lIllinois Children's Healthcare Foundation creates opportunities for and leads in the development of initiatives that improve the health of all children. We support organizations that share our values of open collaboration and selfless commitment to this purpose.
Our History
ILCHF was created in December 2002 through an action of the State of Illinois Attorney General's Office and a group of Illinois insurance carriers. This action and an approximately $125 million dollar settlement, established Illinois' only private foundation focused solely on the health needs of children across the state.
The Foundation awarded its first grants in December of 2004. Approximately $5.9 million funded 32 programs from throughout the state designed to improve access to pediatric health care; screen children for developmental delays; enhance the quality and accessibility of children's mental health services; and, improve the oral health of Illinois children. In 2005 and 2006, giving focused primarily on strengthening the safety net system that delivers health care throughout Illinois to mostly underserved populations.
ILCHF announced its first initiative in its grantmaking efforts to more directly target oral health improvement. The Foundation committed to at least $20 million on efforts related to three overall oral health strategies: Building the capacity of the safety-net system, increasing the number of oral health professionals caring for underserved children and creating a greater awareness of the role oral health plays in the overall health of a child. In 2011, ILCHF will continue to build on these strategies with an emphasis on services to children with special healthcare needs and public education and outreach.
In 2009, ILCHF launched its Children's Mental Health Initiative, Building Systems of Care, Community by Community. Four communities throughout the state of Illinois representing varying models and structures to build systems of care for children have begun a 5 Year Implementation Phase.
From the Foundation's inception through 2011, a total of more than $51 million in grants has been invested in over 285 programs.
Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation, 1200 Jorie Boulevard, Suite 301, Oak Brook, IL 60523 (p) 630.571.2555 (f) 630.571.2566