Volunteers are the backbone of the American Red Cross. The sufficiency of the Red Cross blood supply is in the hands of healthy blood donors who give generously for patients in need. With National Volunteer Week approaching, the Red Cross reminds eligible individuals to become regular blood donors.

In the hour it takes to give blood, donors can help save the lives of up to three patients. Make a difference; be a Red Cross blood donor and join a family of volunteers across the country in a lifesaving cause. To make an
appointment or for more information, visit redcrossblood.org.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Carroll County
April 26 from 1-6 p.m. at Carroll County Farm Bureau, 811 S. Clay St. in Mount Carroll, Ill.

Clinton County
April 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lyondell Chemical Co., 3400 Anamosa Road in Clinton, Iowa
April 30 from 12-6 p.m. at Northeast High School, 3690 Highway 136 in Goose Lake, Iowa

Henry County
April 24 from 1:15-5:15 p.m. at First Christian Church, 105 Dwight St. in Kewanee, Ill.
April 24 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Kewanee Hospital, 1051 W. South St. in Kewanee, Ill.

Mercer County
April 16 from 12-6 p.m. at VFW Hall, 106 SW Third Ave. in Aledo, Ill.
April 22 from 2-6 p.m. at Alexis Community Center, 204 W. Palmer Ave. in Alexis, Ill.

Whiteside County
April 16 from 1-5:15 p.m. at River Bend Senior Center, 912 Fourth St. in Fulton, Ill.
April 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Morrison Institute of Technology, 701 Portland in Morrison, Ill.
April 17 from 2-6 p.m. at Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St. in Rock Falls, Ill.
April 23 from 1-5:15 p.m. at River Bend Senior Center, 912 Fourth St. in Fulton, Ill.
April 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St. in Rock Falls, Ill.
April 25 from 4-7 p.m. at Rock Falls Blood Donation Center, 112 W. Second St. in Rock Falls, Ill.
April 27 from 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at CGH Medical Center, 100 E. LeFevre Road in Sterling, Ill.

The need is constant. The gratification is instant. Give blood.™

How to donate blood
Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

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Celebrating National Public Health Week

Healing Lotus Acupuncture and Moline Chiropractic Clinic will be hosting some special events for National Health Week, April 1st - April 5th.  All events will be held at 4300 12th Avenue in Moline from 6pm - 7:30pm.

On Tuesday April 2nd Scott Stewart, LAc, Dipl. will be discussing, "How acupuncture works?" This will be one of many successive topics in an Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine Series, which covers some of the theoretical aspects of Eastern medicine.

Wednesday April 3rd Scott Stewart, LAc, Dipl. and Dr. Davis will be discussing chronic fatigue syndrome, its causes and treatment options.  This will be the first in a sequence of dialogues called the Lifestyle Transformation Series, which will explore the debilitating effects of a Western lifestyle, and what we can do to counteract this; while instilling an attitude that promotes healthy choices and healthy living.

Friday April 5th we will be screening the movie 9000 Needles.  The story of how Traditional Chinese Medicine changed the life of a recent stroke patient, whose insurance refused to cover his therapy.

To reserve a seat for any of these events you can contact Healing Lotus Acupuncture or Moline Chiropractic Clinic by phone at (309) 764-4753.  Reservations can also be made by email at healinglotustcm@gmail.com

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Rock Island - Christian Care, a local nonprofit charity that provides shelter and an array of services for homeless men, and women and children who have experienced domestic violence, now offers a support group called Understanding Suicide: ASAP (Awareness, Support, Action, Prevention). The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 3rd at 4:00 p.m. at the Rock Island Public Library, 401 19 th Street in Rock Island. The Understanding Suicide group will meet every other Wednesday from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

The group has been formed to serve individuals who have contemplated or attempted suicide, those coping with the suicide of a loved one and those concerned about a loved one by providing education, resources, support and an opportunity to share and process thoughts and feelings related to suicide. Although a mental health expert will facilitate the group, this is not a therapy group.

"I went through a hardship ten years ago, and I attempted suicide," said Holly Bailey, one of the group's founders. "I wish people would feel more comfortable talking about mental illness?there's still a stigma that's attached to it, leaving people feeling helpless and all alone."

The group's goals include sharing experiences related to suicide, learning suicide's warning signs, understanding the process for helping at-risk individuals, and providing information and knowledge about preventing suicide. For more information, contact Sharon De Frieze at (309) 799-5421.

