Darkness to Light’s Talking to Kids About Safety From Sexual Abuse – If a shorter option is more appropriate than the full Stewards of Children® training, we’re making our Talking to Kids About Safety From Sexual Abuse training available at no charge by using code Talk2020. This training is ideal for parents and caregivers who may be home with children and have time to invest in learning more.

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) provides free Conversation Guides to help you have the conversation with a family member, friend, or other loved one about your – or their – wishes regarding end-of-life care and other topics.

IHI Conversation Guides can be downloaded for free. Other topics include:

• Choosing a Health Care Proxy
• Talking with my Child Living with Serious Illness
• Geting the Most out of my Next Medical Appointment (for older adults and caregivers)

CONTACT of Northern Illinois, a United Way of Northwest Illinois partner agency, is the central access point for people in need in Stephenson County.

(815) 233-4357

Contact Ministries is a non-profit, faith-based, social service organization serving the greater Springfield community. It provides free on-site support services and emergency shelter to single women, women with children, families and individuals in poverty.

Contact Ministries provides:

• Referrals
• Food and clothing
• Emergency shelter and transitional housing
• Financial assistance and other programs

Call Contact Ministries at (217) 753-3939.

Updates from local group on Coronavirus

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has broadened access to Medicare telehealth services so that beneficiaries can receive a wider range of services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility.

Catholic Charities offers a crisis assistance program to help individuals and families facing short-term, one-time crises that may put them at risk of eviction or utility shut off.  The service is free for residents living in the 28-county Springfield diocese.

Catholic Charities Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, serves the following areas:

• Effingham office at (217) 857-1458, Monday through Friday from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Granite City office at (618) 877-1184, ext. 201 or 205, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Springfield office at (217) 523-4551, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(217) 525-1736

CaringInfo, a program of the National Alliance for Care at Home, provides free resources to educate and empower patients and caregivers to make decisions about serious illness and end-of-life care and services.

The site provides guides and resources about topics including advance directives, palliative care, caregiving and hospice care.

CaringInfo provides free advance directives and instructions for each state that you can download and save.