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
Instituto del Progreso Latino (Instituto) is a nationally recognized education hub serving over 8,000 participants from across Cook County and low-income communities on Chicago’s southwest side. Instituto programs and services include adult basic education, English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes, workforce development, career pathway and employment support, and wrap-around social services.
Latino immigrants and their families can also gain skills that foster full participation in society while preserving cultural identity and dignity through citizenship and adult education courses, family literacy, immigration legal aid services, employment training, youth development programs and more. Instituto del Progreso Latino also includes:
- Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy for high school students seeking to focus on a career in the health sciences field
- Instituto College, which prioritizes the recruitment and retention of non-traditional, first-generation college students and values the training of bilingual and bi-culturally sensitive nursing professionals.
- Online and in-person English, citizenship and adult education courses
For questions, please call Instituto del Progreso Latino at (773) 890-0055.
Universidad Popular (UP) is a nonprofit organization that promotes community empowerment through participatory learning. UP provides language courses, a wide range of youth and family support, job readiness training, independent living skills, a digital literacy program, health and nutrition seminars, and more. Its programs include:
- Youth Mentoring Initiative for young men
- UP to Youth featuring fun activities promoting mental and physical health, coding and community engagement
- Families Learning to Teach
- Learning to Succeed
- Overcoming Barriers to Success for people with disabilities
- Digital Literacy Program
- Health and Literacy Initiative
Universidad Popular is located at 2801 S. Hamlin Ave. in Chicago with sites in Little Village and West Lawn.
For more information, please call UP at (773) 733-5055 or visit the Contact Us Page to complete the online form.
DEAF, Inc. is a deaf-centric, community-based nonprofit organization located in St. Louis, Mo. It promotes inclusion and communication access for people of all ages who are deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind and hearing. Resources, programs and services include American Sign Language (ASL) classes, ASL storytelling, interpreting services, community events, deaf visual arts, deaf teen club and more.
Need help or have questions? Contact DEAF, Inc. at (314) 714-6400 or fill out the Contact Us online form on the website.
Family Resources
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.
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:
- The Illinois Respite Coalition at (866) ILL-RESP (455-7377), ext. 101, or email ilrespitecoalition@gmail.com.
- Spanish-speaking callers may call (866) 866-ILL-RESP (455-7377), ext. 103, or email ilrespitecoalition@gmail.com.
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.