Illinois
IDPH Report Shows Drop In Infant Mortality Rate As State Of Illinois Makes Push To Improve Infant Health
Effingham, IL-(Effingham Radio)- Report Highlights Ongoing Disparities and Need for Targeted Prevention Efforts; Better Infant and Maternal Health is Key Priority in Healthy Illinois 2028 State Health Improvement Plan
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) released a new report on infant mortality that shows the statewide rate decreased to 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021, the most recent full year of data, compared to 6.5 per 1,000 in 2018. However, the report released during Infant Mortality Awareness Month also documents the historic racial disparities that have persisted nationally in the area of infant health. Governor JB Pritzker has made it a priority to address these disparities and included more than $23 million in the current state budget to improve birth outcomes.
The Illinois infant mortality rate of 5.6 is slightly above the national rate of 5.4. The state has signed on to the national Healthy People 2030 framework established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which sets a goal for all states to reach a rate of 5.0 or lower by the year 2030.
“The health of a newborn baby during their first year of life is a critical indicator of the overall health of our society,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “As a pediatrician, I was witness to far too many preventable tragedies and saw firsthand the important role that community, health, and social supports play in helping both caregivers and young children thrive. While this report points to progress in reducing the infant mortality rate, it also highlights that despite significant public health efforts, unacceptable racial and ethnic disparities persist. Maternal and Infant health is one of the five priority areas of the Healthy Illinois 2028 State Health Improvement Plan, and IDPH, along with our partners, will continue to focus on the recommended strategies and key resources to improve health outcomes for pregnant people and their newborn infants.”
Infant mortality is defined as the death of an infant before their first birthday. The report covers 2021, in which there were a total 132,228 live birth and 743 infant deaths recorded in Illinois. It offers a comprehensive analysis of infant mortality trends and identifies areas where public health interventions can have the greatest impact. Among the key findings are the following:
- The leading causes of infant death in Illinois are effects of prematurity and fetal malnutrition, birth defects, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), and pregnancy/ delivery complications. These conditions account for almost 70% of infant deaths.
- In Illinois, the infant mortality rate among infants born to non-Hispanic Black women is nearly three times that of infants born to White, Hispanic, and Asian women.
- If the fetal and infant mortality rate among infants born to non-Hispanic Black women was reduced to rates among infants born to low-risk White women, 204 Black fetal and infant deaths would be prevented each year.
- The Black-White inequity in infant mortality is heavily influenced by trends in deaths due to prematurity and SUID. In 2021, non-Hispanic Black infants were more than four times as likely to die of SUID than non-Hispanic White and Hispanic infants.
The report prepared by IDPH’s Office of Women’s Health and Family Services was supported by funding from the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant and general revenue funding for maternal and child health.
The COVID-19 pandemic and its recovery did not appear to have a substantial impact on the overall trend of infant mortality, nor any major cause of infant mortality such as prematurity and fetal malnutrition. From 2020 to 2022, COVID-19 was a factor in 10 infant deaths in Illinois, the majority occurring in 2022, based on provisional data for 2022.
Improving infant and maternal health is one of the five key priorities laid out in IDPH’s State Health Improvement Plan, detailed in the Healthy Illinois 2028 Plan. Released at the beginning of this year, the five-year plan calls for the promotion of a comprehensive, cohesive, and equitable system of care and support services for pregnant Illinoisans throughout the birthing process and for newborns and the first year of infants’ lives.
IDPH and its partners remain committed to addressing infant mortality in Illinois through a comprehensive and evidence-based approach including:
- Support for birthing hospitals with a regionalized perinatal system to improve birth outcomes through training, technical support, and risk-appropriate care.
- The creation of a statewide strategic plan and distribution of Birth Equity Resource Building Grants to support the needs of community-based reproductive healthcare providers funded by $4 million in the current state budget.
- Ongoing data surveillance and collection, including fetal and infant mortality reviews, and a more comprehensive coroner’s and medical examiner’s reporting system to identify underlying causes of infant mortality and inform community-based interventions and policies.
- Home visiting and case management programs to support pregnant and postpartum women and infants to improve birth outcomes.
- Continued support for community-based, culturally accessible safe infant sleep programs, including Illinois Safe Sleep Support.
The Governor’s Birth Equity Initiative invested approximately $23 million to address the historic racial disparities in birth outcomes through a variety of measures, including the creation of a statewide strategic plan. This includes closing the maternal mortality gap through home visiting expansion, capital dollars for community-birth centers, a diaper pilot program, changes to Medicaid reimbursement rates, and a child tax credit for families in poverty.
Additional information about infant mortality in Illinois can be found on IDPH’s website.
SYCAMORE, Ill. – A Sycamore mother said she is still waiting for justice more than two years after her teenage son was stabbed to death.
The case is back in court this week, where a judge will consider a key request that could change how the case moves forward.
What we know:
A mother said her son’s life was cut short during a confrontation that turned deadly.
Heather Gerken said her 17-year-old son, Kaleb McCall, was stabbed during an incident in September 2023. She said Kaleb agreed to meet another teen for what he believed would be a fist fight while sticking up for a friend.
According to Gerken, the other teen, who was 15 at the time, pulled a knife and stabbed Kaleb in the chest. Kaleb later died from his injuries.
Gerken said a jury later found that teen guilty of second-degree murder after the defense argued he acted in self-defense.
Dig deeper:
The case is not over.
Gerken says the defendant’s attorneys are now trying to move the case out of adult court and into juvenile court. That decision could impact how the teen is ultimately sentenced.
What they’re saying:
Gerken said the legal process has been long and frustrating.
