UChicago Medicine releases 2024–25 Community Health Needs Assessments for the South Side and south suburbs
The University of Chicago Medicine has released its 2024–25 Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs), the result of an 18-month process that engaged thousands of residents and stakeholders across the Chicago's South Side and south suburbs.
Conducted every three years by the University of Chicago Medical Center and UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial, the assessments identify top community health priorities and guide the system’s programs, partnerships and investments.
On the South Side, nearly 1,800 residents contributed through surveys, complemented by focus groups, interviews and neighborhood meetings. The Medical Center’s service area includes more than 626,000 residents across 28 neighborhoods.
Data show that 27% of residents in the service area live below the poverty line, 13% are unemployed, and 27% of households are food insecure — rates significantly higher than in Chicago or Cook County as a whole. These inequities contribute to higher rates of chronic disease and reinforce barriers to care.
In the south suburbs, more than 600 residents and stakeholders contributed to the Ingalls Memorial assessment, which covers a service area of approximately 256,000 residents across 13 ZIP codes. Residents cited ongoing economic and social challenges, with particular concern about the need for maternal health and behavioral health services.
“Our CHNA blends robust data with the hopes, challenges and wisdom our neighbors have shared with us,” said Catina Latham, PhD, Senior Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at UChicago Medicine. “Grounded in years of community conversations and partnerships, it serves as a shared roadmap for creating a future where every person has the opportunity to live their healthiest life.”
What has changed — and what remains urgent
The findings confirm that many of the health challenges identified in previous assessments are still urgent.
On the South Side, the three overarching priorities — chronic disease, trauma and behavioral health, and social inequities such as access to care, food insecurity and workforce development — remain unchanged, highlighting the persistence of these issues and the ongoing need for sustained effort.
In the south suburbs, chronic disease and maternal health remain priorities, while residents placed greater emphasis on behavioral health compared with the last assessment. Reducing inequities tied to social determinants of health remains critical, with housing and youth engagement identified as new areas of concern alongside the ongoing focus on workforce development.
Health priorities for the University of Chicago Medical Center’s South Side service area
- Prevent and manage chronic diseases, including cancers, heart disease and diabetes
- Build trauma resiliency with a focus on violence prevention and behavioral health
- Address social determinants of health with attention to access to care, food insecurity and workforce development
Health priorities for UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial’s south suburban service area
- Prevent and manage chronic diseases, including cancers, heart disease and diabetes
- Provide access to care and services, with emphasis on maternal health and behavioral health
- Reduce health inequities driven by social determinants of health with attention to housing, youth engagement and workforce development
Each CHNA is paired with a Strategic Implementation Plan that outlines how the health system and its partners will address the priorities identified by community members. Past CHNAs have already shaped key programs:
- Violence Recovery Program: Specialists provide trauma-informed care and connect survivors and families to resources such as housing, employment and legal aid.
- Liaisons in Care (LinC): Community health workers help residents manage chronic conditions and navigate care.
- South Side Healthy Community Organization: A collaboration with 12 providers to expand access to primary and specialty care.
- Healthy Baby Network (Ingalls Memorial): Provides community-based prenatal care, education and connections to resources and support for expectant parents.
“The CHNA process is both extensive and essential because it ensures community participation at every stage,” said Audrey Pennington, Chair of Ingalls Memorial's Community Advisory Council and Chief Operating Officer for Aunt Martha’s, a health and wellness organization serving the Southland. “By contributing their voices and perspectives, community members and organizations help ensure that the priorities reflect real needs and shape programs that can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
Read the 2024-25 Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) here: