ILLINOIS LYME ASSOCIATION
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Mission Statement
The mission of the Illinois Lyme Association is to raise awareness of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. ILA provides the public with information and education on protection, prevention, and the risk of tick bites. ILA works with individuals and families on education and support for the treatment of Lyme disease as well as working with health professionals and researchers to accomplish their goals.
About This Cause
The ILA is the only not-for-profit entity in the State of Illinois focused on making partnerships that lead and facilitate efforts in Illinois that help advance positive outcomes for people affected by tick-borne diseases. The ILA is educating and informing citizens regarding disease prevention as well as diagnosis and treatment. The ILA also catalyzes networking and coordination among public agencies, the health care system in general, and offers outreach and support for people affected by these diseases. The ILA has formed partnerships with the University of Illinois including the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, National Great Rivers Research Education Center, the Prairie Research Institute, and the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS). Collaborations are also underway with The Allan Lab, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and the Illinois State Medical Society. The ILA is also working with healthcare professionals, medical residency programs and several hospital networks and associations to provide education campaigns for medical providers. The State of Illinois is emerging as a lead Midwestern state for tick research and the ILA has greatly contributed to this trajectory. The ILA has been agile in effectively augmenting the work of public agencies. The ILA is: • Effectively working with multiple medical residency programs such as Southern Illinois University Medical Residents and the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford, Peoria & Chicago; and healthcare professionals and several hospital networks to provide education campaigns for health care providers. • Advancing Tick Talk 101 – What You Need to Know, a comprehensive presentation for the public regarding tick-borne diseases, the pathogens they carry, symptoms and how to use proper protection. • Advancing our workforce safety presentation for the most at-risk businesses and union organizations to teach best practices for proper tick safety in the workplace. • Helping families that are affected by tick-borne diseases by hosting support group meetings and connecting them with much needed resources and treatment possibilities. Developing a Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program and operating monthly virtual support meetings. • Assisting the IDPH in initiating an active tick surveillance effort to better track the incidence and prevalence of ticks in Illinois. This effort is generating unrefutable data that ticks are very abundant, and tick-borne diseases is very prevalent in Illinois. • Working with natural resource managers to raise awareness of ticks. The ILA and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is implementing the ILA’s Tick Research Education and Evaluation program (TREE). The ILA was awarded a 2-year grant for $300,000. In convert with the IDNR, the ILA is raising the awareness of IDNR staff on best protection practices when out in the field and is providing education to hunters and hunter safety students. Additional signage in state parks signage is providing tick avoidance and warning information. The ILA has also partnered with the INHS to establish the first passive tick surveillance pilot program within state parks. This program will enable citizens in state parks to have tick identification and disease screening services. The information generated by this effort will also inform the tick surveillance program currently underway with IDPH. • Collaborating with medical health systems and laboratories to improve access to appropriate patients. • Establishing a mental health consortium at a local level with County 708 Boards. • Establishing County Coordinator positions in the ILA to locate resources on a local level.