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Prioritizing Equity

We are committed to recognizing and embracing the diverse backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences of our patients, workforce, and the communities we serve by fostering an equitable and inclusive environment in the delivery of our public health programs and services.

What is Health Equity?

“Health Equity is when everyone has the opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Long-standing systematic health and social inequities have put many racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Joliet Artist:

Angelica Cristal

In partnership with The Art Movement Joliet (founder Sue Regis) and Arts Alliance Illinois

Equity and COVID-19 Vaccination

Through our partnerships, we are leading culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate educational outreach to help reduce barriers to equitable vaccine distribution. We are working to ensure that vulnerable communities that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 have the information and resources they need to access lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines.

This includes but is not limited to:

  • Racial and Ethnic Minorities
  • Non-English Speakers
  • Immigrants/Migrants
  • Low Income Population
  • Seniors
  • Incarcerated
  • People with Disabilities/Special Needs
  • Homebound
  • People experiencing Homelessness
  • People with Mental health and substance use disorders
  • Rural communities

Community Partners for COVID-19 Equity Response

WCHD awarded COVID-19 vaccine equity grants to Community-Based Organizations who are funded to ensure equitable access and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in Will County. These organizations are trusted messengers in the communities which have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Child Care Resource & Referral

Easterseals of Joliet

Fairmont Community Partnership Group

Holsten Human Capital Development / Riverwalk Homes

National Hook-up of Black Women

Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project

Spanish Community Center

Warehouse Workers for Justice

Warren-Sharpe Community Center

Will-Grundy Medical Clinic

Additional COVID-19 vaccine equity response partners include:

• County Government
• Local, State, and Federal Government
• Local Fire Departments
• Faith-Based Community
• Schools
• Local businesses/Chambers of Commerce
• Healthcare providers, community clinics, and insurers
• Arts community
• Pharmacies

Vaccination Locations

Convenient vaccination locations are available near you!

Vaccination Data

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) provides state and county data on vaccination rates.  Zip code data is also available.

WATCH OUR PAST VIRTUAL TOWNHALL VIDEOS

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Barriers in the African-American Community:
Acknowledging our history and renewing our trust in medicine
Información sobre la Vacuna contra la COVID-19:
Reunión Virtual de la Comunidad Hispana
COVID-19 Vaccine Facts:
Hispanic-Latinx Community Townhall

Recovery from this pandemic depends upon the individual actions of every person.

Kalisha Hill, MD, MBA
Chief Medical Officer, AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center

Everyone deserves the opportunity to safely recover from this pandemic.

Do your part.
Get Vaccinated.

Do you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine?

For common questions and answers about COVID-19 vaccination, check out our Frequently Asked Questions. Available in multiple languages.

Download the PDF in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Polish, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, or Urdu.