Community Corner
McAuliffe Named Chair of Hepatitis C Task Force
SPRINGFIELD—The inaugural meeting of the Hepatitis C Task Force was Wednesday February 5th. The agenda was to name a chair of the task force, set a schedule, and develop goals. By unanimous consent the group nominated State Representative Michael McAuliffe as the task force chairman.
“I am honored that my colleagues have chosen me to chair the task force and help us realize our goals,” said Representative McAuliffe. “We need to raise awareness and remove the stigma about Hepatitis C and I am committed to working with the task force and my colleagues in the General Assembly to ensure that policy decisions are made.”
McAuliffe was the house sponsor of the bill and helped shepherd it through the legislative process last spring. Along the way the representative’s legislation gained the support of co-sponsors Rep Charles Jefferson, Rep Daniel Burke, Rep Keith Farnham, and Rep Linda Chapa LaVia and senate sponsors Sen Antonio Munoz, Sen Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Sen Pamela Althoff, Sen Mattie Hunter, Sen Donne Trotter, and Sen Jacqueline Collins.
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Hepatitis C is a growing problem in Illinois and the United States primarily with the baby boomers’ generation. In fact, new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control recommend that all baby boomers be tested. Hepatitis C is often called “The Silent Epidemic”, with Illinois having 128,509 cases of Hepatitis C in 2006, according to the Hepatitis C Index.
After discussion and hearing from task force experts, the group determined that the most important needs of the state are education, screening, and access to care. The task force will continue to meet and develop strategies for addressing these areas.
