Latest news with #ToniPreckwinkle
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Cook County erases $665M in medical debt for over half a million residents
The Brief Cook County launched a Medical Debt Relief Initiative in 2022 using $9 million in COVID-19 funds. The program has erased $665 million in medical debt for over 550,000 residents through a partnership with Undue Medical Debt. Officials say the relief reduces financial stress and encourages people to return for preventive and emergency care. COOK COUNTY - Getting sick is hard enough — but the medical bills that follow can be just as painful. Which is why years ago, Cook County created a program to help people tackle medical debt. What we know On Thursday, Cook County board President Toni Preckwinkle touted its success. "We're stepping in where the system has failed and where families would otherwise be left to shoulder these costs alone," Preckwinkle said. Cook County leaders provided an update on the Medical Debt Relief Initiative, which was launched by the county in 2022 using $9 million in COVID funds. The county partners with a company called Undue Medical Debt, which buys up old and uncollectible bills from hospitals and health centers for a fraction of the price--then forgives that debt. Preckwinkle said since the program started, the county has erased $665 million in medical debt carried by more than 550,000 Cook County residents. To qualify for debt relief, you must have an income no more than four times the poverty level, or have medical debt that's 5% or more of your annual income. Nationwide, more than 20 million Americans carry some amount of medical debt, making it one of the leading causes of bankruptcy in the United States. The company that buys up the uncollected debt for Cook County said they've heard from hundreds of people who have been surprised to get a letter in the mail saying they're debt-free. "It's a mental weight that's been lifted from them. That the burden of owing that medical bill is no longer there," said Undue Medical Debt Vice President Courtney Werpy Story. "We've also heard both from our constituents as well as hospitals that those whose medical debt is forgiven tend to return to care. They're less afraid of going back to the doctor or hospital system to receive either preventative or emergency care as well." What's next Preckwinkle said when the federal money runs out next year, Cook County will consider funding the debt relief initiative on its own.
CBS News
23-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Cook County Health, NAMI Chicago launch countywide mental health support campaign
It could soon get easier to receive mental health support in Cook County. Cook County Health and the National Alliance on Mental Illness Chicago are kicking off a multi-year initiative to expand efforts to increase access to mental health support across the county. The program involves a new text and chat support line — aimed at helping younger people who prefer digital communication. The county also plans to host peer-led recovery groups, and is launching a countywide awareness campaign to reduce stigma and encourage more people to take the first step toward support. The effort will also launch a countywide public awareness campaign to reduce stigma and encourage people to seek help. "Mental health is health. Yet far too many of our neighbors still face barriers to care," Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a news release. "By investing in NAMI Chicago's Helpline, peer support programs, and awareness efforts, we're building a more responsive, compassionate system—one that meets people where they are and affirms that no one in Cook County should have to face their mental health journey alone."
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cook County rolls out ‘I Speak' Cards as part of April's ‘Language Access Month'
CHICAGO — Cook County is trying to make navigating its services easier for people, regardless of what language they speak. Starting Tuesday, people who may not speak English but need help from the county can pick up an 'I Speak' Card at the Sheriff's Kiosk in the Cook County Building, 118 North Clark Street, or at the George W. Dunne Cook County Administration Building, 69 West Washington Street. The card has 34 languages on it to help get people to the right Cook County department and to someone who speaks their primary language. 'Here in Cook County, we're committed to meeting people where they are,' Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. 'That means recognizing that language is a barrier, but it doesn't have to be.' Bill removing cannabis odor as probable cause for warrantless vehicle search clears Illinois Senate The 'I Speak' Card initiative was spearheaded by 13th District Commissioner Josina Morita and was announced as part of Cook County's 'Language Access Month,' which is being recognized for the first time throughout April. The effort is being made in part to combat the Trump administration's rolling back of some of its language services and declaring English the national language. 'Here in Cook County, we believe that language access is a human right,' Morita said. 'Language access is essential. In many ways, there is nothing more basic than the right to communicate, to be understood, to be represented, recognized and respected.' Non-English speakers can use the 'I Speak' Card by showing it to a county employee and pointing to their language. The other side of the card tells the employee in English what language the person needing assistance is pointing to so that they can get the help they need. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said the 'I Speak' Cards will 'immensely help people throughout this county.' 'This is not some theoretical thing that sounds nice,' Dart emphasized. 'No, this is very, very practical (and) pragmatic, and it's going to be so helpful for the people in this county who rely on us.' While the 'I Speak' Cards are for now available only at the two aforementioned locations, there are plans to expand them to other county facilities in the future. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
