NEWS & EVENTS
WILL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT & COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
Public Announcements
CHC Tree Dedication Ceremony
As part of National Health Center Week, the Will County Community Health Center held a tree dedication ceremony on August 11 to celebrate Dr. Daniel Gutierrez’s 57-years in medicine and his service to the Will County Health Department and Community Health Center.
Community Health Center’s Blood Pressure Program Earns Honors
The Will County Community Health Center’s blood pressure monitoring program has been honored for Excellence in Transforming Patient Outcomes from CAREMINDr.
Need an Immigration Physical?
The Will County Community Health Center is not authorized to perform immigration physicals. To find a civil surgeon, visit www.uscis.gov, click on tools and select “Find a Civil Surgeon”.
WCHD Now Offers Vaccinations at Three Locations
Will County Health Department now offers Adult & Child Vaccines and FREE COVID vaccines for all ages at both of our branch offices in addition to our main office location. Medicare and Medicaid are accepted, and low-cost vaccinations are available for the uninsured or underinsured.
Call 815-740-8143 to book your appointment.
2022 WCHD Annual Report
The Will County Health Department’s 2022 Annual Report is now available.
Learn about the WCHD’s Medical Reserve Corps
The Will County Health Department’s Medical Reserve Corps is actively recruiting new members. View the video above to learn more about the Medical Reserve Corps.
Federal Government to Offer Free COVID Tests
The federal government is offering free COVID-19 at-home tests this winter. Every U.S. household is eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests.
Visit covidtests.gov to order your free at-home tests.
Board of Health Meeting on 11/15/23
The Will County Board of Health will hold its regular meeting on November 15, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in person at 501 Ella Ave, (Joliet, IL 60433) in conference room 1005A/1005B.
Rabid Bats Found in Will County
The Will County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is reminding the public to be aware of the potential for exposure to rabies from infected animals. Rabid bats have recently been detected in Joliet, Plainfield and Homer Glen.
First Human Case of WNV Found in Will County
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced the first human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Will County. The Will County Health Department’s Environmental Health Division has also reported that mosquito batches in ten different communities have tested positive for WNV this summer.
West Nile Virus Detected in Will County
The Will County Health Department’s Environmental Health division announced that mosquitoes trapped in Bolingbrook, Crete, Mokena, Frankfort and Plainfield have tested positive for West Nile virus.
Community Health Center earns The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval
The Will County Community Health Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Primary Care Medical Home, Ambulatory Health Care and Behavioral Health Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards
Community Health Center Celebrates New Behavioral Health Suite Grand Opening
The Will County Health Department and Community Health Center kicked off national Behavioral Health Awareness Month by hosting a grand opening event for a new behavioral health suite at the Will County Community Health Center (WCCHC) in Joliet on May 1.
New Mpox Texting Program
The Illinois Public Health Association has introduced a new texting program to stay up-to-date on Mpox.
Avoid Flooded Areas After Heavy Rainfall
Flooding can follow heavy rainfall. Flood waters and sewer overflows can contain bacteria, fecal material, viruses and other organisms that may cause disease. Read IDPH’s After the Flood to protect yourself from diseases and other hazards in the days and weeks following a flood.
Pharmacy in Community Health Center Closed
Basinger Pharmacy at the Will County Health Center has closed. A new pharmacy is coming soon, but in the meantime, here is a list of other 340B participating pharmacies you may bring your prescription to.
Become a Health Hero with the Medical Reserve Corps!
You can become a Community Health Hero by joining the Will County Health Department’s Medical Reserve Corps. View the video above to learn more.
ELIZABETH BILOTTA NAMED WILL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Will County Board of Health has appointed Elizabeth Bilotta as Will County Health Department’s next Executive Director, effective February 4, 2023. Bilotta takes over the executive director role following the retirement of Susan Olenek after 33 years of service. “After 33 years of public service to this community, leaving is bittersweet,” said Olenek. “But I leave knowing this agency and the community will be in very capable, dedicated hands.”
Health Insurance Enrollment Events
The deadline for the ACA marketplace open enrollment is January 15th. Our certified enrollment counselors are here to help with marketplace and Medicaid open enrollment events. The Will County Health Department will be hosting the following three enrollment events. All the events are first come, first serve for walk-ins and appointments are not available.
