Illinois Earns Top-Tier National Ranking for Emergency Preparedness (Springfield, IL) – Illinois has been recognized as a “high-performance” state for emergency preparedness in a newly released national report evaluating states’ readiness to respond to public health crises, natural disasters and bioterror threats.
The designation, announced by the Illinois Department of Public Health, comes from Trust for America’s Health, which annually ranks states using indicators tied to emergency response systems, health security surveillance, patient safety and incident management.
Illinois moved from the middle performance tier in 2025 to the highest tier in 2026, joining only 19 other states nationwide to receive the top ranking.
State officials said the improved ranking reflects years of investment in public health infrastructure, preparedness planning and workforce development.
“Despite the Trump administration gutting vital resources for states, Illinois continues to strengthen its public health partnerships and preventative measures while leading with science,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. “While we are proud to be recognized as one of the most prepared states, we remain gravely concerned about the lack of cooperation, resources, and commitment to science on the federal level should there be another public health catastrophe or other disaster.”
IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said the ranking demonstrates Illinois’ commitment to strengthening public health readiness and protecting vulnerable communities during emergencies.
“Earning a high-performance ranking reflects our deep commitment to strengthening Illinois’s readiness for public health emergencies,” Vohra said. “IDPH has invested in stronger systems, better training, and global partnerships that enhance our ability to protect our communities during times of crisis.”
According to IDPH, Illinois’ preparedness improvements stem from several major initiatives, including:
- A $1.5 million investment to upgrade two state hospitals into Elite Special Pathogen Treatment Centers
- A $45 million modernization effort for public health data systems
- Creation of a Public Health Emergency Preparedness Response Playbook following the COVID-19 pandemic
- Expanded workforce preparedness training and emergency planning
- Joining the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network after the federal government withdrew from WHO
- Expanded vaccine access and science-based immunization guidance
- Increased use of mobile vaccination clinics and pharmacy immunization access for children
The state also adopted the 2026 child and adolescent immunization schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and expanded the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee to strengthen scientific review processes.
The annual Trust for America’s Health report categorizes states into high, middle and low-performance groups based on emergency preparedness capabilities.
Officials say Illinois previously received high-performance rankings in 2020 and 2022.
Illinois Earns Top-Tier National Ranking for Emergency Preparedness
