Brightpoint provides a wide range of programs statewide to help families and their children navigate challenges and focus on preventing problems before they become life-altering crises. Its programs include:

• Mental health and wellness
• Parenting support and family services
• Early childhood care and education
• Workforce development and youth programs
• Foster care

Learn about specific Brightpoint programs offered in counties throughout Illinois.

You can also send a message to Brightpoint to learn more.

Started as Children’s Home & Aid, Brightpoint Centers are located in Bloomington, Carpentersville, Englewood, Palatine and Schaumburg.

The Dental Health Program at the DuPage County Health Department provides access to dental services and oral health education for low-income residents of DuPage County. Dental treatment is not free. Patients must meet income guidelines and/or have active Medicaid. The clinic charges low-cost fees.

To make an appointment, call (630) 682-7400 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For questions, email dentalhealth@dupagehealth.org.

The Painted Turtle is a year-round, overnight camp in California for children ages 7 to 17 with a variety of serious medical conditions, their siblings and family members. Condition-specific camp sessions and family weekends (for children ages 6 to 17) aim to encourage children to try new things and develop lasting friendships. Campers and their families attend free of charge.

The camp has a full-time medical staff, a health center and a physician onsite at all times. The Painted Turtle provides camper eligibility guidelines and medical criteria to help determine the best session for your child and family.

Navigate Life Texas, a project to inform and empower parents of children with disabilities or special healthcare needs, has a Mental Health for Children With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities page. This page provides ideas on how to talk to your healthcare provider and the people working with your child if you think your child might be having mental health symptoms.

Lightways Peace of the Heart Kids Camp is for children and youth ages 7 to 13 who have experienced the death of a loved one. Guided by the Lightways Grief Support Team, kids will participate in activities to help process their grief and meet others who have experienced a loss. The four-day camp also includes hiking, fishing, arts and crafts, music and games. Registration usually opens in March or April.

For more information, please contact Lightways at (815) 460-3282 or griefsupport@lightways.org.

Camp Erin Chicago is part of a national bereavement program for youth grieving the death of a significant person in their lives.  Free for all families, Camp Erin combines traditional, fun camp activities with grief education and emotional support for children and teens ages 6 to 17 years old.

​Camp Erin Chicago takes place in Delavan, Wisc., in July. Registration usually opens in December for the following summer. ​If you are interested in enrolling your child or family in Camp Erin, please email Camp Director Bryan Heidel at bheidel@nush.org, or call (773) 569.9553.

Center for Childhood Resilience Learning and Resource Hub provides free, virtual training to help educators, clinicians, parents and caregivers better support the mental health and resilience of the children and youth in their lives. The interactive, on-demand resources focus on:

• Trauma-responsive practices
• Personal and professional resilience
• Social-emotional awareness
• Self-care

For questions, please email LearningHub@LurieChildrens.org.

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) provides two internship programs offering professional and career development opportunities for students and recent graduates with disabilities. The programs help participants access meaningful employment, gain leadership skills and connect to the broader disability community.

Learn more about the programs and how to apply:

• AAPD Fall Internship Program
• AAPD Summer Internship Program

The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois (EFGSI) hosts an annual, overnight camp for children and teenagers with epilepsy. Camp Roehr provides campers ages 6 to 17 with seven days of fun, building friendships and learning about living with epilepsy. Camp registration typically begins in mid-April. Participant requirements include:

• Living in Illinois or surrounding states
• Having a primary diagnosis of epilepsy and well-controlled seizures
• Being able to care for their own basic needs and ready for an overnight camp experience

For questions about Camp Roehr, please contact EFGSI at (618) 236-2181 or info@epilepsygsil.org.

Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.