HealthWell Foundation

The HealthWell Foundation aims to reduce financial barriers to care for underinsured patients with chronic or life-altering diseases. It provides financial assistance to eligible individuals to cover copays, health care premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.

Consumer Safety

ConsumerSafety.org strives to make information about recalls and safety-related news about drugs, medical devices, food and consumer products accessible to everyone in a transparent, easily understandable way.

Central Illinois Public Transit

Central Illinois Public Transit provides reliable and timely transportation that is wheelchair-accessible and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The program serves the counties of Christian, Clay, Effingham, Fayette, Montgomery, Moultrie and Shelby.

The Journey Through Diagnosis: A Guide for Families of Children with a Genetic Condition

The Family Forum of the Region 4 Midwest Genetics Collaborative wrote this guide to provide information and support to families whose child has been diagnosed with a genetic condition. It is written from the family perspective and includes information they felt was important when facing a new diagnosis. The material includes advice and tips to help guide families on their journey.

DuPage County Transition Planning Committee

The DuPage County Transition Planning Committee is a group composed of representatives from the local special education co-ops, school districts, Department of Human Services-Division of Rehabilitation Services office, adult service providers, vocational coordinators, representatives of the business community, parents and clients. The committee meets to network, educate, learn, share and support services for individuals with disabilities

IEP Organization Tips

Understood.org gives parents step-by-step instructions for how to create an individualized education program (IEP) binder that sorts their child’s evaluation reports, IEP, report cards and other paperwork. The site includes an IEP binder checklist, school contact sheet, parent-school communication log and IEP goal tracker that parents can download and print.

Transition Information Sheet for Families

The Transition Information Sheet for Families (05.92) provides guidance for parents to know when and how to support their child/youth to begin managing their own health conditions and health care services.

Wheelchair Maintenance Guide

This guide provides basic tips for keeping your wheelchair in good working order.

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
  • 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:

CHECK

CHECK is an innovative health and behavioral health care delivery organization working to improve overall health and quality of life by making sure that patients and their families receive the resources and care they need.

The CHECK team provides comprehensive and coordinated health and behavioral health care coordination to patients across the lifespan. Its team consists of Care Coordinators and Behavioral Health Care Coordinators who provide assistance with navigation of the healthcare system, referrals to health and social services, and offer ongoing patient and family support with the goal of improving physical, behavioral, and social health.

​The CHECK program is located in the Department of Pediatrics in the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System (UI Health) and operates as the Department of Pediatrics Clinical Population and Behavioral Health Program.

CHECK also provides disease-specific education modules on sickle cell disease, diabetes, asthma and prematurity.