SPRINGFIELD, ILL. - Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, state public health director, today announced the distribution of $4.7 million to Illinois hospitals with state-designated trauma centers to help with the cost of providing treatment to severely injured patients.

The funds are generated by a $5 surcharge on traffic fines of $55 or higher and a $100 fine imposed on convictions or orders of supervision for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The money collected is deposited in the Trauma Center Fund and the Department annually awards about half of the receipts to hospital trauma centers in the geographic region where the traffic violation occurred. The amount each hospital receives from the regional share is based on the number of trauma patients for whom the hospital provides care.

The Illinois Department of Public Aid is allotted an equal amount from the special fund and distributes money to trauma centers based on the number of trauma patients cared for by the hospital who are covered by Medicaid.

To be eligible for the funds, a hospital must be designated a Level I or Level II trauma center by the Department of Public Health. Since 1993, the Department of Public Health has distributed $33 million to the state's trauma centers from the Trauma Center Fund.

The following are the hospitals and the amount of funding each received: