IPHA Applauds Passage of Illinois FY2024 Budget
IPHA Applauds Passage of Illinois FY2024 Budget,
Key Increases to Support Certified Local Public Health Departments
Springfield, Illinois – The Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA) welcomed the increases in state funding for certified local health departments in the Illinois Department of Public Health’s FY2024 budget that was passed by the General Assembly on May 27, and which will be sent to Governor Pritzker for signature. The Local Health Protection Grant funding will increase by $5 million from the Governor’s introduced budget to a total allocation of $25,098,500 for FY2024.
Every day, local health departments impact the health of Illinois communities, and we support their efforts to keep our residents safe and healthy. The last three years have seen unprecedented demands on the public health system as local health departments worked with their healthcare partners to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic exhausted local resources; caused significant turnover in frontline staff; and prompted the extraordinary retirement of local health department leaders across Illinois. “We are encouraged by the additional funding for the Local Health Protection Grant, which ensures Illinois’ 97 certified local health departments can continue providing critical health services in our communities and can continue serving our most vulnerable populations,” said Tom Hughes, Executive Director of the Illinois Public Health Association. “Our association members, along with the Illinois Association of Public Health Administrators, the Southern Illinois Public Health Consortium, and the Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium are proud of the support from the Governor’s office and legislative leaders to secure $5 million in funding in addition to the $1 million increase in the Governor’s introduced budget. These funding increases will support local public health departments in accomplishing their mandates to protect the public by ensuring safe water, disease control and prevention, safe food, and acting as agents of the State of Illinois for the protection of our communities.”