NEWS & EVENTS
WILL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT & COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
Public Announcements
Will County Health Department Releases 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment and IPLAN
The Will County Health Department and the Will County Mobilizing for Action Through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) Collaborative are excited to share two important new reports: the 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and the Illinois Project for Local Assessment of Needs (IPLAN).
2025-26 COVID-19 Vaccine Available
The Will County Health Department (WCHD) is informing residents that the new 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine is available at the Will County Health Department Immunization Clinic and at the Will County Community Health Center.
Will County Warming Centers
With temperatures dropping and sub-zero wind chills being forecasted, here is a link to Will County's warming centers provided by local governments for those having issues with properly heating their homes.
ByHeart Infant Formula Product Recall
ByHeart Infant Formula has issued a nationwide recall during an ongoing investigation by the FDA and CDC of a multistate outbreak of infant botulism.
Read the Latest Environmental Health Newsletter
Read the 2025 Fourth quarter newsletter from the Will County Health Department Environmental Health Division
WCHD To Open New Milk Depot in Bolingbrook
Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes and the Will County Health Department have partnered to bring a new human milk drop-off depot to Bolingbrook, Illinois at the Will County Health Department's Northern Branch Office (323 Quadrangle Drive). The grand opening will be on June 13, 2025.
WCHD Adds 10 Additional Red Naloxone Distribution Boxes
The Will County Health Department continues its efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths, making access to the life-saving, overdose-reversing drug Naloxone (Narcan) easier by adding 10 additional red Naloxone distribution boxes throughout the County, bringing the total number of red distribution boxes in Will County to 20.
Will County Health Department Announces New Breastfeeding Support Group Starting In August
The Will County Health Department has announced the creation of a new breastfeeding support group, called the Milk Circle. The Milk Circle will meet twice a month on the first and third Tuesday of each month from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The group will hold a separate kick-off meeting on August 5, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to Noon, before hosting its first meeting on August 19, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Infectious Disease Clinic is Latest Service at Community Health Center
The Will County Community Health Center has added an Infectious Disease (ID) Clinic to its list of medical services available to the public. The ID Clinic has partnered with the Care Clinic and specializes in the treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and HIV care while also offering general infectious disease consultations.
WCHD Expands Behavioral Health Services at Branch Offices
The Will County Health Department (WCHD) is in the process of expanding mental health services at both its Northern Branch Office in Bolingbrook and Eastern Branch Office in Monee
Have You Tested Your Well Water?
Even if you’ve never gotten sick from your well water, it is your responsibility to properly maintain your well and regularly test it to ensure you have safe drinking water. See the Fact Sheet on well testing from the IDPH.
Our Environmental Health Lab can test for bacteria and nitrate well also testing chlorine, fluoride and hardness.
Learn more about our EH Lab here.
Press Releases
Should Mental Health Month, 2021 be a Major Turning Point for the Future?
JOLIET, IL – Mental Health Month, which takes place each May, has been around since the 1940s. As we head toward the conclusion of this year’s edition, the question might be: Could this possibly be the most pivotal Mental Health Month we have ever had? That question,...
Smoked Fish Recall Due to Potential Health Hazard
June 3, 2021 - The Kane County Health Department is advising that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that Banner Smoked Fish, Inc. of Brooklyn, NY is voluntarily recalling its smoked fish of all products within expiry, in all package sizes, all...
Seafood Mushroom Recall Due to Potential Health Hazard
June 2, 2021 - The Kane County Health Department is advising that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that Sun Hong, Inc. of Montebello, California is recalling all cases of Seafood Mushroom (Product of China) net wt. 5.3 oz./150g because it has...
Monday May 31st: World No Tobacco Day
World No Tobacco Day is celebrated around the world every year on May 31. This yearly celebration informs the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around...
Study Finds There is No “Safe” Level of Drinking
There is no such thing as a "safe" level of drinking, with increased consumption of alcohol associated with poorer brain health, according to a new study. In an observational study, researchers from the University of Oxford studied the relationship between the...
