Community Service
Connecting care to the community
Health Equity Research
The Michael Reese Foundation Center for Health Equity Research at Rosalind Franklin University focuses on community engagement, investigator training and data management in order to ensure future research projects are responsive to community needs and contribute to more equitable health outcomes among marginalized, disadvantaged and underserved communities.
Medical services for the poor and uninsured are fragmented across various programs and providers in the city. Patients lack complete information about services available to them. The result is partial and incomplete care for problems otherwise treatable or preventable outside emergency rooms.
Our programs address this need by providing case management and linkage to direct care, as well as screenings and patient education.
HIV Care
The Michael Reese Care Program is a recognized leader in integrated primary and multi-specialty care for people living with HIV disease and hepatitis. This twice-weekly clinic provides a seamless system of care to over 400 patients both with and without insurance, from Chicago’s south side and the entire metropolitan area.
Women’s Health Program
The Women’s Health program provides free breast and cervical cancer screening services for uninsured women residing in Illinois.
The Michael Reese Research & Education Foundation operates the Women’s Health Program – Illinois Breast & Cervical Cancer Program located at the New Roseland Community Hospital. As an Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program grantee, the Women’s Health Program provides free cervical cancer screenings (Pap and HPV), breast exams for women 21 to 64 years of age and mammograms and other related diagnostic testing along with patient navigation to Illinois women 40 to 64 years of age. The women must be uninsured or have health insurance that does not cover breast screening. Younger women who are symptomatic can also receive necessary breast cancer screening and diagnostic testing.
Illinois Prison Project
As part of its mission in Community Service, and in partnership with the Illinois Prison Project to address health inequalities for terminally ill incarcerated individuals, the Foundation has provided funding to the IPP in support of the Joe Coleman Medical Release Act HB3665.
The IPP has provided pro bono legal and medical assistance to individuals seeking release under this program to present their cases to the Illinois Parole Board, and to provide for suitable post-release care. To date, the IPP has secured the compassionate release of 84 individuals.