Community Health Education/Outreach Programs

Saint Anthony Hospital is very committed to building a strong and healthy community. Through various outreach strategies, we provide a wide variety of free bilingual (Spanish), community health education/outreach programs and services. Our certified health educator's work with community based organizations, schools, parishes, and other agencies to implement and teach the following health education programs/services.

• Prenatal care/healthy pregnancy
• Diabetes awareness/management
• Heart Disease awareness/management (nutrition, smoking cessation, exercise, stress management)
• Infant/Child Health (Immunizations, child safety, Asthma)
• Women's Health (Breast/Cervical, gynecological)
• Health Fair Services (general health screenings, immunizations, school physicals, flu shots, asthma and vision)
• KidCare Health Insurance Program enrollment

Programa C.I.E.L.O. is an outreach of Saint Anthony Hospital, which was established in 1993, as a storefront drop-in center, in an effort to overcome barriers to health care faced by many Latino immigrants and first generation residents. Nearly 100% of the adults receiving services speak only Spanish. CIELO is now providing services to 18,000 clients on a yearly basis. Free services include:

• health education classes that focus on nutrition, diet, exercise, diabetes management, and prenatal care
• health screenings, mental health counseling and home visits
• Referrals to bilingual health care providers including pediatricians, obstetricians, dentists, optometrists, and specialists. In addition, Programa CIELO assists residents with applications and legal forms including KidCare enrollment.

Project Hope is a community-based affiliate of Saint Anthony Hospital whose overall mission is to provide support and services to at-risk children and their families in the South Lawndale community of Chicago, particularly those families who have not been able to access services for reasons of income, language, or cultural barriers. The residents of the South Lawndale community are primarily first- and second-generation Mexican immigrants. Many of them live at or below the poverty level and are linguistically isolated. It is the goal of Project Hope to expose children and their families to new resources and opportunities so that they can participate in their own well-being and in the well being of their community. Project Hope addresses the needs of these families through four complementary programs: a child development center for special needs children, a support program for kith and kin caregivers, a family education center, and a support program for early adolescent girls.

The Diabetes Center at Saint Anthony Hospital helps patients understand and control their diabetes and refers patients to appropriate events. The Center works with the primary care doctor, patients and their families to provide quality diabetes care and education to help patients live a healthy life with diabetes. The Center coordinates specialty care such as eye, foot and wound examinations. All services are provided in English and Spanish.

For more information on our community health programs, please contact Rita Esquiliano, Director of Community Relations at 773-484-4395 or email at REsquili@saintanthonyhospital.org.

If you are interested in volunteering at Saint Anthony Hospital or have questions regarding our volunteer program, please call: 773-484-4516.