AMC Theatres has partnered with the Autism Society to offer sensory-friendly movie showings on the second and fourth Saturday (family-friendly) and Wednesday evenings (mature audiences) of every month.

Participating theaters are located throughout Illinois in areas including Chicago, Edwardsville, Peoria, Quincy, Mount Vernon, and Springfield.

The Sensory Friendly Film program allows families to see a movie with lights on, lower sound and the freedom to get up, dance, walk, shout or sing. Please check your local theatre listings for specific showtimes.

Illinois Money Wellness is a text campaign to encourage good money habits for people with disabilities and the people who support them. Illinois Money Wellness provides one text per week with information on financial wellness resources and advice from the National Disability Institute in collaboration with the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities.

You will receive one text per week and your personal information will not be shared with anyone when you sign up for Illinois Money Wellness. You may use this form to sign up or text MONEY to (833) 313-0298.

A portable medical summary is helpful for summarizing your medical information in one to two pages. You can use this summary across healthcare systems, including:

• With the emergency department
• In the transition to adult providers
• With your college campus health services and more

The summary can help provide quick and concise communication with all providers involved in your care as you transition to adulthood.

“Family Connections with Pediatrics” is a series of family-written blogs summarizing research articles in Pediatrics Journal. Each blog explains the “scientific literature” findings and what they may mean for families, including:

• Examples of how the findings apply to real-life situations
• Suggestions for ways that families and healthcare professionals can work together for the health and well-being of children and families

The Child Neurology Foundation and the American Academy of Pediatrics have joined forces with medical and educational experts to create a Back-to-School Educational Series.

The series covers issues including:

• When a child should return to school
• Medications in school
• Holding an Individualized Education Program (IEP) in the “new normal” COVID-19 era
• Additional resources to inform decision-making for families of children with special needs

Caritas Family Solutions is a non-profit social services agency that works to meet the physical, social and emotional needs of people in southern Illinois.

Services include adoption support, foster care, community integrated living arrangements, counseling, parenting classes, pregnancy care and more.

Comprehensive Community Based Youth Services (CCBYS) serves youth ages 11 to 17 who are involved in the legal system or at risk of crisis (homelessness, etc.). CCBY provides programs to help stabilize families and prevent or minimize involvement in the child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems. Anyone can request services for an eligible youth, including the youth.

CCBY services include:

• Assessments
• Statewide 24/7 crisis intervention services
• Juvenile justice system intervention services
• Placement services for crisis youth – shelter, foster care, etc.

You can contact the toll-free CCBYS Information Line at (877) 870-2663.

Thresholds provides recovery services for persons with mental illnesses and substance use disorders in Illinois. Thresholds’ services include:

• Youth and young adult services
• Deaf program
• Intensive outreach for mental illness
• Training and workforce development
• Integrated primary and behavioral health care

Thresholds offers programs at more than 75 locations throughout Chicago, the adjacent suburbs and four surrounding counties.

The Center for Disability and Elder Law (CDEL) provides free legal services to low-income seniors and people with disabilities throughout Cook County. CDEL offers programs and appointments at community sites on matters including:

• Adult guardianship
• Financial and housing stability
• Estate and end-of-life planning
• Divorce

The Latino Resource Institute of Illinois (LRII) provides case management, advocacy, community outreach, counseling and other services to individuals and families in the south side of Chicago and suburban Cook County. LRII also offers:

• Coaching and mentoring
• Work readiness, life skills/empowerment training
• Court advocacy