Tips for Surviving the Holiday Blues
The holidays are often viewed as a time of happiness and cheerfulness. But for some, the holiday season can evoke feelings of sadness, depression and anxiety, often simplified as the holiday blues. Dr. Joe Troiani, Will County Health Department’s Director of Behavioral Health, offers some tips to alleviate the blues.
Will County Health Department Meetings Update
The Will County Board of Health Selection Committee Meeting scheduled for November 28, 2022 has been canceled. The Will County Board of Health Selection Committee will meet on November 29, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in person at 501 Ella Ave, (Joliet, IL 60433) in conference room 1005A.
U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week
Antibiotics can save lives, but they aren’t always the answer. November 18-24 is U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week.
Will County Board Of Health Meeting
WILL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT The Will County Board of Health will hold its regular meeting on November 16, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in person at 501 Ella Ave, (Joliet, IL 60433) in conference room 1005A/1005B. View Agenda.
Will County Board Of Health Selection Committee Meeting
The Will County Board of Health Selection Committee will meet on November 15, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in person at 501 Ella Ave, (Joliet, IL 60433) in conference room 1005A.
WCHD Offers Tips To Preventing Respiratory Illnesses
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently issued a health advisory noticing elevated respiratory illnesses, especially in children, caused by multiple viruses occurring simultaneously.
Will County Health Department Reminds Residents To Stay Current On All Vaccinations
With flu season quickly approaching and certain diseases attempting a comeback, Will County Health Department (WCHD) is encouraging residents to stay up to date on all of their vaccinations. Parts of the United States are seeing a resurgence in some diseases that haven’t been seen in a long time, including polio, a disease that paralyzed more than 35,000 people every year in the late 1940’s. Polio has surfaced in a New York City suburb, resulting in the first case of paralytic polio in the U.S. in over a decade.
This Thursday WCHD to Offer Monkeypox Vaccine Clinic
Will County Health Department will hold a by appointment only monkeypox vaccine clinic on Thursday, September 8 from 1PM-6PM at its 501 Ella Ave., Joliet location. First and second dose appointments are available. Call 779.230.6051 to schedule an appointment.
WCHD Announces First Probable Case of Monkeypox in County
Today, Will County Health Department [WCHD] announces the first reported case of probable monkeypox infection in a resident of Will County. Confirmatory testing is pending at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
CLOSED on Monday, July 4th
The Will County Health Department and the Community Health Center will be CLOSED on Monday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, July 5.
Will County Board Of Health Meeting June 15, 2022
Due to the sharp reduction in COVID-19 positive cases in Will County, the movement from substantial community transmission to low community transmission, the increase in icu bed availability, and the lifting of the mask mandate by governor Pritzker, the board of health president has determined that meeting in person is both practical and prudent for all meetings of the Will County Board of Health effective march 11, 2022.
As Second Bat in Will County Tests Positive for Rabies, WCHD Cautions Public
As summer begins and people begin to enjoy the outdoors more, Will County Health Department wants to remind everyone about the potential for rabies exposure.
First Mosquitoes In Will County Testing Positive For West Nile Virus Reported In Mokena
The Will County Health Department’s Environmental Health division announced that mosquitoes trapped in Mokena on May 17, 2022, tested positive for West Nile virus [WNV].
CLOSED on Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day
The Will County Health Department and the Community Health Center will be CLOSED on Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day. We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, May 31. Please remember, honor and never forget the brave men and women who fought for our country.
Will County’s COVID-19 Community Level Moves to RED
As of Friday, May 27, 2022, Will County is one of 15 Illinois Counties now Rated at High Community Level for COVID-19
Public Health Officials Stress the Importance of Being Updated on Vaccinations and Boosters; Vulnerable People Should Exercise Caution in Indoor Spaces.
Board of Health Agenda May 18, 2022
WILL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT The Will County Board of Health meeting will be held in person at:501 ELLA AVENUEJOLIET, IL 60433 CONFERENCE ROOM 1005A / 1005B Due to the sharp reduction in COVID-19 positive cases in Will County, the movement from substantial community...
Will County’s COVID-19 Community Level Moves to Yellow
Local health departments belonging to the Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium (NIPHC) are advising people who live and work in the region that COVID-19 case rates are rising and now is the time to work together to avoid a surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
Will County Community Health Center Governing Council
The Will County Community Health Center Governing Council meetings will be will be held via TELECONFERENCE on Wednesday, May 4th.