Get Out the Vaccine is a website from the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities that provides information to help people with disabilities and their families make informed decisions about being vaccinated for COVID-19.

Got Transition and its National Family Health Care Transition Advisory Group have developed a new toolkit for families to use to guide their youth’s transition from pediatric to adult health care.

The Family Toolkit includes easy-to-use resources for youth and families to help youth assume more independence in taking care of their own health and using health services. Materials include a transition timeline, questions to ask your doctor, what turning 18 means for one’s health and more.

In early April, FEMA will begin providing financial assistance for funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020, for deaths related to coronavirus (COVID-19) to help ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the pandemic.

Bright by Text is a free text messaging service that delivers high-quality information to families to help them foster a child’s healthy growth, based on their exact age and developmental stage.

Available in English and Spanish, the service covers children from prenatal through age 8.  Topics covered include brain development, speech and language skills, social-emotional development, reading and writing skills, nutrition, mental health, school readiness, and more.

All information is provided by trusted content partners, including the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sesame Street, PBS Kids for Parents, and Zero to Three.

Families can sign up by texting BRIGHT to 274448, or by using the form on the Bright by Text website. Text messages are customized by the child’s due date or age and zip code.

The Courageous Parents Network aims to empower, support and equip families and providers caring for children with serious illness.

The Adult Congenital Heart Association’s ACHD Clinic Directory provides information on ACHD Board Certified providers certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and ACHA ACHD Accredited Centers.

You can search for clinics by zip code and state. You can find more details and health information on the Adult Congenital Heart Association’s website.

Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes provides safe, pasteurized donor human milk to premature and critically ill babies.

Milk Bank WGL also supports moms who donate milk after loss and distributes reduced-cost or free donor milk to chronically ill middle and low-income children.

This non-profit organization serves over 50 hospitals and hundreds of families throughout Illinois and Wisconsin.

The Autism Collective is a collaboration of Easterseals Central Illinois and OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois. The collective is working to end the isolation felt by those living with autism by uniting experts and connecting families.

The collective coordinates early identification, diagnosis, therapy, services and support. Its care coordination services are available throughout Illinois (outside of Chicago).

JCFS Chicago’s Respite Program provides support to families caring for children and youth with special needs.

Its program “takes a supportive, nurturing and therapeutic approach, combined with fun, social and recreational activities, while providing a well-deserved break for parents.”

For more information, visit the JCFS website, email ask@jcfs.org or call toll-free at (855) ASK-JCFS (275-5237).