Illinois Public Health Career – IL

By allied health world contributing writer
Published: February, 12 2010

If you live in or are moving to Illinois and are interested in becoming a public health professional, you’re in luck. The average salary for a public health professional in the state is $66,000 per year, which is four percent higher than the national average, according to indeed.com.

Licensed and Certified Public Health Occupations in Illinois

Here is some information on specific Illinois public health careers.

Women’s Health

Every activity that is performed by the Office of Women’s Health (OWH) via the Illinois Department of Public Health is intended to assist the women of the state. The OWH was created in 1997 with the purpose of improving the health of women and girls in Illinois throughout their entire lives. The OWH operates a toll-free health line for women, and offers a variety of programs, publications, funding opportunities, and training resources.

The education programs that the OWH funds are provided via local health departments, schools, and non-profit community agencies. They include health promotion activities and multi-week workshops that review topics that are important to women, including menopause, osteoporosis, eating disorders, and cardiovascular disease. These programs are designed to persuade girls and women to adopt healthier lifestyle habits.

Among the specific programs offered by the OWH are the WISEWOMAN Program (WWP) and Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP). The WWP was created to show women how to reduce their heart disease risks and encourage them to live a healthier lifestyle, while the IBCCP provides free cervical and breast cancer screenings for women aged 35-64 who have no health insurance and little to no income.

Learn more about the OWH at http://www.idph.state.il.us/about/womenshealth/owh.htm.

Environmental Health

The IDPH’s Division of Environmental Health was created to prevent and reduce disease and injury incidents that are environmentally related. Employees in this field have five main areas of work: inspections, facility and vocational licensing, rulemaking, engineering and toxicological reports, and construction permits and plan reviews.

By carrying out these tasks in a successful manner, the environmental health laws and regulations of Illinois will ensure the environmental safety and health of the citizens of the state.

The Division of Environmental Health has created many specific programs that cover numerous categories. Some of its employees are charged with protecting the health of individuals who live in manufactured housing, migrant labor camps, and mobile home parks. Other employees have the responsibility to make sure that youth camps, campgrounds, swimming pools, beaches, and other recreational areas remain safe and clean for everyone.

The Division also protects the safety of non-community and private supplies of water by licensing employees to install pumps and construct wells in Illinois, along with constructing private sewage disposal systems and pumping septic systems. Removing the harmful chemical known as asbestos from schools and other public and commercial buildings is another priority, along with pest control and lead abatement. Finally, the Division recommends ways to eliminate or control mosquitoes or other disease-carrying insects by surveying the state, and investigates exposure to toxic substances to contain or prevent negative health effects.

Applications and licenses for this department can be found at http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/toc.htm.

Emergency Medical Systems and Highway Safety

Emergency Medical Systems (EMS) and Highway Safety is another division of the IDPH. Employees in this field in Illinois include basic, intermediate, and paramedic emergency medical technicians (EMTs), first responders, lead instructors, trauma nurse specialists, emergency communications nurses, emergency medical dispatchers, and pre-hospital nurses.

For a list of applications and examination information for these fields in Illinois, go to http://www.idph.state.il.us/ems/.