08-04-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: Illinois taxpayers deserve more than excuses for the $250M computer mess
In 2015, the Cook County Circuit Court and the Illinois Supreme Court inked distinct deals with a Texas-based tech firm to overhaul their computer systems. A decade later, project costs — which were originally estimated to total $75 million — have more than tripled to over $250 million, with years in delays. A Tribune and Injustice Watch investigation uncovered how badly these Tyler Technologies deals have gone. On paper, these projects promised transparency and efficiency — from digitized court filings to error-free property tax billing. But instead of modernization, we got bloated budgets, endless delays and glitchy systems. Tyler, for its part, blamed the delays on shifting leadership and poorly staffed and under-resourced government clients — but the Tribune's investigation tells a more complicated and troubling story of a firm that targets weakly supervised government contracts, where deadlines and oversight are often looser than in the private sector. In a letter to Board President Toni Preckwinkle urging the county to sue to recover money from Tyler, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas called the county's agreement 'possibly the worst technology contract with a vendor that Cook County has ever written.' 'Clearly, giving Tyler any upfront money has made the County look foolish, inept stewards of the people's money,' Pappas wrote. 'However we do it, we must clean up the wreckage Cook County fostered when it signed this ill-advised contract with an arrogant and disinterested vendor.' The county's contractual structure led to additional expenditures. Preckwinkle didn't fire Tyler, as Pappas urged — she hired an outside tech research firm to navigate the problem. Cook County ended up paying an extra $22 million for external consultants to oversee the troubled projects and $59 million to maintain legacy systems that were supposed to have been replaced. To be fair, government tech projects are complicated, and overruns aren't uncommon. But Tyler's pattern of delays and missed benchmarks goes well beyond the norms.. This mess and the price tag for a lousy deal to clean it up are the sort of thing that gave rise to the chaotic Department of Government Efficiency and a broad appetite for slashing government spending. People don't like it when their tax dollars are spent unwisely, and it makes them wonder what other problems are lying beneath the surface. While Tyler's tactics and weak execution are unacceptable, much of the blame has to be with the supervising officials who ended up with contracts that left them and their constituents vulnerable. Why Tyler Technologies, we wonder, and not a tested firm such as Accenture, which has a significant Chicagoland presence? Maybe Accenture would have cost more. But Tyler wasn't a bargain in the end. Worse, the contracts followed a history of political contributions dating back over two decades, including $25,000 in donations to various Cook County officials overseeing modernization efforts, according to the investigation. There's a lot to learn here for future agreements. The upfront payments to Tyler with little quality-based recourse represents a cautionary tale. Governments should implement stronger procurement processes, tighter contract terms, and tap independent watchdogs for major tech projects like these moving forward. The lesson is clear: governments must be tough negotiators, not soft targets.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
211 Metro Chicago Celebrates 211 Day and Second Anniversary, More Than 320,000 Connections to Basic Needs Assistance
In its second year of service, 211 Metro Chicago has exceeded expectations, surpassing contact projections and operational goals. CHICAGO, Feb. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 211 Metro Chicago celebrates National 211 Day and its immensely successful second year of operation, having made more than 320,000 connections across its helplines to essential community needs and social service support for Chicago and suburban Cook County residents. Operated by United Way of Metro Chicago in partnership with the City of Chicago and Cook County, the free, 24/7 helpline has experienced significant growth and exceeded expectations in its first two years of operation. "We are incredibly proud to recognize 211 Day by celebrating the growth and positive impact on hundreds of thousands of lives that 211 Metro Chicago has achieved in its first two years," said Sean Garrett, president and CEO of United Way of Metro Chicago. "The success of the helpline is possible thanks to our partnership with the City of Chicago and Cook County as we work together to address people's needs such as access to food and safe housing. We are committed to reaching even more of our neighbors in the city and across suburban Cook County in the year ahead." As of January 27, 2025, 211 Metro Chicago's social service and homelessness support helplines had fielded more than 320,000 contacts via phone, text message, website search and chat from residents in multiple languages, including Spanish and Arabic, and across varied communities in Cook County. The top three Chicago neighborhoods served were Auburn Gresham, Chatham and South Shore. The top three suburban Cook County community areas served were Chicago Heights/Ford Heights, Calumet City and the Phoenix/Harvey area. Additionally, 211 Metro Chicago has found: The four most common needs for area residents were housing and shelter, utility assistance, access to food and employment and income assistance. Needs varied across the region with higher incidences of housing needs (44%) in suburban Cook County compared to the city of Chicago (40%). 