She said the case has stretched on for more than two and a half years and that ongoing court proceedings have made it difficult for her to grieve her son.
“He was everybody’s big brother,” Gerken said. “He had the biggest smile and the sweetest personality. He enjoyed fishing and being outside, and he was the best gift giver. He always got me flowers for every little holiday. Just a very thoughtful boy.”
Gerken also said the possibility of the case moving to juvenile court is especially upsetting, as she continues to push for what she believes is justice for her son.
“I don’t want anybody else’s child to die the way that my son died,” Gerken said. “Caleb is my whole world. I gave birth to him at 17 and he changed my life completely. He made me a better person. He taught me what real love truly is…And I just miss him so much more every day. And just knowing that he died the way he did. It makes me sick.”
What’s next:
The case returns to court Thursday morning.
A judge is expected to determine whether the case remains in adult court or is moved to juvenile court, a decision that could shape what happens next in the case.
The Source: The information in this article was reported by FOX Chicago’s Lauren Scafidi.
Millions of asylum seekers have been impacted as caseloads have grown
A general crackdown on immigration courts the administration sees as liberal has led to the firing of dozens of immigration judges.
Recent polls show President Donald Trump’s approval ratings continue to dip as the war in Iran endures and national gas prices float above $4.
One such poll conducted by CNN/SSRS illustrates widespread upset among Americans with regards to Trump’s handling of the economy and inflation. Here’s how Trump’s approval ratings look nationally and within Illinois, as of April 20.
Donald Trump approval rating: CNN
Only 31% of Americans approve of how Trump is handling the economy, compared to 39% in January 2026, according to the poll.
The decline in approval on the issue is even higher among Republicans, especially Republicans under 45 years old, according to CNN.
In the poll, President Donald Trump received his worst approval rating yet in either of his two terms on the economy.
CNN findings show about two-thirds of Americans say Trump’s policies have worsened economic conditions, and 27% say they approve of Trump’s handling of inflation.
CNN also reported 63% of Americans say the prices at the pump have caused financial hardship in their household, including 15% calling it “severe.”
The poll, conducted March 26-30 among 1,201 U.S. adults, found 35% approve of Trump’s job performance overall. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
One poll respondent told CNN and the pollster about the most important issue facing the country: “Prices! Everything is so expensive. Makes it very difficult to do anything other than work and go home. Trips to the grocery store are ridiculous! Between gas and grocery prices, we are poor!”
Trump addressed the concerns about gas prices in his address to the nation on April 1, saying the Strait of Hormuz would reopen when the conflict was over and the prices would fall again.
Trump reaffirmed his promise about the strait on April 18, saying his administration had “very good conversations going on” with Iran after the country said the strait would not be reopened.
Donald Trump approval rating in Illinois: Civiqs
Trump’s job approval rating in Illinois, as of April 18, according to data from online survey platform Civiqs, is as follows:
- Approve — 32%.
- Disapprove — 65%.
- Neither — 4%.
Donald Trump national approval rating: Civiqs
Trump’s national approval rating as of April 13, according to data from Civiqs, is as follows:
- Approve — 39%.
- Disapprove — 57%.
- Neither — 4%.
Donald Trump approval rating in Illinois: The Economist
Trump has a -36% net approval rating in Illinois as of April 20, according to data from The Economist.
Donald Trump national approval rating: The Economist
Trump’s national approval rating as of April 20, according to data from The Economist, is as follows:
- Approve — 38%.
- Disapprove — 56%.
- Don’t know — 7%.
Trump, Iran War approval rating: Pew Research Center
A Pew Research study conducted in mid-March found that about six-in-ten Americans (61%) approve of Trump’s handling of the conflict in Iran, with 39% approving.
A report released in early April found that the largest concern for most Americans as a result of the conflict is higher gas prices, with 69% saying they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the issue.
Other Trump approval rating polls as of April 20
Here is a look at some other polling aggregators to understand how CNN/SSRS’s poll compares to the average Trump approval numbers as of April 20:
RealClearPolitics Poll Average: 41.2% approve, 56.6% disapprove.
The New York Times: 40% approve, 56% disapprove.
Silver Bulletin: 39.7% approve, 56.4% disapprove.
Which president has the lowest approval rating ever?
Although Trump has dropped to a historic low in approval rating polls this term so far, he hit a 34% low in the first term and other recent presidents such as Joe Biden hit a 36% low, Barack Obama hit a 40% low, George W. Bush hit a 25% low and Bill Clinton hit a 37% low, according to the Gallup polls, whose recorded lowest rating was Harry Truman with 22%.
As for the highest presidential approval ratings, George W. Bush holds the highest approval rating ever recorded at 90%, while his father, George H. Bush holds the second highest at 89%.
Trump is the only president that has not reached a 50% or higher approval to date in the Gallup polls’ history.
CENTRALIA, Ill. – An investigation is underway after multiple people were shot Sunday in Centralia, Illinois, according to a report from WFCN News in southern Illinois.
FOX 2 has confirmed the Illinois State Police is investigating a shooting and taking over the investigation, but ISP could not confirm many further details as of 9 p.m. Sunday.
“The investigation is in its infancy and to protect the integrity of the investigation, no additional details will be released at this time,” ISP said in a statement to FOX 2.
According to WFCN News, the shooting happened around 5 p.m. near the 900 block of East Kell Street in Centralia. Multiple law enforcement agencies have since responded to scene and multiple victims are hospitalized, according to the report.
It’s unclear how many people may have been injured and what led up to the shooting.
Centralia, Illinois is about 70 miles, or just over an hour, east of St. Louis.
This is a developing story. FOX 2 will update as more information becomes available.
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