The Department of Public Health and other leaders in the field said they will use April to highlight the essential, but often overlooked, public health services. [Health News Illinois]

This marks the 3rd year that April has been deemed Public Health Month, an expansion of the national public health week.

The agency recently launched a public service announcement regarding newborn screenings, a critical first step in an individual’s health.

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“From newborn screenings and cancer prevention to food safety and community health, IDPH works to improve the health of Illinoisans,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a statement. “The scope of our programs allows us an opportunity to support people at every stage of life and in every corner of Illinois. We want people to know that when they have health ​​challenges, we are here as a trusted resource.”

Those awareness efforts are also taken on by local departments and organizations like the Illinois Public Health Association.

Tracey Smith, the associate executive director for public health practice at the Illinois Public Health Association, said one of their big focuses has been to bring more interest into the public health workforce.

That includes having over 60 applicants to intern for the organization, which Smith said is their largest number to date.

She also said the state is nearing certification for community health workers, which is expected to launch by this fall. Those workers will be able to reimburse their services through Medicaid, which Smith said will build a more sustainable workforce within public health.

“A sustainable funding level that will allow our CHWs to stay employed and stay working with the communities that they have trust and established relationships with as they navigate different needs,” she said.

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