The McLean County Functional Needs Registry helps individuals with special needs during emergencies. The registration form documents the needs of people with physical, mental or medical limitations due to impaired vision, hearing or mobility, and language barriers. The program seeks to ensure that residents with functional needs get the assistance they need during a weather disaster or some other local emergency.

Registration for the program is free, voluntary and confidential. You can fill out an online form or print out a hard copy registration form in English or Spanish on the registry website.

This Supporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills tip sheet from the Illinois Early Learning Project provides strategies that are helpful to all children but are particularly helpful for those with limited verbal skills.

IEL offers a wide variety of one-page, easy-to-read tip sheets covering a wide range of topics for parents and teachers of young children.

All tipsheets are available in Spanish and English. Selected tipsheets are available in Polish, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and French.

The Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans (IAMHP) provides tips and tools to help Medicaid enrollees maintain their coverage. IAMHP also provides several toolkits and brochures for Medicaid members, including:

• The Illinois Medicaid MCO (Managed Care Organization) Transportation Toolkit to help members with scheduling transportation for medical appointments. It is available in English and Spanish.
• The IAMHP Medicaid Benefit Brochure to guide current and future Medicaid members to understand the comprehensive benefits the Medicaid program provides, the added benefits of being enrolled in Medicaid managed care and how to enroll in each program. It is available in English and Spanish.
• The MCO Maternal Benefits Toolkit to help pregnant people on Medicaid understand their maternal health benefits.
• The MCO Maternal Health Toolkit to help support pregnant people and families on Medicaid with resources to support mental health conditions that arise during and after pregnancy.

You can find these toolkits and more resources on the IAMHP website.

Accessible Festivals is dedicated to making live music and recreational events fully accessible for people of all abilities. Partnering with festivals and friends in the industry, Accessible Festivals provides free tickets, a calendar of events and a variety of programs that encourage accessibility and inclusion.

It also offers the Dan Grover Memorial Ticket Grant Program for individuals impacted by newly acquired, temporary or lifelong disabilities to apply for free access to their favorite events like concerts, festivals, and conventions.

Healthy Beginnings is a free, evidence-based initiative for moms in the Champaign, Urbana and Savoy area who are first-time moms less than 29 weeks pregnant and moms with other children who are pregnant. Its goal is to help ensure children and their families have an opportunity to be prosperous and live the healthiest life they can.

Healthy Beginnings works with eligible mothers and their families to help bring the healthcare, support and resources together that fit individual circumstances, including:

• Nurse home visiting care/support for pregnant moms & their families (with interpreter services)
• Mobile clinic services
• Child and family education
• Employment opportunities
• Access to healthy food

For more information or to make a referral, call (217) 365-7925 or email referral@cuhealthybeginnings.com.

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 Division of Specialized Care for Children’s (DSCC) Health Care Transition Readiness Assessment for Parents/Caregivers is a tool to help parents and their children prepare for the transition to adulthood and taking care of their healthcare needs. You can fill out this form to see what you already know about your child’s health and the areas you think they want to learn more about.

Health Care Transition Readiness Assessment for Parents/Caregivers in English

Health Care Transition Readiness Assessment for Parents/Caregivers in Spanish

The Division of Specialized Care for Children’s (DSCC) assessment form will help young adults see what they already know about their health, how to use health care and the areas they want to learn more about as they transition to adulthood.

Self-Care Skills Assessment for Young Adults in English

Self-Care Skills Assessment for Young Adults in Spanish/Evaluación de habilidades de autocuidado para adultos jóvenes

Opportunities for Access – A Center for Independent Living (OFACIL) is a member of the Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living serving residents of Clay, Clinton, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Hamilton, Jasper, Jefferson, Marion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne and White counties. Offices are located in Mt. Vernon, Carmi and Effingham.

Programs include:

• Skills and employment training
• Support groups and advocacy
• Housing referral and community reintegration
• Youth transition and parent training program
• Adaptive equipment

For questions, please contact OFACIL at (618) 244-9212.

Crosswalk Community Action Agency (CCAA) offers a variety of programs and services to help individuals and families in Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson and Williamson Counties. CCAA programs address the “day-to-day” needs and help individuals work to become self-sufficient.

Programs include:

• A Diaper Program
• Emergency Services
• Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)
• Food Pantry
• Homeless Prevention Services
• Home Repair and Rehabilitation
• Home Weatherization (IHWAP)
• Scholarships

For questions, please contact CCAA Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (618) 937-3581. You can also email reception@crosswalkcaa.com anytime.