FUELING TALENT, ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE, POWERING THE FUTURE
The future of work is already here, and it’s powered by Illinois
HEALTH & WELLBEING
INNOVATING CARE,
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES
Combining innovation, compassion, and expertise to build healthier futures for Illinois and beyond
Health and wellbeing are tenets of public good. Through clinical care, education, and research, the U of I System works to improve health outcomes, reduce disparities, and strengthen communities across Illinois.
In fiscal year 2025, we expanded our commitment to care, health, and wellbeing for patients. We also prepared more clinicians to serve where the need is greatest, while furthering evidence-based solutions in water quality, maternal and child health, and community wellness.
HEALTHCARE ON WHEELS
“If you’re talking about people who are unhoused, or people who just have no access to healthcare, having a mobile health unit to go to them is essentially like street medicine. But instead of popping up a tent, we bring a bus with all the amenities of a brick-and-mortar clinic.”
Summer Park, UIC assistant professor and the mobile unit’s lead practitioner
In rural Illinois, a 38-foot RV is closing healthcare gaps. Inside, patients receive blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol screenings, plus testing for seasonal flu, COVID-19, and sexually transmitted infections — services often out of reach in their communities. The mobile unit also serves as a hands-on classroom, giving students in UIC’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program vital clinical hours while preparing them to be Illinois’ next generation of advanced practice nurses.
VALUING EVERY SINGLE DROP
UIC's Freshwater Lab shows U of I System's commitment to wellbeing for all
Access to safe drinking water is a right, not a privilege. That’s why Rachel Havrelock’s experience lives where urgent water challenges meet actionable solutions — like the $1.45 billion pipeline now underway to bring Lake Michigan water to six southwest Chicago suburbs. By blending research expertise with community collaboration, UIC’s Freshwater Lab director and her team help Illinois residents protect local water sources. They translate complex science into strategies people can act on, empowering communities through workshops and storytelling while fostering conservation practices that build resilience.
HELPING NEW MOTHERS
Illinois Extension’s reach in all 102 counties brings maternal health statewide
A mother’s first day meeting her baby should never be her last day on Earth. Emphasizing the need for prenatal care, Illinois Extension’s new Nurturing Foundations workshops strive for healthier pregnancies, lower-risk births, and strong starts to new lives. The program comes as the U.S. continues to face some of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, with women of color disproportionately affected.
Offered in English and Spanish, the free series — a partnership with Carle Illinois College of Medicine — delivers practical, research-based guidance for pregnant women, parents, healthcare providers, and community health professionals.