1,000 Healthy Kids & Families Campaign
In 2008, Resurrection Health Care (RHC) leaders sat down to determine how to drive real change in the communities served by Resurrection hospitals. They wanted to become a force for change in Illinois and sought to create an initiative that would have a substantial impact on the health of Illinois' children. The result was the 1,000 Healthy Kids & Families Campaign, which sought to register at least 1,000 eligible children in the state's All Kids insurance program.
With the help of community partners - including the Chicago Sun-Times who provided daily coverage of the program - and volunteer support, the 1,000 Healthy Kids and Families Campaign culminated on June 2, 2008 with an enrollment drive at 41 sites throughout Chicago, including many Resurrection Health Care facilities. On that day, 1,217 children were enrolled in the program.
Despite the opportunity for every child to be enrolled in the state's insurance program, there continues to be 376,000 eligible children who are not yet enrolled.
Prior to the enrollment date, Resurrection also coordinated and hosted three community roundtable forums, moderated by Phil Ponce of Chicago Tonight, a local PBS public affairs program. Several RHC representatives met with Chicago City Council members, who supported the initiative with the signing of a city resolution.
Resurrection's Social Mission Department continues to explore opportunities to work with the Chicago Public Schools to assist with All Kids enrollment as part of its back-to-school programs. In addition, the department is examining the process and consistency of how families and children are enrolled in the All Kids program across RHC. Efforts are underway to establish a better sense of the number of uninsured children residing in our communities who are eligible, but not yet enrolled in the All Kids program.
