WEST CHICAGO, Ill. – Aiming to spread awareness and improve health outcomes for women who are in cardiac arrest and require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-West Chicago, is leading a bill that would require secondary schools to utilize a female manikin or chest cover during CPR training. 

“According to a recent study, women are 14–25% less likely than men to receive bystander CPR in public, leading to poorer survival after cardiac arrest. This gender gap is largely driven by bystander hesitation stemming from fears of inappropriate touching, sexual assault accusations, or injuring a woman’s chest. We can address this discrepancy by expanding training requirements to cater to both male and female anatomy, which differ significantly in the chest area, due to estrogen and blood vessel function,” said Hirschauer. 

Studies show that women who experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) have a 30-day survival rate at 6.2%, compared to 10.7% for men. Some experts believe that factors like social norms about touching or exposing a woman’s chest, biases in medical training, and the under-recognition of heart disease in women explain the differences in survival rates between sexes during cardiac arrest.

This policy change is spearheaded by Naperville Central High School senior, Ashlynn Goldstein. In her duties as a lifeguard, Ashlynn has taken several hours of CPR training, and has noticed a gender bias. 

“I couldn’t count the number of times I’ve taken a CPR class, but I can count the number of female manikins I’ve seen in my life: 0,” said Goldstein. “High schoolers need to be prepared to face anything in the world. My hope for them is to experience what I never did. I hope they can support women in need with less fear than before.”

Hirschauer’s House Bill 4788 seeks to close this gap in care by requiring both male and female manikins to be available during CPR training. The requirement, which would go into effect during the 2028-2029 school year, would apply to all Illinois public and private high schools due to state law that mandates CPR/AED training for all students prior to graduation.

“A measure like this deserves awareness, and I am grateful to Ashlynn Goldstein for bringing this to our attention. I’ve heard firsthand stories of women going into cardiac arrest, only to be unable to recover because a CPR administrator was uncomfortable or unable to forcefully provide CPR compressions to a feminine chest. It’s a disturbing occurrence and a significant barrier to fully understanding women’s health. My hope is that we get this bill through the finish line so that women who experience a cardiac scare have a better chance to live.”

Rep. Maura Hirschauer

(D-Batavia)
49th District

Springfield Office:
270-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1653

District Office:
946 Neltnor Blvd #104
West Chicago IL 60185

WEST CHICAGO — State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, issued the following statement in response to the federal administration’s partisan decision to halt over $10 billion in child care funding across democratic-majority states, including over $1 billion to Illinois families and children facing poverty, chronic illness or disability:

“This continuous stripping of funds that are explicitly set aside for the neediest of parents and their young ones is a blatant attack on low- and modest-income families. Just last month, tens of millions of dollars were erased for schools in my community that provide critical lifelines for children—taking away funding to feed kids, to train educators, and to support families. Once again, these families now have to face a painful reality that the federal government is not on their side. This administration does not want to maintain the safety nets we have for chronically ill children, for young families juggling multiple jobs, nor for moms or dads who need an extra hour or two at day care—an expense that is notoriously the biggest bill for families across our state,” said Hirschauer. “As a mother myself, I reflect often on how working parents pay more for day care than they do for health insurance—even housing. This is yet another example of Trump’s inhumane, and simply grotesque, cuts to make life more and more unaffordable for all families in Illinois.”

Tuesday evening the Trump Administration effectively froze all funds for programs and services provided through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The funding freeze will affect over 100,000 families, more than 152,000 children, 275 organizations and 17 programs that protect the welfare of Illinois children, seniors, people with disability, and families facing poverty and food insecurity. 

“My focus remains on what we can control here at home, as the cruelty of the federal government truly knows no bounds. I will continue to use my platform to fight for the families of my community, and our families in each corner of the state. This is our home, and we will not bow down to someone set on erasing our dignity and livelihoods.”

Hirschauer responde a la nueva ronda de recortes de Trump en materia de cuidado infantil y asistencia familiar en Illinois

La Representante estatal, Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, publicó la siguiente declaración en respuesta a la decisión partidista del gobierno federal de detener más de $10 billones en fondos para el cuidado infantil en los estados con mayoría demócrata, incluyendo más de $1 billón destinados a familias y niños de Illinois que enfrentan a la pobreza, enfermedades crónicas o discapacidades:
“Esta continua retirada de fondos que se reservan explícitamente para los padres más necesitados y sus hijos es un ataque evidente a las familias con ingresos bajos y modestos. Justo el mes pasado, se eliminaron decenas de millones de dólares destinados a las escuelas de mi comunidad que proporcionan un apoyo vital a los niños – quitándoles los fondos para alimentarlos, entrenar a los educadores, y apoyar a las familias. Una vez más, estas familias tienen que enfrentarse a la dolorosa realidad de que el gobierno federal no está de su lado. Esta administración no quiere mantener las redes de seguridad que tenemos para los niños con enfermedades crónicas, para las familias jóvenes que manejan varios empleos, ni para las mamás o los papás que necesitan una o dos horas extra en la guardería – un gasto que es la mayor factura para las familias de todo nuestro estado,” dijo Hirschauer. “Como madre, reflexiono a menudo sobre cómo los padres que trabajan pagan más por la guardería que por el seguro médico – incluso por el hogar. Este es otro ejemplo más de los recortes inhumanos y simplemente grotescos de Trump, que hace que la vida sea cada vez más inasequible para todas las familias de Illinois.”

El martes por la noche, la Administración Trump congeló efectivamente todos los fondos destinados a programas y servicios proporcionados a través de la Subvención en Bloque para el Cuidado y Desarrollo infantil (CCDBG), la Subvención en Bloque para Servicios Sociales (SSBG) y la Asistencia Temporal para Familias Necesitadas (TANF). La congelación de fondos afectará a más de 100,000 familias, más de 152,000 niños, 275 organizaciones y 17 programas que protegen el bienestar de los niños, las personas mayores, las personas con discapacidad y las familias que se enfrentan a la pobreza y la inseguridad alimentaria en Illinois.

“Mi atención sigue centrada en lo que podemos controlar aquí en nuestro estado, ya que la crueldad del gobierno federal realmente no conoce límites. Seguiré utilizando mi plataforma para luchar por las familias de mi comunidad y por nuestras familias en todos los rincones del estado. Este es nuestro hogar, y no nos doblegaremos ante nadie que se proponga arrebatarnos nuestra dignidad y nuestros medios de vida.”

Rep. Maura Hirschauer

(D-Batavia)
49th District

Springfield Office:
270-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1653

District Office:
946 Neltnor Blvd #104
West Chicago IL 60185