Illinois Department of Public Health and the Discovery Partners Institute Announce Statewide System to Monitor COVID-19 in Wastewater
Analysis will start with 10 counties before expanding to statewide by year-end SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) today announced a statewide system to monitor the virus that causes COVID-19 and its...
Will County Residents Advised by WCHD to Maintain Status Quo for Now on Mask Wearing
It was last week that the federal CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) adjusted their recommendations on mask wearing for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19, in non-health care settings. The CDC’s update also stated that employees and residents at...
Online Referral System “IRIS” is Free and Available to Area Service Providers
Pre-pandemic, the All Our Kids (AOK) Early Childhood Network in Will County had piloted an online referral system for a dozen of our network service providers. Throughout 2020, and now into 2021, the Integrated Referral and Intake System, otherwise known as IRIS, has...
Gov. Pritzker Confirms Illinois will Enter Bridge Phase of Reopening Plan on May 14th
Illinois Providers Begin Administering COVID-19 Vaccine to Youth 12 Through 15 Years Old CHICAGO –Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) confirmed today the entire state will move into the Bridge Phase of the Restore Illinois reopening...
Vaccination Sites Across Illinois Ready to Administer Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine to Youths Ages 12 through 15
State mass vaccination sites, local health departments, and providers offering Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced vaccination locations across the state are prepared to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech...
End of School Year Brings Reminder about Caution on Special Events
JOLIET, IL – It was last summer, during the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic and several months prior to the vaccine rollout, that special end of school year events being organized independently by parents brought about some super-spreader Coronavirus activity....
Illinois Department of Public Health Announces $235 Million Investment to Expand COVID-19 Testing in Middle and High Schools
covidSHIELD testing available for use in schools to help get back to in-person learning SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to ensure in-person learning can fully resume as quickly and safely as possible, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced a $235...
Will County Health Department, MAPP, Community Organizations Part of Sat May 15th Vaccination Collaborative
JOLIET, IL – A special COVID-19 walk-in vaccination event is scheduled for 9 AM – 2 PM Saturday, May 15th, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 310 N. Broadway Street in Joliet. Parking available at 312 Hickory Street Joliet. Those wishing to reserve a timeslot may also...
Will County Community Health Center Partners with Americans for Better Hearing Foundation
JOLIET, IL – The Will County Health Department and Community Health Center (WCCHC), along with the Americans for Better Hearing Foundation (ABHF), are pleased to announce a cooperative effort in opening the ABHF Hearing Health Clinic in the WCCHC at 1106 Neal Avenue...
Lewis University Students Help Will County Health Department Vaccinate Residents with Special Needs
JOLIET, IL – It goes without saying that the COVID-19 Pandemic we have all gone through over the last 14 months has brought about negative experiences, sometimes tragic, for so many who have been affected. But for hundreds of residents with special needs and their...
Joliet Native Joins WCHD as Vaccine Equity Manager
JOLIET, IL – One of the biggest challenges over the last 15 months has been reaching those in our community that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For the WCHD (Will County Health Department), this challenge has brought about the hiring...
CHC Staff Talks about Importance of Telehealth During IPHCA’s Virtual State Advocacy Week
During IPHCA's (Illinois Primary Health Care Association) Virtual State Advocacy Week, members of the Will County Health Department Community Health Center staff have been talking about the importance of Telehealth, the role it has played during the COVID-19 pandemic,...
Will County Vaccinations Triple, 25.36% of Residents are Fully Vaccinated
Will County moves to sixth most vaccinated county in the State JOLIET, IL – The Will County Executive and Will County Health Department (WCHD) today announced that in the past six weeks, Will County has tripled the number of fully vaccinated individuals from 7.10...
Illinois Department of Public Health Announces College Vaccination Days to Encourage Students to Receive COVID-19 Vaccinations
Vaccinations available at state-supported mass vaccination sites for College and University Students Across Illinois SPRINGFIELD – With young people driving the increase in COVID-19 cases in Illinois, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is announcing...
Will County Health Department follows CDC and FDA Guidelines to Pause Use of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
All Will County Mass Vaccination Clinics have and continue to use Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines April 13, 2021 – The Will County Health Department announced today they would follow federal and state health agencies recommendation to immediately pause the use of Johnson...