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Resource Directory

Find resource information for families and children with special healthcare needs.

Some of these resources are specific for families and children enrolled in our programs. Others may be of interest to any family or child with special healthcare needs.

You can use the search box below to narrow your view. For example, you can search for support groups, respite, grant programs, a specific topic or by condition.

You can also browse by category or by region using the links on the right side of this page.

Here is a quick video showing how to use the search and display features for our resources and events.

Check back often for updates. If you don’t find what you need, please call us at (800) 322-3722 or send us an email.

Education Resources

  • Autism Training and Technical Assistance Project

    The Autism Training and Technical Assistance Project (ATTA) creates and provides resources and professional development tools to help individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in their transition from secondary to postsecondary education or employment. ATTA provides training and support to students, young adults, families, employers and community members to ensure an equitable experience for individuals on the spectrum. ATTA offers:

    For questions, please contact Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support (ICSPS) Director Aimee LaFollette Julian, PhD, at (309) 438-5122.

    ICSPS maintains the Autism Training and Technical Assistance Project website on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education.

  • Mano a Mano Family Resource Center

    Mano a Mano Family Resource Center provides culturally and linguistically competent support services to immigrant communities in Lake and McHenry Counties. Mano a Mano focuses on helping the hardest-to-reach and most vulnerable families and individuals in the community. Its resources and services include health resources, educational classes and workshops, and immigration legal services. Mano a Mano programs also include:

    • Mano a Mano Informa on Facebook Live on the first and third Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. The live discussion offers immigration updates, community resources and guidance to help families
    • Informados & Conectados on Facebook and YouTube every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. It covers important community topics and available resources
    • The TANDA Emergency Community Fund, which provides assistance in the form of gift cards for local grocery stores and/or Visa gift cards to buy other critical, non-grocery items such as prescription medications and transportation.
    • A community garden

    Mano a mano is based in Round Lake and also has a satellite office in North Chicago.

    For questions or more information, please call (847) 201-1521 or email mamappointments@mamfrc.org.

  • Centro de Información

    Centro de Información is a non-profit agency that provides bilingual advocacy at its locations in Elgin, Carpentersville and Hanover Park. Centro serves mostly low-income, Hispanic immigrants residing in the greater Fox Valley area, but welcomes clients of any nationality from surrounding counties and states. The center’s services include:

    • Counseling for children, youth, and their families
    • Information, recommendations, referrals and advocacy about public benefits
    • Help with employment, housing, and more
    • Preparation of immigration and naturalization applications
    • Educational workshops for parents and the community.

    Centro de Información es una agencia hispana de servicio social. Anualmente, el Centro atiende a miles de personas de nuestra comunidad, la mayoría de ellas inmigrantes hispanos de bajos recursos. El Centro les provee de servicios tales como consejería para niños, jóvenes y sus familias; información, recomendaciones, referencias y abogacía en las áreas de beneficios públicos, el trabajo, la vivienda, etc.; preparación de solicitudes de inmigración y de naturalización; y talleres informativos para los padres de familia y la comunidad en general.

    For questions, please visit the Centro de Información website contact page for contact information and location addresses.

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Family Resources

  • Special Father's Network

    Special Father’s Network is a dad-to-dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs.

    The program connects new fathers of children with special abilities with another father (a Mentor Father) who has experienced a similar situation. The program matches Mentor Fathers as closely as possible based on the child’s special needs, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic group and relationship to the child e.g., .father, stepfather, grandfather).

    The Special Father’s Network is available through the 21st Century Dads Foundation, which raises awareness and resources for greater father involvement and seeks to inspire dads to be present, caring and nurturing.

    For questions, please use the 21st Century Dads Contact form or email info@21stCenturyDads.org.

  • Illinois Respite Coalition

    The Illinois Respite Coalition (IRC) is a not-for-profit organization of caregivers and respite providers dedicated to supporting families and ensuring access to quality respite services for the residents of Illinois. The IRC assists caregivers by connecting them to resources in their area, providing training on respite topics and having funding available for emergency respite. The IRC helps caregivers of individuals across the lifespan with any disability.

    The Emergency Respite Care Program offers funding and resources to support caregivers who are not receiving any respite services and have an urgent need for respite care in the absence of any other funding source.  Emergency respite care may be for an unplanned or planned event for reasons including:

    • Caregiver illness (physical, mental or emotional)
    • Caregiver hospitalization or doctor appointments
    • Work-related situation or loss of employment
    • Reduction of stress level
    • Funeral or wake

    The website gives examples of qualifying circumstances and information on how to apply. For more information, contact:

  • Almost Home Kids

    Almost Home Kids provides a bridge from hospital to home through an innovative community-based care system for children with medical complexities up to age 22. It responds to the needs of families, trains caregivers, offers respite care, advocates for accessibility and inclusion and educates healthcare professionals.

    Almost Home Kids offers transitional, respite and respite transportation care. It has locations in Chicago, Naperville and Peoria.

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