COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES
 

Community Health Services Director Pat Koepp

“We are enthusiastic about strengthening community partnerships.”

Among the major accomplishments in Community Health Services (CHS) during the past year was reorganizing our own internal structure for greater efficiency and strengthening community partnerships through-out DuPage County. “We are excited about our integration and the partnerships developed in 2001. We are committed to stay on these same paths in 2002,” said Pat Koepp, Director of Community Health Services. “For example, we collaborated with the Illinois Department of Human Services in Villa Park, to provide health education to their clients. We were thrilled to participate in the countywide coalition which established Access DuPage, a program which makes medical services available to people who are underinsured or lack insurance.” In addition, CHS partnered with Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Healthy Steps, a program which provides more holistic healthcare to children. Stretching to other target populations, CHS formed new partnerships to focus on men’s health issues and women in the Breast and Cervical Cancer program. “Active in many health coalitions including DuPage County SafeKids and the Suburban Asthma Consortium, our many partnerships expanded the Department’s ability to do more and do more efficiently,” said Koepp. “The committed, compassionate personnel of Community Health Services allowed us to reach out to all age groups and special populations in DuPage County.

“Collaboration helped CHS do more and do more efficiently.”
 

A small child was in pain. She was having difficulty chewing and talking. A dental examination detected many severely decayed and infected teeth. Because her parents were unable to afford treatment and did not have dental insurance, the child was seen at the Health Department’s Urgent Dental Care Clinic. Dental decay continues to be the number one childhood disease.

Volunteer dental team provides care through Christina's Smile

Assisting those with no access to care is a primary responsibility of Dental Health Services. This year 1,461 residents received emergency dental services at our Clinic. More than 120 children received free treatment from dentists volunteering with Christina’s Smile, a mobile dental clinic sponsored by the Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA). Through the DuPage Dental Care Referral Program, a partnership with community dentists, the Department made low-cost care available to hundreds of residents.
 

A hearing impairment in a child interferes with development of normal speech and communication. This can lead to educational struggles. Through early detection and proper medical treatment, there is a better chance to successfully correct hearing problems. During the last school year, the Health Department conducted 63,647 screenings on children.

Through the Teen Parent Services Program, incentives are used to keep young moms in school and on track to become gainfully employed. As part of this program, teenage mothers keep up with their studies, graduate from high school and obtain jobs. More than one-third of the teenagers who participated in this program are now self-sufficient.


A woman with breast cancer had no insurance or money to pay for a lumpectomy, radiation and chemotherapy. Through the Department she was linked to a program sponsored by the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act and received treatment. The Adult Health Program provides information at health fairs and group lectures. The information assists clients to better understand the importance of early cancer detection and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

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