People need more than medical services to promote and protect their health. They also need access to reliable and comprehensible health information. All are invited to the Evanston Public Library on Tuesday, November 18, from 6:30-8:30PM to learn about current health trends that affect them and new collaborations created to promote and enhance public health in our community.

The discussion program "In Sickness and In Health" features: Evonda Thomas-Smith, Director, Evanston Health Department, Dr. Catherine Counard, Director, Village of Skokie Health Department, and Dr. Avery Hart, Chief Medical Officer, Erie Evanston/Skokie Community Health Center.

Speakers will cover topics including: managing chronic health issues, the flu and other viruses, obesity, illness prevention and more. They will also discuss the upcoming establishment of Health Information Resource Centers to be staffed by Global Health students from Northwestern University. These students are trained to be health educators and advocates for community health, providing links to healthcare resources and information. The resource centers will be based in the Evanston and Skokie Public Libraries.

With the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010, the City of Evanston and the Village of Skokie health departments have undertaken comprehensive community health assessments and developed strategic health plans. As part of this planning, they are partnering with Presence/St. Francis and Evanston Northshore University Hospital, more than 500 community health based organizations, and the Global Health Department at Northwestern University to provide reliable health information, promote available and affordable health services, and use community health volunteers to link people to community health resources in  Evanston and Skokie.

This program is free and light refreshments will be served.