SPRINGFIELD – A central Illinois hospital system recently launched a new mental health crisis clinic, which aims to meet the growing need for services amidst the pandemic while reducing pressure on local hospital emergency departments. Rates of anxiety and depression appear to be rising during the pandemic, according to federal data. The U.S. Centers for
URBANA – Across Illinois’ Region 6, which includes 21 counties in east-central Illinois, hospitals have less than 30% capacity remaining in their medical-surgical and intensive care units, local health officials reported this week. Hospitals are filling up with COVID-19 patients as rates of community transmission rise throughout the region, says Champaign-Urbana Public Health Administrator Julie
DECATUR – Since March, 700 people in central Illinois have been hospitalized for COVID-19 across Memorial Health System’s five hospitals. Of those patients, 124 have died. In addition to the steady rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations since mid-July, hospital leaders are concerned that the seven-day COVID-19 test positivity rate across Memorial’s hospitals has risen to 26.8%
State Lawmaker Sponsoring ‘Crown Act’ In Illinois PEORIA – State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) wants to amend the Illinois Human Rights Act to ban hairstyle discrimination. She says her Crown Act will likely come up for a vote near the end of the legislative session. The goal is to help black and Latinx women who are