(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Cook County officials say they need more help to provide health care for migrants in the area and they shy away from the idea of expanding their mission.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said her government is sticking to what it does best: providing health care for the migrants in shelters or where needed.
Dr. Erik Mikaitis, interim CEO for the Health and Hospitals, said it's costly.
"In terms of costs, the health system currently is estimating $37 for the cost of care at a rate of about $2.5 million per month."
Cook County government has not offered to house migrants on any of its own land, but Preckwinkle said it has spent some $37 million dollars providing health care for migrants.
"Our focus is on what we're good at and our area of expertise is healthcare and that's kind of been our lane from the very beginning in August 2022 and that's the lane we're gonna stick to."
The county has a fund to help local governments provide shelter, but, there've been few takers.
Preckwinkle said that Oak Park has accepted new arrivals and the county has provided some support for them for that, but she "has no idea about the interests or intentions or willingness of mayors in suburban Cook County to help beat this challenge."
She also said her talks with other mayors early on produced no offers of help.
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