It is very important you go to your Cook County Health appointment. Even if you feel well and healthy, these appointments evaluate you for any issues that might make you sick or unhealthy in the future. It is important to make sure you are healthy and stay healthy, so you don’t miss work, you don’t miss any important activities, and your kids don’t miss school. Doctors will make sure you are caught up on vaccines and will connect you with care in case you ever get sick or unhealthy in the future. It is good to see a doctor once a year to make sure you are healthy because you can catch illnesses and infections that you might not feel or see now.

On your journey to Chicago, you may have seen doctors or nurses for a vaccination, a test, or because you felt sick. You still need to go to your Cook County Health appointment for a full medical evaluation because those prior doctor visits probably focused on just one or two things.

Vaccinations, when they are available, are the best way to prevent infectious diseases. Vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective to help your body protect against certain infections. They can also reduce the spreading of disease to other people around you and prevent you from getting severely sick from disease.

There are certain vaccinations that every child should get, and there are certain vaccinations that adults should get as well. Almost everyone should get Flu and COVID vaccines once a year during the fall or winter.

As someone new to Chicago, there will be several opportunities for you and your family to get vaccines. Sometimes vaccine teams will come to your shelter and give a few vaccines, but there are other vaccines you or your children might need. You or your children might need to receive vaccine several times once arriving in the USA in order to make sure you are properly protected from infectious diseases.

It is important for you to go to your Cook County Health Belmont Cragin appointment to make sure you and your family are getting all the vaccines you need to stay safe and healthy. If you receive vaccines from one doctor or nurse, they are recorded in an Illinois state database, so the next doctor or nurse you visit can see and give you the other vaccines you might need. Some vaccines need several doses, such as Hepatitis B or Varicella (Chickenpox).

When you go to a doctor's office or vaccine event, the nurse or doctor will let you and your family know all the vaccines you need based on your age and history.

Your child will need a physical exam by a doctor or medical provider, vaccinations, and a test for tuberculosis upon starting school. They will eventually need dental exams of their teeth and vision exams of their eyes too.

It is important your children are up to date on their vaccinations. There are certain vaccines required for Chicago Public Schools by the State of Illinois. Cook County Health will make sure your child receives the appropriate tuberculosis evaluation and any vaccines your child may still need. Many times, your child can also receive vaccines at the school. You just have to make sure you've signed a consent form, so the school can give them while you are not there, if you choose.

You must bring the following information:

• Identification card/papers
• Any Documents you received when you entered the United States
• Health Insurance Card (if you have one)
• Vaccination Cards/paperwork for yourself
• Vaccination Cards/vaccination documentation for your children

It is also good to bring a list of your medications, medical issues, past surgeries, and allergies to help with your evaluation.

At your appointment, you will speak with a provider about your past medical issues, surgeries, medications. They will perform a physical exam of your body to check for any issues. You might also complete blood tests, urine tests, and vaccines. They will ensure you are overall healthy or if there are any health issues that need to be addressed. They will help set up any needed follow up appointments with primary and specialty providers. They can also help get you any medications you need.

If you are going to any appointments with Cook County Health, they will arrange transportation for you from the shelter and back using your active phone number so you can get notification when your ride is ready. Make sure that your case manager is aware of your current phone number and phone service. Public CTA buses and trains are also an option when getting to an appointment as well as taxis or Uber/Lyft. Public CTA transportation is usually cheaper than Uber/Lyft. Some other hospitals and clinics can help arrange transportation, but you should arrange this with them ahead of time. To know more about transportation services, see the shelter manager and/or the Cook County Health Care Coordination team to confirm pick-up times for appointments at Cook County Health.

If you have a doctor's appointment with Cook County Health that you are not able to make, please call 773-395-9050 to cancel the appointment and let the shelter manager/ Cook County Health Care Coordination team know as soon as possible to reschedule that appointment. If you have an appointment with another healthcare provider, you should call that doctor's office ahead of time to let them know you will not be coming and to reschedule the appointment. If you know ahead of time that you will not be able to make your doctor's appointment due to a work commitment, interview, etc, reschedule that appointment as soon as possible following the instructions above.

If you receive medical care with Cook County Health, your free medications will be delivered to your shelter in 1-2 days. The shelter manager and the Care Coordination team can assist you with locating your medications. They can usually be sent directly to the shelter and shelter staff will give your medications to you. If you receive care at other clinics or hospital, they will usually give you a prescription to pick up your medications at a pharmacy – there will be a small cost. Please ask them directly how to best get your medications. There are also medications you can get from a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever or pain. These medications are called “Over the Counter.” You can ask a pharmacist there what is available to purchase over the counter without seeing a doctor. You can also buy medications for upset stomach, allergies, pain, fever, or cough without a prescription. NOTE: Cook County Health only provides medications prescribed by a Cook County Health Doctor. They do NOT fill prescriptions for other medical health centers.

If you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant, let the staff at the shelter and Cook County Health care coordination team know. They can help you get a pregnancy test. They will also help get you seen by a Cook County Health doctor to see if you are pregnant and connect you with the appropriate prenatal care. Cook County Health has a hospital where you can deliver your baby and get resources you might need.

Health insurance is a policy for individuals and families to cover some or most of the costs of medical care. Many hospitals and clinics are private, so you will need health insurance to help cover the costs of care.

