Mission of the Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium (NIPHC)
The Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium is a 501 (c)(4) membership organization of the public health departments that serve the City of Chicago and the Counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will, and Winnebago.
The mission of NIPHC is to promote and protect the health of the region though networking and collaborative action that raises public awareness, builds constituency, and influences legislation and policies concerning public health issues affecting northern Illinois.
Purpose
NIPHC is dedicated to strengthening the capacity of health departments in Northern Illinois to respond to threats of the health of the public and promote and assure the health of people and communities. NIPHC does this by:
- Promoting a regional perspective in state and national programs and fiscal policies.
- Supporting the development of effective local public health systems of health departments and community partners.
- Coordinating the efforts and strengthening the capacities of local public health agencies to address major public issues affecting the region.
- Legislative advocacy for sound public health policies and funding decisions.
- Demonstrating the role and value of local public health to the media, elected officials, community partners and the general public.
- Developing technical competence, managerial capacity, and leadership potential of the public health workforce.
- Striving for accountability and performance in the development, financing and delivery of public health services.
- Serving as a point of exchange for information, innovation, and collaboration in promoting health, preventing disease and protecting our communities.
The Region
The eight counties that comprise the Northern Illinois Region are home to over eight million people, two-thirds of the state's population.The Region represents the third largest economic engine in the nation as home to more than 300,000 companies, including the headquarters of 34 Fortune 500 Corporations, which employ four million people.
Leading economic sectors include financial services, electrical machinery and equipment, insurance, pharmaceuticals, health services, and retailing. The region draws millions of visitors annually to its wide-ranging attractions including professional sports events, national expositions and trade shows, cultural venues, festivals, and shopping centers.
The region is anchored by the City of Chicago: the economic, transportation and cultural capital of the Midwest. The surrounding counties, taken by themselves would comprise the nation's fourth largest metropolitan area. The City and surrounding counties are linked geographically, economically, through transportation and commuting patterns, and share similar public health concerns.