RECENT ACTIVITIES
For the first quarter of 2020, ICHA’s Executive Director continued to meet individually with leadership and is responding to various challenges facing Catholic healthcare in Illinois. Most specifically is the COVID-19 virus
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, ICHA’s Executive Director continued his travels throughout the state, meeting personally with Sponsors, Bishops, Board members and CEOs. He met with the Finance Committee on January 7th and the Board of Directors on January 22nd and March 19th. ICHA’s Executive Director also met with Keith Parrott, the new CEO of AMITA Health, and with new ICHA Board Member, Br. Daniel McCormick. He also attended the transfer ceremony of Little Company of Mary Hospital to OSF HealthCare. On February 28th, ICHA’s Executive Director participated in a meeting on physician assisted suicide (PAS) sponsored by OSF HealthCare in Peoria.
2020 UPCOMING MEETINGS
ICHA’s Executive Director was scheduled to meet with the ICHA Mission Leaders on May 13th,at OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center, however, due to the COVID-19 virus, this meeting has been cancelled and will hopefully be rescheduled at a later time.
ICHA’s Annual Meeting is still scheduled for Thursday, October 1, 2020, at Loyola University. “Save the Date” email was sent to everyone in early February.
THE ANNUAL MEETING IS NOW CONTINGENT ON THE PROGRESS MADE AGAINST THE COVID-19 VIRUS.
ADVOCACY UPDATE
Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, ICHA was actively organizing against the prospect of physician-assisted suicide (PAS) in Illinois. We had recently formed a coalition with CCI and others allied groups called, Stop Assisted Suicide Illinois (www.stopassistedsuicideillinois.org). Using the disability group, Access Living, as our lead, we were able to stop the Evanston City Council from voting on a measure urging the State of Illinois to take action on this issue. We also participated in the Peoria meeting and are in the process of developing other advocacy tools. However, the COVID-19 has put many of these efforts on the back burner.
At Cardinal Cupich’s direction, ICHA’s Executive Director met by phone with representatives from Catholic Extension and Hagerty Consulting to explore expedited opportunities for ICHA hospitals to receive FEMA and HHS reimbursement funds for costs related to the COVID-19 virus. Following the meeting with Catholic Extension and Hagerty Consulting, ICHA’s Executive Director met with the Executive Committee of the ICHA Board to determine next steps. It was decided by the Executive Committee that, without endorsing, ICHA’s Executive Director should introduce Hagerty Consulting to the membership as a potential resource for pursuing government reimbursement.
MISSION EDUCATION
As an update on ICHA’s Chaplaincy Education Program with the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC), ICHA continues to register participants. To date, 229 persons registered for the course; 127 have completed it.
ICHA received a request from the Jesuit magazine America to interview some of our Chaplains that are attending to COVID-19 patients. ICHA’s Executive Director reached out to ICHA’s members and coordinated the requested interviews.
ICHA FINANCES
ICHA continues to operate under a balanced budget. ICHA recently developed their FY ‘20-‘21 budget which was recommend unanimously by the Finance Committee and approved by the Board on January 22nd. There will be no dues increase for FY ’20-‘22, however, ICHA does anticipate a possible dues increase in FY ’21-‘22.
CONCLUSION
Thank you for all you do on behalf of the ministry. We continue to look for better ways to serve you and are always open to new ideas. If ICHA may assist you in any way, please contact me anytime at pcacchione@il-cha.org. Also, follow ICHA on Facebook @illinoiscatholichealth.
