COVID Testing
Saving lives and stopping the pandemic: COVID-19 Testing.
Through generous financial support and partnerships with community partners we are providing free COVID-19 testing in communities of Proviso Township.
Testing can help individuals determine whether they have been infected with COVID-19 virus. Individuals with a positive COVID-19 test result may seek medical treatment early in the course of the illness, reducing severity and risk of long-term disability, or even death. Individuals who are infected with COVID-19 virus, with or without symptoms, may spread the infection to others. In fact, nearly 50% of COVID-19 infection are transmitted by individuals without symptoms as well as who are in the period right before symptoms appear. Individuals with a positive COVID-19 test result may isolate themselves promptly, greatly reducing the spread of COVID-19 infection. Testing is one of the effective strategies to help us safely go back to work and school, playing a major role in stopping the pandemic.
Pediatric Care
Free preventative pediatric and adolescent care.
The Loyola Pediatric Mobile Health Unit is on site during selected test days, making pediatric service such as immunizations and sports physicals accessible to the community. Appointments must be scheduled in advance by calling us at 630-456-4495.
Watch this video featuring Dr. Thao Griffith, Assistant Professor at Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing and one of our co-organizers, talks about the importance for parents to continue regular check-ups and vaccinations for their children in the midst of the pandemic.
Contact Tracing Training
Increase the contract tracing capacity of Illinois.
Contact tracing is a specialized skill. It requires people with the appropriate training, supervision, and access to social and medical support for patients and contacts. To help build up the contact tracing capacity of Illinois and county health departments, we developed the Contact Tracing Corps (CTC). The CTC leverages free, online courses that teach the basics skills of contact tracing and supplements them online soft skills training. It is open to students, faculty, staff, and community members at no cost. Upon completion of the program, trainees should be well equipped to apply for contact tracing positions or volunteer with local health departments.
Learn more about the Contact Tracing Corps and Contact Tracing Corp Opportunities Board.
Would you like to stay up to date with contact tracing opportunities and training? Please fill in our interest form to sign up for our listserv.
Please contact us at ContactTracing@luc.edu if you have questions or want to connect!
Isolate & Support
Help for individuals impacted by COVID.
Many individuals who are exposed to a COVID positive person or who test positive themselves may need support in order to be able to isolate themselves for the recommended period of time. The COVID Equity Response Collaborative: Loyola’s Isolate & Support Team is on site during testing days to help connect people with social and legal resources. The team is composed of students and faculty from Loyola’s Schools of Law, Social Work, and Medicine who have worked with the Health Justice Project and Medical-Legal Partnership Illinois.
Research
CERCL is helping to prepare for the next pandemic.
When you get a COVID-19 test from CERCL, you will be given an option to help you community by participating in three different research projects. Click on the links below to learn more about each.
Who We Are
THE COVID EQUITY RESPONSE COLLABORATIVE: LOYOLA (CERCL) is a team of Public Health, Medicine, Nursing, Law, and Social Work students and professionals working in partnership with community leaders and public health officials to minimize the negative impact from COVID to vulnerable communities in the Chicago area.
As individuals, we all have advocated for structural and health equity in community, clinical and global settings. When COVID 19 hit the United States, it became evident that we would need to redouble our efforts to mitigate the harm caused by the pandemic. The COVID Equity Response Collaborative evolved in a few conversations between Loyola University Chicago students and faculty.
We are building a multi-disciplinary, collaborative network of academic, community, public, and institutional partners to work for health justice in local communities most impacted by structural inequity. In this moment, health justice means ensuring Black and Brown communities have access to COVID-19 testing, are involved in contact tracing from the ground up, and are quickly connected to resources to isolate and support when needed.
Black and Brown lives matter.
Abigail Silva, PhD
Testing Faculty Lead & Contact Tracing Faculty Lead
Dr. Silva is an assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences. She is also a research health scientist at the Hines VA Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare. Her research focuses on examining factors that impact the incidence, distribution, and control of cancer with the goal of informing policy and interventions that improve outcomes.
Email me: asilva8@luc.edu
Thao Griffith, PhD, RN
Testing Faculty Lead
Dr. Griffith is an assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. Her goal is to facilitate optimal individualized care for preterm infants and empower their parents; to prepare and empower the next generation of nurses, facilitating their journeys to becoming leaders and a person for and with others. In addition, she is highly committed to serve the community and involve in interdisciplinary effort to address systemic injustice and health disparities.
Email me: tgriffith1@luc.edu
Kate Mitchell, JD
Social and Legal Support Faculty Lead
Kate Mitchell is Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Health Justice Project at Loyola. Professor Mitchell joined the Health Justice Project in August 2017 after more than 16 years practicing and teaching in the areas of poverty law, children’s rights, and health law. Professor Mitchell has extensive experience representing children and families in poverty in access to health care, public benefits, special education, housing and family law, juvenile delinquency, prison condition cases, and other general civil law matters. She has also been involved in local, state, and national policy work in the areas of access to health care, education, and juvenile justice.
Email me: kmitchell9@luc.edu
Sponsors and Partners
GRANT SPONSORS
Partners
Maywood Park District
Berwyn Public Health District
Loyola University Health System
Loyola University Chicago Health
Justice Project
Loyola University Chicago Stritch
School of Medicine
Loyola University Chicago Parkinson
School of Health Sciences and Public Health
Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff
School of Nursing
CERCL needs your support!
About Us
CERCL is a team of public health, medicine, nursing, law, and social work students and professionals working in partnership with community leaders and public health officials to minimize the negative impact from COVID to vulnerable communities in the Chicago area.
Address
CERCL
Loyola University Chicago
Health Sciences Campus
2160 S. First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153
708-316-8882
cercl_admin@luc.edu