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
PKU Organization of Illinois Andrew Craig Memorial Scholarship
The PKU Organization of Illinois awards the Andrew Craig Memorial Scholarship annually to qualified individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU) or allied disorders. Eligible applicants may receive scholarships of up to $2,000. The scholarship applicant requirements include:
- Having PKU or an Allied Disorder diagnosis
- Currently residing in Illinois
- Enrolling to attend an accredited college, university or vocational school for the fall semester of the current calendar year
A student may receive more than one scholarship during their secondary education but not in consecutive years.
Diverse Learners Recovery Fund
The Diverse Learners Recovery Fund is a lottery-style grant program for Chicago families with children with disabilities offered through the Chicago Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities and Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. The fund will provide one-time grants of $500 to up to 8,000 eligible K-12 students through a lottery. Families must submit an application and complete the verification process to participate. The deadline to apply is Oct. 30, 2024.
The Diverse Learners Recovery Fund program will select recipients through three lottery drawings on the following dates:
- July 1, 2024
- Sept. 16, 2024
- On or after Nov. 30, 2024
The program will notify selected applicants by email. Verified applications that are not chosen will be included in the next drawing.
Submitting an eligible application does not guarantee you will receive the funds.
After 22 Transition Program for Adults With Disabilities
After 22 is Richard J. Daley College’s comprehensive transition program for adults with disabilities ages 18 and older. The After 22 Pilot Program connects adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to career training, educational opportunities and jobs. This program also teaches students life skills, provides them with coaches and mentors, and allows them to experience social and extracurricular activities.
Students who complete this program will earn a Career Advancement Certificate from the college (not an academic degree).
To enroll in After 22, students must have been ensured a free public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), have a documented intellectual disability, have a high school diploma or GED, and be 18 or older.
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 with special needs children to 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.
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
- Work-related situation
- Reduction of stress level
The website gives examples of qualifying circumstances and information on how to apply. See the emergency care flyer for more details. (The flyer is also available in Spanish.)
For more information contact:
- The Illinois Respite Coalition at (866) ILL-RESP (455-7377)
- Statewide Coordinator Tammy Foster at tfoster@illinoisrespitecoalition.org or (866) 455-7377, ext. 104
- Spanish-speaking callers may call (866) 455-7377, ext. 103
Almost Home Kids provides a bridge from hospital to home through an innovative community-based care system for children with medical complexities. 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.
Medical/Health Resources
Get Covered Illinois - The Official Health Marketplace
If you are looking for health insurance for yourself or your family, or if you own a small business or lead a nonprofit organization this website is the official site in Illinois for signing up for health insurance.
UIC College of Dentistry Inclusive Care Clinic in Chicago
The Inclusive Care Clinic (ICC) from the University of Illinois Chicago’s College of Dentistry offers comprehensive, preventative and integrated (multidisciplinary) dental treatment for patients 15 years or older with a wide range of physical and developmental disabilities. The ICC serves individuals with autism, physical disabilities, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and behavioral and other conditions.
The clinic includes:
- A sensory room
- A wheelchair lift
- Private treatment rooms
- Noise-cancelling headphones
- Personal entertainment tablets
- Weighted blankets
Endeavor Health Mobile Dental Clinic
Endeavor Health (formerly Northwest Community Healthcare) Mobile Dental Clinic offers family dental care for residents without access to a dentist due to financial barriers in Elk Grove, Palatine, Schaumburg or Wheeling Townships. Individuals must meet income guidelines and not have private dental insurance.
The clinic does not accept walk-ins. It may charge a copay for adult visits. Children’s services are free. To be eligible for services, patients must:
- Reside in Elk Grove, Palatine, Schaumburg or Wheeling Townships
- Undergone screening by their township before making an appointment
- Have an income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level or be on General Assistance or Medicaid
See the Mobile Dental Clinic flyer in English and Spanish for enrollment details and a contact number for each township.