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Directs Public Health Director to Lead Health Care Jobs Review as Illinois and Nation Mark Third Anniversary of Affordable Care Act

CHICAGO - As Illinois moves forward implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to increase access to quality health care, Governor Pat Quinn today tapped the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health to lead a workgroup that will recommend steps the state needs to take to fill thousands of new health care jobs created by the ACA. Today's announcement, on the third anniversary of the President's signing of the ACA into law, is part of Governor Quinn's commitment to improve the health of the people of Illinois. The workgroup will help ensure Illinois reaps the full benefits of the landmark legislation.

"In President Obama's home state, we are taking full advantage of this historic opportunity to increase access to health care and create thousands of good-paying jobs," Governor Quinn said. "The ACA will help bring affordable health coverage to hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois. We want to make sure our veterans, students and everyone who is looking for new career opportunities will be able to take advantage of the new health care jobs available."

To help ensure that Illinois is prepared for the growth in the health care jobs sector, the governor has directed the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck to lead a Health Care Workforce Workgroup. The workgroup will assess and plan for the jobs needed to achieve the goals of health care reform and meet the health needs of Illinois' growing, increasingly diverse and aging population.

The workgroup will assess the existing health care workforce landscape and develop an analysis of gaps that need to be filled both for current needs and the impending demand once hundreds of thousands of people gain access to health coverage as of January 1, 2014. The workgroup will recommend a workforce action plan by September 2013 to immediately address any gaps that are identified and to strengthen training and education efforts for health care jobs. In addition to IDPH, the workgroup includes the departments of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, Health Care & Family Services, Aging, Financial & Professional Regulation, Employment Securities, Veteran's Affairs, Human Services and Children & Family Services with support from the UIC School of Medicine and participation from external stakeholders as needed.

"This is a tremendously exciting time to be working in the health care field," Dr Hasbrouck said. "By making health care affordable and accessible, we can shift our focus to keeping people healthy instead of just treating them when they become sick. This transformation is creating career opportunities for thousands of people. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Quinn, Illinois is doing everything in its power to identify our workforce needs and provide paths to training and education so these needs can be met."

The workgroup is an offshoot of the Health Care Reform Implementation Council that the governor created soon after President Obama signed the ACA into law on March 23, 2010. The Council, led by the governor's Senior Health Care Policy Adviser Michael Gelder, includes all of the state's health care and human services agencies.

Additionally, the Illinois Workforce Investment Board (IWIB) voted on March 14th, 2013 to re-constitute its Health Care Taskforce to develop a long-term strategic plan for a sustainable labor force in Illinois, which will meet the health care needs of its residents for years to come. The taskforce will allow for broader stakeholder engagement and build upon the current work of the Illinois Pathways, Health Sciences STEM Learning Exchange.

Governor Quinn demonstrated his commitment to creating health care jobs in February when he announced a $52.5 million investment in a new allied health addition at South Suburban College in South Holland. Supported by $41.6 million in funding from Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program, the addition will dramatically expand opportunities for students in the south suburbs to pursue professional training for good-paying jobs in the health care field.

Illinois has received more than $250 million in federal funds to prepare for the full implementation of the ACA in 2014. Among the major steps it has taken are the following:

·         Conditional approval by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of a state-federal partnership, the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace that will start enrolling clients on October 1. The Marketplace will be accessed through a robust, user-friendly website where individuals, families and small businesses will be able to compare health care policies and premiums and purchase comprehensive health coverage.

·         Establishment of an Essential Health Benefits benchmark plan that spells out the benefits that must be covered for health plans on the Marketplace.

·         Received a $25 million Community Transformation Grant that is being used to fund the We Choose Health program designed to promote a healthy, active and tobacco-free lifestyle along with quality preventive and clinical care.

·         Received a $2 million federal grant that will advance efforts to develop a State Health Care Innovation Plan. The funding is intended to aid states that are working to design and implement improvements to their health care systems that will bolster health care quality and decrease costs.

Governor Quinn has also urged the House of Representatives to pass Senate Bill 26, which has already passed the Senate and will increase access to health care through the Medicaid program.

For more information on Illinois' implementation of the ACA, visit: http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/healthcarereform/Pages/HealthReformImplementation.aspx.

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