62% of physical contacts self-identified as female. 15% of physical contacts reported having a disability. 14% of physical contacts were seniors, ages 65+. 12% of physical contacts were veterans or families with veterans in the household. The largest age group of physical contacts was ages 25-34 (23%), followed by ages 35-44 (19%). National 211 Day honors the incredible impact of 2-1-1 services across the U.S. and Canada. From connecting people to shelter, food and water during disasters to providing housing support, health care and more, 2-1-1 offers hope when it's needed most. "Over the past two years, residents have benefited from easy access to thousands of essential resources through the 2-1-1 helpline, leading to more than 320,000 referrals for individuals in need," said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. "The partnership that makes 211 Metro Chicago possible underscores the power of community collaboration and government support to assist those who need it most. We encourage all residents to continue utilizing 2-1-1 via text, phone or web chat to connect with vital social services in the year ahead." Since launching January 27, 2023, 211 Metro Chicago has significantly expanded its services, assuming operations of several homelessness services helplines for the City of Chicago and suburban Cook County, including the City's Homelessness Prevention Hotline, the Suburban Cook County Homelessness/Diversion Prevention hotline and the Chicago Continuum of Care's Coordinated Entry System Hotline. "211 Metro Chicago has experienced significant growth in its first two years of operation, helping even more people get connected to essential services such as housing and shelter through the City's Homelessness Prevention Hotline and Coordinated Entry System Hotline," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "2-1-1 is a vital resource offering a streamlined, compassionate experience for all Chicagoans. I am proud to join our partners in celebrating two years of progress and encourage our residents to use this wonderful resource." 2-1-1 is operated by United Way of Metro Chicago and supported by the City of Chicago, Cook County, philanthropic partners and the 211 Metro Chicago Advisory and Executive Boards comprising business, civic, charitable and social service organizations. 2-1-1's generous philanthropic partners include the Builders Initiative Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, The Comer Family Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, Ford Philanthropy, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, The John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Michael Reese Health Trust, Northern Trust Foundation, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Otho S.A. Sprague Memorial Institute (NKA Sprague Foundation), Polk Bros. Foundation, Pritzker Foundation, The Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation, Robert R. McCormick Foundation, The Steans Family Foundation and an anonymous foundation. 211 Metro Chicago Resource Navigators are available 24/7 through a variety of channels: Dial 2-1-1 to speak with a local Resource Navigator on the phone Text your ZIP code to 898-211 Visit to connect with resources via web search and chat To connect directly with a homelessness service helpline, operated by 211 Metro Chicago: City of Chicago Homelessness Prevention Hotline: dial 3-1-1 Open 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays For individuals seeking to apply for Homelessness Prevention Funds (Rent/Mortgage Assistance Funds) to avoid being evicted or foreclosed from their residence Chicago Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry Line: (312) 971-4178 Open 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 4 – 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, excluding holidays For individuals and families seeking supportive or transitional shelter in Chicago Suburban Cook Homelessness Prevention/Diversion Hotline: (312) 967-2658 or (877) 426-6515 Open 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays For individuals and families in suburban Cook County seeking homelessness prevention funds or for individuals seeking supportive or transitional housing About 211 Metro Chicago 211 Metro Chicago is a 24/7/365 helpline connecting Cook County residents to health and social service resources. 211 Metro Chicago is operated by United Way of Metro Chicago and launched with support from the City of Chicago, Cook County, philanthropic partners and the 211 Metro Chicago Advisory and Executive Boards composed of business, civic, charitable and social service organizations. United Way of Metro Chicago mobilizes private, philanthropic and public sector support to help individuals meet their basic needs and works to support equitable transformation in neighborhoods across the Chicago region. Visit to connect with these resources. About United Way of Metro Chicago United Way of Metro Chicago brings together business, government, philanthropic, individual, and community leaders to deliver funding and resources while amplifying the expertise of nonprofit organizations across greater Chicago. We help individuals meet their basic needs and work alongside neighborhood partners to address local priorities and create communities where all people can thrive. United, we are building a stronger, more equitable Chicago region. Visit to learn more. Contact: Emily MacMillanem@ 755-3547 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE United Way of Metro Chicago Sign in to access your portfolio
