Saturday, July 25, 2009
Chi-Town Daily News
by Alex Parker

After months of planning, the Cook County Health and Hospitals System board is ready to kick off a series of county-wide town hall meetings to solicit public input regarding its long-term strategic plan.

The first meeting is set for Monday night at 6 p.m. at South Suburban College in South Holland.

“The community is an important part of the strategic plan because they are the ones that we serve. It’s important to hear directly from them about what works and what doesn’t work. Without their input, our efforts to improve the system would be wasted,” says CCHSS spokesman Lucio Guerrero.

The board, made independent of the county board last year, hopes the public will be able to shape the direction of the county health system. With concerns about a state budget, health care reform, staffing and crowded waiting rooms, community members have an opportunity to tell the board what they feel is needed in the health system. 

“Board members will be at the event and the goal is to hear from as many members of the community as possible. This isn’t a chance for us to talk, it’s an opportunity for us to listen,” Guerrero says.

Here’s a list of town hall meetings. All meetings begin at 6 p.m.:

July 27/South Holland

South Suburban College

15800 South State Street

Aug. 3/Chicago

August 3, 2009

Malcolm X College

4510 South Michigan Avenue

Aug. 6/Chicago

Oakton Community College

1900 West Van Buren Avenue

Aug. 13/Des Plaines

Truman College

1600 East Golf Road

Aug. 21/Chicago

Math and Science Academy

1145 West Wilson Avenue

Aug. 24/Forest Park

8601 West Roosevelt Road