CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded business assistance grants last week, and State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) is hopeful this will help local businesses in need of a financial boost.

“It breaks my heart that business owners are still fighting this virus, physically and economically,” Hunter said. “I hope these grants provide some sort of relief. I will continue to advocate for financial support programs for businesses for as long as they are in need.”

CHICAGO – The Senate Labor, Executive, and Commerce and Economic Committees held a joint hearing on diversity in labor unions Thursday, where State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) advocated for more diversity in labor unions and new strategies for capacity building.

“Women and people of color deserve the same trade and employment opportunities as everybody else,” Hunter said. “Labor unions need to be more intentional with their recruitment and training strategies. Looking at these issues through an equitable lens will not only level the playing field, but increase the success of business in the long haul.”

CHICAGO – Monday, the Senate Human Services and Public Health Committees held a joint hearing on behavioral health issues and disparities in Illinois, where State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) advocated for more Black and Brown behavioral health professionals, as well as increased options for treatment in communities of color.

 “Not only do Black Illinoisans have less access to behavioral health centers, they are less likely to have insurance and more likely to deal with doctors who don’t look like them,” Hunter said. “Many of these medical professionals have implicit biases and need to be trained on cultural competency.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that two-thirds of Blacks and Latinos with a mental illness and nearly 90% with a substance use disorder do not receive treatment.

“Lack of access to treatment is harming Black communities, which often face more behavioral and mental health issues,” Hunter said. “The opioid crisis, combined with COVID-19 and systemic racism, is a serious threat that needs to be addressed thoroughly.”

Data from the Community Behavioral Healthcare Association of Illinois found that though African Americans make up under 24% of the Cook County's population, they account for more than 50% of all opioid deaths in the county this year.

Committee members heard from Dan Rabbitt, Senior Manager of Health Policy of Heartland Alliance, who recommended that the General Assembly support the following:

• Investing in prevention and proper medication distribution
• Integrating medications used for opioid disorder
• Reducing criminal penalties for low level drug offenses

CEO of the Community Behavioral Health Association Marvin Lindsey also recommended that the General Assembly support maintaining telehealth flexibility, which he believes will help increase health care accessibility for Black patients.

Future joint hearings for the Public Health and Human Services Committees will be scheduled next month.

CHICAGO – Earlier this year, Trinity Health announced it would close Mercy Hospital and Medical Center by 2021, which has been widely opposed by community members, health care officials and many legislators – including State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago). Those opposed hosted a press conference Friday morning, and urged that Mercy stay open, even if the ownership must change.

“Closing Mercy Hospital due to financial costs, as has been the justification when other safety nets have been shuttered, is not a solution,” Hunter said. ”The financial issues faced in our health care system are multi-faceted, and will require a different approach. Re-evaluating nonprofits tax exempt status may be a part of that approach.”

CHICAGO - The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus will host a press conference and rally this Friday, Oct. 23 at 10 a.m., urging Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot to prevent Mercy Hospital from closing. The press conference will be held across the street from Mercy Hospital, on the corner of 26^th and Indiana.

At the event, members from both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly will discuss why it’s vital to save the hospital, which serves predominantly Black patients, and how a potential closure would affect surrounding safety net hospitals.  

The impending closure of Mercy is directly related to the health care and human services pillar of the Legislative Black Caucus agenda.

What: Press conference on stopping the potential closure of Mercy, a safety-net Hospital

Who: Representative Lamont Robinson (D-Chicago), Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) and members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus

When: Friday, Oct. 23, 10 a.m.

Where: Mercy Hospital, 2525 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Press conference will be set up at the corner of 26th and Indiana.

CHICAGO – Diving further into racial disparities in the health care system, State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) held a hearing Monday to analyze the differences in access to health care, and is demanding that every Illinoisan have equal opportunities to quality and affordable health care.

“The time it takes to reach the hospital can determine whether someone lives or dies,” Hunter said. “Safety net hospitals are the only option some Black and Brown people have, yet they are extremely underfunded and continue to be closed down. This is a trend that must not continue, or many of our neighbors will end up at a grave inconvenience, or worse, dead.”

CHICAGO – To discuss the disparities in access to health care across racial and socioeconomic lines, Senate Public Health Chair Patricia Van Pelt, Executive Chair Mattie Hunter and Health and Human Services Chair Julie Morrison will lead a joint Senate committee hearing tomorrow morning.

“Everyone deserves equal access to health care,” Van Pelt said. “Too often we see that Black and Brown people’s options for quality health care are few and far between. It’s just another way they feel their lives don’t matter in this country, and we need to fix that.”

“Your health care options depend greatly on where you live,” Hunter said. “Predominately Black and Brown neighborhoods often suffer from health and trauma deserts, especially in light of recent hospital closures. Everyone deserves health care that’s accessible and affordable.”

CHICAGO – To discuss the operational challenges in supplier diversity, including procurement, the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) policies, Senate Executive Committee Chair Mattie Hunter and Special Committee on Supplier Diversity Chair Ram Villivalam will lead a joint Senate committee hearing tomorrow afternoon.

“Women and people of color often face adversity in the realm government contracting,” Hunter said. “Every business deserves procurement policies that will help it succeed, regardless of who owns it. Minority business owners deserve an equal opportunity to flourish.”

“Fair and equitable procurement policies are key to expanding opportunities for women-, minority- and veteran-owned businesses,” said Villivalam. “Prioritizing equity and diversity in our suppliers will strengthen our economy, which is critically important to all Illinois taxpayers.”