelson, Sharon Post, Jose Sanchez, Clarita Santos, Patricia Schou, Terry Solomon, Janna Stansell and Christina R. Welter to the SHIP Implementation Coordination Council.

“This council brings together a diverse group of health care professionals that are leaders in their respective fields,” said Governor Quinn. “We want a comprehensive approach to make sure the people of Illinois are healthy, and that means bringing everyone to the table. I look forward to the council’s work, and the results they will help us achieve in public health.”

The SHIP is a framework to address public health issues through an interdisciplinary approach that utilizes the strengths of the entire public health system. Under law, the state of Illinois must complete a SHIP every four years with the goal of creating a system that ensures optimal physical, mental and social well-being for all people in Illinois through a high-functioning public health system. The most recent SHIP was updated in August 2010 to reflect federal health care reform and other state health policies.

In July 2010, the Governor signed into law legislation creating a Governor-appointed council to implement the SHIP, which was one of the one of the recommendations of the SHIP planning team. The group will provide further definition of priorities and action steps, engage stakeholders to enact SHIP objectives, and promote the plan as a common agenda across the public health system.

The SHIP calls for the state to improve access to comprehensive health-related services, enhance data and information technology in the health care sectors, address the social factors affecting health and health disparities, manage and improve the public health system, and ensure sufficient workforce in the health care and public health fields. The SHIP is prevention-focused and centered on the following priority health concerns: alcohol/tobacco, use of illicit drugs/misuse of legal drugs, mental health, environment, obesity (including nutrition and physical activity), oral health, patient safety and quality, unintentional injury and violence.

In addition to the appointed council members, representatives of 12 state agencies and the chair of the State Board of Health, Dr. Javette Orgain, will participate in the SHIP Implementation Coordination Council. These agencies all play a critical role in the implementation of the SHIP recommendations and will be working with the council to ensure that the goals of the SHIP are achieved. The council co-chairs will be appointed by the Governor.

Information regarding the new council members is here.