In November 2025, CHWC convened over 100 local Respiratory Therapy (RT) leaders to examine our workforce shortage and co-design solutions to increase the number of respiratory therapists in our region at our Chicagoland Respiratory Therapy Workforce Summit. Today, the newly formed Chicagoland Respiratory Therapy Workforce Collaborative is pursuing seven strategies identified at the Summit, outlined in the Action Plan through five working groups: Outreach, Student Resources, Training Quality & Capacity, RT Autonomy, and RT Job Quality. Email April at april@chihealthworks.com to get involved.

The Youth Pathways Committee (YPC), launched in 2022, is a shared committee of CHWC and the Public Health Workforce Collaborative, all projects coordinated by Health & Medicine Policy Research Group. The YPC is committed to ensuring all Chicagoland youth can explore and succeed in quality health careers that include thriving wages, benefits, and a recognition of the professions’ communal and societal importance. It serves as a community of practice for youth workforce development practitioners, and seeks to align and support partners across the health career awareness ecosystem. 

The committee is currently conducting research into geographical, cultural, and social factors that influence a young person’s participation in health pathway programs, and best practices in mentorship and experiential learning to compile actionable recommendations for HMPRG’s youth-serving programs and regional partners. Reach out to Matt McClintock, Youth Initiatives Manager at Health & Medicine Policy Research Group, at mmcclintock@hmprg.org to get involved.