There are ten ThinkFirst Chapters in Illinois. All ten chapters share the common goal of educating our communities on the importance of preventing brain and spinal cord injuries. Please reach out to any of the directors listed below to schedule programming or ask questions. Southern Illinois University School of Medicine - Springfield Megan Eairheart- meairheart34@siumed.edu McHenry County Department of Health - Crystal Lake Bridget Hoffmann- BMHoffmann@mchenrycountyil.gov Northwestern Medicine - Winfield Katie Benjamin- katie.benjamin@nm.org OSF Saint Francis Medical Center - Peoria Lisa

Empowering individuals to be a part of the solution Recently the Behavioral Health Workforce Center (BHWC) began offering Mental Health First Aid training to employees as part of its mission to bring attention to and end the stigma of mental health and substance use challenges. This training teaches people how to identify, understand and respond when someone is experiencing these types of challenges and is facilitated by three Mental Health First Aid Certified Instructors from the BHWC: Dr. Taylor Blakeley, Training and Training Assistant Program Coordinator; Kyle Fontaine, Education and

Patient Safety Awareness Week is celebrated each March to shine a spotlight on the importance of patient safety in health care. The use of telehealth has become increasingly popular, offering convenience and accessibility to patients. At SIU Medicine, we want to provide the safest spaces for our patients, whether we see them in the clinic or on the other side of a screen. While telehealth offers many benefits, it also raises concerns about technology safety and privacy. Here are some tips to ensure your telehealth experience is safe and secure: Protect your privacy . Find a private and secure

No one ever said medical school was easy. The prevalence of mental health struggles in medical school is well-known, and studies show that medical students experience disproportionately higher rates of depression and burnout. Stress can accumulate and undermine confidence in abilities and, if left unchecked, grow into something detrimental. Results from an Elsevier Health survey released in November 2023 showed a quarter of medical students considered quitting school, and 60 percent were worried about their mental health. Students face growing challenges each year as they advance through the

No one ever said medical school was easy. The prevalence of mental health struggles in medical school is well-known, and studies show that medical students experience disproportionately higher rates of depression and burnout. Stress can accumulate and undermine confidence in abilities and, if left unchecked, grow into something detrimental. Results from an Elsevier Health survey released in November 2023 showed a quarter of medical students considered quitting school, and 60 percent were worried about their mental health. Students face growing challenges each year as they advance through the

No one ever said medical school was easy. The prevalence of mental health struggles in medical school is well-known, and studies show that medical students experience disproportionately higher rates of depression and burnout. Stress can accumulate and undermine confidence in abilities and, if left unchecked, grow into something detrimental. Results from an Elsevier Health survey released in November 2023 showed a quarter of medical students considered quitting school, and 60 percent were worried about their mental health. Students face growing challenges each year as they advance through the

No one ever said medical school was easy. The prevalence of mental health struggles in medical school is well-known, and studies show that medical students experience disproportionately higher rates of depression and burnout. Stress can accumulate and undermine confidence in abilities and, if left unchecked, grow into something detrimental. Results from an Elsevier Health survey released in November 2023 showed a quarter of medical students considered quitting school, and 60 percent were worried about their mental health. Students face growing challenges each year as they advance through the

No one ever said medical school was easy. The prevalence of mental health struggles in medical school is well-known, and studies show that medical students experience disproportionately higher rates of depression and burnout. Stress can accumulate and undermine confidence in abilities and, if left unchecked, grow into something detrimental. Results from an Elsevier Health survey released in November 2023 showed a quarter of medical students considered quitting school, and 60 percent were worried about their mental health. Students face growing challenges each year as they advance through the

No one ever said medical school was easy. The prevalence of mental health struggles in medical school is well-known, and studies show that medical students experience disproportionately higher rates of depression and burnout. Stress can accumulate and undermine confidence in abilities and, if left unchecked, grow into something detrimental. Results from an Elsevier Health survey released in November 2023 showed a quarter of medical students considered quitting school, and 60 percent were worried about their mental health. Students face growing challenges each year as they advance through the

5 questions with agricultural mental health specialist and podcaster Adrienne DeSutter Adrienne DeSutter is a farm wife and mother on her husband's fourth-generation farm in western Illinois. She hosts the podcast “Wellness in the Fields,” which focuses on mental health topics affecting Illinois’ agricultural community. The episodes are available online and through Spotify as part of the Farm Family Resource Initiative (FFRI), a group of programs coordinated by SIU’s Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development (CRHSSD). In addition to podcasting and public speaking, DeSutter creates