Public health services are paid for through a patchwork of grants, fees and local taxes.  While the portions coming from these sources vary for each jurisdiction, all are subject to the same shrinking revenues while expenses increase.    Restrictive Funding   Available grant funding tends to be short-term and focused on the priorities of the funder.  This lack of flexibility can make it difficult to meet specific community needs.   Increasing Demands & Competing Priorities   New trends are pushing public health departments in many directions which places a strain on limited resources:   §   Emergency preparedness §   Emerging infectious diseases §   Growing burden of chronic disease §   Increase in number of people who are uninsured §   Growing caseloads §   Nursing shortage results in demands for higher pay   Our Challenge Chronic Under-funding

OUR CURRENT LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES   To strengthen health protection servicesby increasing the Local Health Protection Grant line to $24 million dollars. To protect the public from emerging threats, such as West Nile virus with continued funding of the Emergency Public Health fund. To improve the Public Health Infrastructureto protect the public from threats of Bioterrorism. To establish and Sustain Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programsin order to promote child and adolescent health through full funding of programs in Illinois.