McKinley Park News – McK-UDOS November Newsletter
McK-UDOS Coalition meeting report
Date: Thursday, November 11, 2021
Time: 11:30 a.m.-1: 00 p.m. via Zoom
1. WELCOME
Participants: 13 people
Andrew Piotrowski (MAHA), Lina Xie (MAHA), Allison Precht (MAHA), Arista Wang (MAHA), Hamid Dadkhah (Lurie Children’s Hospital), Heather Spicer (Heartland Alliance), Karina Cordova (Saint Anthony’s Hospital), Marshay Johnson ( Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center), Yesenia Alarcon (Heartland Alliance), Dion McGill (Lurie Children’s Hospital), Martha Pazdro (Healthcare Alternative Systems), Abigail Torres (MAHA), Edward Boone (Northwestern University)
2. PROGRAM UPDATES
- Recent Virtual Town Hall on Underage Alcohol Use
- Cannabis Education Committee
- Bi-monthly meetings to work on identifying potential business partners
- The original plan was to carry out outreach activities with licensed cannabis dispensaries, but was not successful.
- We are expanding the outreach to include smoke shops or gas stations that sell paraphernalia
- Awareness and education
- We were able to offer in-person student workshops, as well as virtual workshops for parents
- Bi-monthly meetings to work on identifying potential business partners
- Youth Coalition
- Three high school students are recruited
- Young people can participate in other activities that go beyond substance abuse
- They may decide to focus on topics of interest to them
- Youth will not be able to attend regular McK-UDOS meetings during the day due to their school schedule
- The first meeting of the Youth Coalition will be an informal networking meeting on December 4 at the MAHA office
- Lina asked for suggestions for Youth Coalition activities, members
- Intern, Abigail Torres, created 2 educational flyers for House Bill 2595 and House Bill 2784 to share with coalition members for feedback
3. PARTNER SHARE UPDATES
- Hamid Dadkhah, program coordinator with Lurie Children’s Hospital
- Connect 4 Youth (C4Y) – 4 year grant for health services targeting ethnic minorities aged 18 to 25
- Screening, testing and referral to services for HIV / substance use
- Examiner asks about alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use, but there is space for young people to disclose their use of other substances
- Testing services are provided free of charge
- Anyone who completes the selection will receive a $ 25 gift card to use for referrals
- Training will be provided, takes 90 minutes to complete
- Screening, testing and referral to services for HIV / substance use
- Contact email: This e-mail address is protected from spam. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Lurie STI / HIV / C4Y planning line: 312-487-2179
- Lina will provide the leaflet announcing this program to all members of the coalition
- Connect 4 Youth (C4Y) – 4 year grant for health services targeting ethnic minorities aged 18 to 25
4. COVID-19 AND HEALTH INFORMATION
- COVID-19 vaccination
- CPS schools will be closed on November 12 for Immunization Awareness Day to ensure all eligible students have the opportunity to receive the vaccine as quickly as possible.
- City of Chicago to Release Employees 2 Hours Earlier Nov 12 to Obtain COVID-19 Vaccines for Themselves / Their Families
- There is still some hesitation among Chicago families to vaccinate their children
- Dion McGill states that Lurie Children’s Hospital provides free vaccines to all eligible students, whether they are new or returning patients.
- Youth Coalition to Create PSA Videos on COVID-19 Vaccination
- More resources for COVID-19 vaccination can be found below
5. PROGRESS UPDATE / ACTION PLAN
- Staff working to create a data summary that captures data received from the 2018 and 2020 Illinois Youth Survey
- Once the data sheet is complete, Lina will send it to coalition members for comments.
- Schools can now welcome us in person for presentations
- MAHA will continue to do more presentations to the public in this way.
6. ANNOUNCEMENTS
