Healing Arts Chicago to Support Wellness

Studies show that art can have a meaningful and positive effect on mental health and wellness, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood and more. Knowing this, CDPH, in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE) and Malcolm X College, is excited to offer the Spring Session of the Healing Arts Chicago initiative at the City's Mental Health Centers.

All programs are free and offer community members an opportunity to engage in a variety of creative classes and workshops, including yoga, sound and body meditation, music, painting, writing, and more, all led by Chicago-based artists. Registration is now open for classes starting April 22nd through June 28th.

Healing Arts Chicago aligns with a larger national movement called Arts for Everybody, emphasizing the profound impact of arts engagement on mental health. Classes will be conducted across City Mental Health Centers and everyone is welcome. For more information and registration, visit Healing Arts Chicago.

You can learn more about the Healing Arts Chicago Program in the Spanish language Healthy Chicago Podcast where host Dr. Geraldine Luna and Dr. Francisco Rodríguez, Director of Mental Health Centers at CPDH, talked about the services that are offered. Listen to the episode at chicago.gov/healthychicagopodcast and on all platforms: Amazon | Apple | RadioPublic | YouTube | Spotify

Chicago Park District's May In Motion

The Chicago Park District is inviting all Chicagoans to participate in its May in Motion event, which kicks off on Wednesday, May 1! May in Motion is a series of events calling for all to lead active lifestyles by offering:

• free Park District Pop-Up fitness classes every Wednesday in May
• free access to the Park District's fitness centers for the month of May, and
• other initiatives and events throughout the Park District all next month

The Pop-Up classes will occur every Wednesday in May at various park districts sites across the city. These classes will include everything from heart pumping boot camp to relaxing yoga and Pilates. Each workout ranges from 45-60 minutes and are all totally FREE! See details of the many May in Motion events throughout the City on the Chicago Park District website.

World Immunization Week

This week, April 24-30, is the 2024 occurrence of World Immunization Week, and this year's theme is “Humanly Possible: Immunization for All.”

The World Health Organization says World Immunization Week this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, a collective agreement to save and improve lives by using immunizations to fight vaccine-preventable diseases. While global vaccinations have improved steadily over time, an estimated 20 million children in 2022 missed out on one or more of their key vaccines.

This is also National Infant Immunization Week. CDPH immunization clinics provide vaccinations for infants, especially MMR, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. Visit our page to find a clinic near you and register for a visit.

Dr. Ige Discusses Black Maternal Health

CDPH Commissioner Olusimbo ‘Simbo' Ige, MD, MPH, sat down with ABC-7's Cheryl Burton last week to talk about the importance of Black Maternal Health Week. They discussed the disparities in maternal health outcomes between Black and non-Black Chicagoans, and the factors that have been driving these disparities. Dr. Ige also stressed the importance of cultural competency in healthcare -- being treated by healthcare professionals who look like Chicago and have cultural competence and empathy for their patients. She also noted the many resources available through CDPH for Chicago moms and families, such as the visiting nurse program Family Connects Chicago, and our online repository of information and resources for families at every stage of pregnancy and the child's life, OneChiFam.org.

You can watch the entire interview online, on the ABC7 website.

###