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October 2026 Public Health E-Newsletter |
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The Public Health Department recently finished a five-year community health assessment and improvement plan. To gather firsthand information from residents in Oak Park, we worked with survey company Polco in the spring and summer of 2025 to create and distribute a survey to collect information about:
- health
- engagement with the health care system
- health behaviors, such as physical activity and substance use
- health care costs and financial security
We contacted 3,000 randomly selected Oak Park residents to fill out the survey, which was available in English and Spanish, either online or on paper. After a time, we also solicited responses from any interested residents as well, and in the end, 565 responses were collected. Responses were weighted so that respondent race, gender and age reflected the population of the Village of Oak Park and statistical analysis of the data was perfromed.
Below is some of the interesting information we learned. Want to dive deeper? Read more data analysis and the full report here.
 The Public Health Department would like to thank all Village residents who generously gave their time to provide us with valuable information about our community's health. All of the information collected by the community health survey will help us more effectively plan and prioritize our public health programming and better serve the community.
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We had a great time at BarrieFest this year connecting with neighbors and enjoying a late summer Saturday outside. The main focus of our tent this year was bike and e-ride safety, and we distributed more than 100 free bike helmets to BarrieFest attendees, along with information for parents about new e-ride regulations at the local and state level. We also teamed up with Bike Walk Oak Park to discuss bike safety in Oak Park and quizzed participants on the rules of the road. Our public health nurse provided blood pressure and glucose screenings for adults, along with take-home COVID and flu tests to prepare for respiratory virus season.
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Another fantastic pie bake-off took place at the Oak Park Farmers’ Market last month. Eight bakers showed off their creativity and skill while showcasing fresh ingredients from the Market in their creations. K. Chinthana Sotakoun took home first place with her entry: a stone fruit pie with goat cheese and walnut crumb topping, featuring ingredients from Market vendors Barry’s Berries, Geneva Lakes Produce, Jake’s Meat and Eggs, and Chanticlare Farm.Get the recipes for the top three pies on our website. |
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Department staff, including our director and members of the Health Education Division, presented a draft of the latest IPLAN to the Board of Trustees last month. The IPLAN, which consists of a community health assessment and community health improvement plan, is done every five years, and takes about 18 months to complete. It is the result of data analysis and community engagement activities that culminate in identifying community health priorities and strategies to advance those aims. The Board voted to adopt the plan, and the next step is to send it to the Illinois Department of Public Health for approval. Once approved by the state, the Oak Park Public Health Department will be certified as a local health department in Illinois and be eligible to receive funding for core public health services.
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Catch Us in the Community
We'll be out and about this month as well, so check out the community events below and come say hello!
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It's the 50th anniversary of the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright Races in Oak Park on Sunday, October 18. Representatives from the Public Health Department will have a tent in the sponsor area with health information, resources and free blood pressure checks for community members. Whether you're there to cheer on a loved one or to run in the race yourself, be sure to stop by. Best of luck to all of the runners! Click here to view the race map. |
Boo! Stop by the Park District of Oak Park's annual Trunk or Treat event on Friday, October 23 starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Ridgeland Commons parking lot. Along with many other Oak Park organizations handing out treats, you can visit with the Public Health Department staff! What will we be dressed as this year? Come to the event to find out!
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