Gov. Pritzker Announces $200M in Capital Improvement Grants to Transform Healthcare Delivery and Improve Health Outcomes
13 innovative projects selected by HFS and CDB to reduce healthcare disparities
December 18, 2024
CHICAGO- Today, Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), and the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) announced the selection of 13 organizations to receive funding through the unprecedented Healthcare Transformation Capital Investment Grant Program. The grants, which total $200 million, will fund capital projects addressing health-related social needs and reduce disparities in healthcare in historically underserved communities.
“As my administration continues on our mission to expand healthcare access throughout Illinois, we’re focused on investing in historically underserved areas,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This Capital Improvement Grant Program will improve hospitals and care centers with much needed improvements, making it easier for healthcare professionals to serve their communities.”
Healthcare Transformation Capital Improvement grants will build on HFS’ equity-driven Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives (HTC) program, which was established in 2021. The goals of the HTC program are to expand access to care and improve health equity, especially in underserved communities, by leveraging shared resources among collaborative partners to create locally-driven solutions.
These awards also support the State’s safety net hospitals, which are critical to providing essential medical care to our most underserved communities.
Safety nets are hospitals and medical centers that provide healthcare to patients regardless of insurance status or their ability to pay. Of the awardees, 6 of the 13 are safety net health entities, representing 48% of the total funding.
“This funding will have a meaningful impact on improving health equity and access to care across the state,” said HFS Director Elizabeth M. Whitehorn. “We are excited to be able to support capital projects and look forward to seeing progress toward improving health outcomes for Medicaid customers.”
“These grants represent a significant investment in the future of healthcare across Illinois, particularly in underserved communities,” said CDB Executive Director TJ Edwards. “CDB is proud to partner with HFS to ensure these projects not only improve healthcare access, but also build stronger, more resilient healthcare infrastructure that will serve generations of Illinoisans.”
This program is a unique, first-of-its-kind collaboration between HFS and CDB, under which the agencies worked together to establish the Hospital and Healthcare Transformation Capital Investment Grant Program as outlined in Section 30-15 in Public Act 101-10. As required by law, HFS and CDB developed competitive solicitation that prioritizes healthcare transformation in underserved communities with the greatest utilization of Medicaid services.
Organizations were selected following a merit-based review in accordance with Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Uniform Requirements. The grant recipients are:
- Lawndale Christian Health Center: $7.5 million to renovate the Mirador building into a combined community center that includes a fitness facility and fresh food cafe and primary care clinic. Location: Lawndale, Chicago IL
- Insight Chicago Inc., in support of South Side Health Equity Collaborative HTC: $22.5 million for an Urgent/Primary Care buildout and renovation of Corpus Christi Building into a youth and community empowerment space which will include access to educational and academic support, the arts, and an athletic facility. Location: Bronzeville, Chicago IL
- Marcfirst (Lifelong Access), in support of Medicaid Innovation Collaborative HTC: $21.7 million to purchase and renovate The Pantagraph newspaper building to serve as a collaborative hub for multiple agencies supporting services in behavioral health, psychiatry, a youth behavioral urgent care center, pediatric primary care, dental wellness, alternative youth education, community day services, food security initiatives and supported employment programming. Location: Normal, IL
- Clay County Hospital: $12.1 million to construct a Clay County Health Department building on the campus of the Clay County Medical Complex which will be an expansion of the hospital to enhance educational and prevention services, and renovation of the hospital, including Medical Surgical Department, Nutritional Services Department, and Surgery Department. Location: Flora, IL
- Heritage Behavioral Health Center Inc.: $43.8 million for a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic that will provide vital, comprehensive and integrated behavioral-primary healthcare services to people living in Macon, DeWitt and Piatt counties. Location: Decatur, IL
- Swedish Covenant Health, in support of Chicago North Side Collaborative HTC: $7 million to renovate a church building into a teaching kitchen, workstations, gathering hall, and for a behavioral health program expansion to further address health disparities in the community. Location: North Side, Chicago, IL
- Touchette Regional Hospital, in support of East St. Louis Health Transformation Partnership HTC: $15 million for construction of a new adolescent mental health wing that will be integrated into the already under development Health Care Campus funded through the Illinois Healthcare Transformation grant previously awarded to Touchette Regional Hospital in 2021. Location: Cahokia Heights, IL
- Arukah Institute of Healing, Inc NFP: $3.6 million to fund construction and renovations to develop shared space with the Bureau County Health Department FQHC for a “no wrong door” integrated health and rural health workforce training center and to purchase a building enabling a new Child and Family Center that will house specialized child family crisis workforce, child psychiatry, primary care, counseling, and other integrated services to best meet needs of low income families. Location: Princeton, IL
- TCA Health, Inc., in support of South Side Healthy Community Organization HTC: $7.7 million to establish a nutrition and wellness center connected to the organization's main health center and administrative building by an enclosed walkway, resulting in improved community health affordable food availability in Chicago's Far South Side. Location: South Side, Chicago, IL
- Crawford Hospital District: $6.7 million to construct a new two-story addition for office and treatment spaces, nurses’ stations with privacy screens, and patient registration bring these much-needed specialty care services and the capacity to treat a large volume of patients. Location: Robinson, IL
- Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois (University of Illinois at Chicago) in support of the Target Health HTC: $33 million for the purchase and renovation of buildings to develop a comprehensive care center and a community space for wellness programming including primary and specialty care, medical imaging and diagnostic/screening services, navigation and coaching, and a community space for wellness programming. Location: South Side, Chicago, IL
- Southern Illinois Hospital Services, in support of Integrated HUB HTC: $9.9 million to increase capacity for mental health treatment, including new acute mental illness beds and updates to the current psychiatric unit to address the critical mental health need in the broader southern sixteen county region. Location: Southern Illinois Counties
- Thorek Memorial Hospital: $9.3 million to renovate TMH Andersonville’s emergency department to enhance capacity for medical emergencies, psychiatric and substance abuse crisis management and develop robust outpatient behavioral health services. Location: Chicago, IL
Successful applicants must enter into a grant agreement with CDB outlining the roles and responsibilities of the parties. The maximum contract period for the grants is five years, and all projects must be operational at the end of the grant term.
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