Health

Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, a West Coast native with more than 20 years of public health experience who serves as the executive director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, spoke on Tuesday of his burgeoning efforts to reduce youth violence in the state.

The Cook County Health and Hospitals System Finance Committee on Friday approved extending three separate contracts with staffing agencies that refer nurses to the county system. The contract extensions, each until May 31, 2014, prompted the question of how much progress CCHHS has made on the perennial issue of nurse staffing shortages.

“We’ve been grappling with this since our first meeting years ago,” said board member Jorge Ramirez, alluding to the CCHHS Board’s formation in 2008.

CCCHHS is short about 300 nurses, according to spokeswoman Caryn Stancik.