Media Resource Center

The Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) is a state law that provides all persons with access to public records.

It is the general policy of the Cook County Health that all persons are entitled to full and complete copies of, or the right to inspect, the public records in the health system’s possession or under its control, within the parameters of the law.

Further information on the Freedom of Information Act can be found at Illinois Compiled Statutes at 5 ILCS 140/1.

Request for Public Records
All FOIA requests for public records must be in writing and must include the name, mailing address or other contact information of the requester, and a description of the public records requested.

For Records of the Cook County Department of Public Health, please contact:

FOIA Officer
Cook County Department of Public Health
Administration Building
15900 S. Cicero Avenue
Oak Forest, IL 60452

For all other requests, please contact:

Cook County Health – General Counsel
Attention: FOIA request
1950 W. Polk St
Chicago, IL 60612
[email protected]

Fees
Cook County Health may charge fees according to the following schedule to reimburse its actual cost for reproducing and certifying, where applicable, public records and for the use, by any person, of the equipment of the Health System to copy records. No fees shall be charged for the first 50 pages of black and white, letter or legal-size copies. Cook County Health may provide information on diskette, cd, or electronic form, and the cost shall be the actual cost incurred by the health system. Fees for reproducing records in any form not listed herein shall be based on the actual cost incurred by the Cook County Health. Additional fees may be charged as provided by law.

Where it is anticipated that fees to the requester will exceed $25, the requester shall be notified of the amount of the anticipated fee. The requester shall be extended the opportunity to modify the request.

Where the anticipated fee exceeds $25, an advance deposit of either 25% of the anticipated fee or $25, whichever is greater, may be required before the material will be reproduced. Where a requester previously failed to pay a fee, an advance deposit of the full amount may be required before the material will be reproduced. When required, if the advance deposit is not received within 30 days following notice of the advance deposit due, the request will be deemed to have been withdrawn.