Lombard Resources
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Mental Health for Children With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
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.
Mental Health Guidebook for Families of People With Developmental Disabilities
Reach Across L.A., a California-based collaborative program that serves individuals who have a dual diagnosis of both developmental disabilities and mental health issues, provides a “Mental Health Guidebook for Families of People With Developmental Disabilities.”
The guidebook can help families understand mental health conditions, how to get mental health care, how to assess mental health conditions and available treatment options. It also has a checklist to help you talk with primary care and mental health professionals and advocate for your family member’s needs.
Camp Erin Overnight Grief Camp
Camp Erin in Chicago is part of a national bereavement program for youth grieving the death of a significant person in their lives. The weekend camp for children and teens ages 6 to 17 combines traditional, fun camp activities with grief education and emotional support. This unique opportunity is free of charge for all families and helps youth increase their levels of hope, enhance self-esteem, and learn that they are not alone.
REACH Learning and Resource Hub
REACH 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
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Internship Programs
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:
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.
Give an Hour – Rare Caregivers
Give an Hour aims to create resilient communities of support for rare disease caregivers and families. Through one-on-one peer support, group support, professional training and research, Give an Hour strives to build a sustainable support system for rare caregivers.
Visit the Give an Hour Rare Caregivers website to find peer support, self-care tips, support groups and more.
RefugeeOne welcomes hundreds of refugees through the U.S. State Department’s Refugee Admissions Program. RefugeeOne provides support and services to help refugees with the resettlement process and becoming self-sufficient. The Chicago-based agency provides a full range of coordinated services that include:
- Resettlement services
- English language training
- Workforce development and sewing studio
- Wellness program and dental clinic
DSCC’s Insurance Appeals Communication Log
Documentation is very important when appealing a decision made by the health insurance plan. This Insurance Appeals Communication Log from the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) can help you keep track of when you talk to people and what you talked about.
DSCC’s Health Insurance Appeals Tip Sheet
An appeal is when you ask your health insurance company to reconsider their decision. Health insurance plans must tell you why they did not cover services. This Health Insurance Appeals tip sheet from the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) includes steps for navigating the process of asking your health insurance company to reconsider their decision. It also includes a sample appeal letter.