Cook County Health can provide you free healthcare at Belmont Cragin clinic when you arrive in the shelter setting. Immediately, once in the shelter, you will need to apply for a medical card (health insurance) through the Medicaid program while you have various people to help you. So, once you leave the shelter hopefully you will have your medical insurance to help with the cost of ongoing medical care needs.

To apply and receive your medical card (health insurance) see your case managers at the shelters or Cook County Health to assist in enrolling you in government health insurance called Medicaid or the Cook County Health CareLink Program.

You will receive a health insurance card once you are enrolled that you should bring with you anytime you seek medical care in a hospital, clinic, or ambulance. It is good to carry it with you at all times like you would an ID card.

An emergency room or emergency department is an area in most hospitals that is open at any time. It is open all night and on weekends. There are always doctors and nurses there. It is a place where people can go if they are having a medical emergency or have been badly injured. Ambulances will bring people to an emergency room after they call 911.

They can do certain tests there to make sure you are not severely sick, close to dying, or having a major issue with one of your body parts or organs. They will see anyone who walks through the doors. They can provide medications and treatment that are needed and will decide if you need to stay in a hospital or you are safe to go home safely.

When you get there, a nurse will triage you to see how badly sick you are by talking to you, examining you, and taking vital signs like blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and breathing rate. If you are not in immediate danger, you might have to wait in a waiting room for several hours depending how busy it is and how sick people are.

You should go to an emergency room if you feel very sick and unwell or you feel like you might die and can't wait to see a doctor in the office in a few days.

Emergency Acute Symptoms that have started within the last 24 hours to consider seeking emergency care:

• Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
  • Weakness or loss of sensation of arms or legs on one side of the body
  • Difficulty speaking, slurred speech, or facial droop
  • Difficulty walking/balancing
• Loss of vision
• Confusion, change in mental status, unresponsive, or difficulty waking up
• Passed out or loss of consciousness
• Coughing or vomiting bright red blood
• Seizure activity
• Severe abdominal pain
• Severe headache
• Drug overdose
• Allergic Reaction with swelling or difficulty breathing
• Persistent uncontrolled vomiting
• Pregnant with additional acute symptoms that started within 24 hours: severe abdominal pain or headache, passing out or loss of consciousness, vaginal bleeding
• Acute severe injury - head or neck injury, traumatic injury such as stabbing or gunshot wound, broken bone, uncontrolled bleeding, severe burn, electrical injury, deep open wounds

Emergency Room/Emergency Department visits are for emergency situations. Once you are stable, you should speak with their case managers regarding care and billing questions.

An ambulance is a vehicle that provides emergency medical care and transportation. There are Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics that work on ambulances that have been trained in emergency care. They will evaluate you when they arrive and take you to the nearest appropriate hospital emergency room if you agree to go. You can get ahold of an ambulance by calling 911 from any phone. If you need assistance, ask others to call 911 for you.

If you or some you are with ever gets badly injured, feels very sick or unwell, or feels like they might die and need to see a doctor right away, you or someone near you should call 911 for an ambulance to come get them.

A medical home is a clinic or doctor's office you go to for a majority of your medical health care. It is helpful to see the same doctor or provider as much as possible, so they can get to know you and your family well. They can also provide other supportive services to help you and your family stay healthy. Sometimes these medical homes are associated with a certain hospital system where you can get care and see other specialty doctors there.

This medical home is usually where you see your primary care doctor. A primary care doctor usually wants to see you once or more a year to get to know you and your body to keep you healthy and prevent you from getting sick. You can also see them if you feel sick or have a health concern.

Every asylum seeker newly arriving in Chicago should see Cook County Health first. Cook County Health can become your medical home, or you can choose another clinic to be your medical home where your primary care doctor is after you have been seen at Cook County Health Belmont Cragin Clinic.

A specialist is a doctor that focuses on a certain part of the body or a certain organ in the body. You might need to see them if you break a bone, need surgery, have cancer, or have an issue with your heart, kidneys, liver, brain, or other organs in your body.

A hospital, emergency room, or your primary care doctor might refer you to a specialist to get more special focused treatment. Typically, they will give you a number to call to set up an appointment as well as the location of the clinic. Sometimes they can help make the appointment for you if you ask. If you need help with making the appointment or have questions you can meet with the Cook County Health Care Coordination team onsite at your shelter or you can call 773-395-9050.

FQHCs are community health centers that provide quality primary and preventive care to all patients regardless of their ability to pay. You may still get a bill for services if you do not have insurance, but that amount will likely be lower than anywhere else you go to see a doctor (As an example only, possibly 30 dollars for a visit – after you complete required paperwork with the FQHC). They are a good place to go in general for your medical needs. Shelter case managers can help you get a list of FQHCs in Chicago if you choose not to continue with primary medical care at Cook County Health.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or feeling suicidal, please call 988, the mental health crisis line, which is available 24/7. For more information, see: https://988lifeline.org/es/servicios-en-espanol/.

If you need an appointment for mental health evaluation and treatment, the Chicago Department of Public Health operates the North River Mental Health Clinic, which can set you up with an evaluation. Their number is 312-744-1906.

For substance use treatment, such as opioid use treatment, call the Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances Recovery: 1-833-234-6343.

For help with domestic violence, call the City of Chicago Domestic Violence Helpline: 1-877-863-6338.