Peoria Resources
Preparing For College When You Have Congenital Heart Disease
Going to college is an exciting time filled with new friends and experiences. When you have congenital heart disease (CHD), it can be overwhelming or tempting to put your care on the back burner. It’s very important that you stay in care and are as prepared as possible.
The Adult Congenital Heart Association provides this resource with tips to help you maintain good health while you further your education.
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides free consulting services for all employees, regardless of the condition. Services include one-on-one consultation about all aspects of job accommodations, including the accommodation process, accommodation ideas, product vendors, referral to other resources and Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance assistance.
When Your Child Has a Heart Defect: Planning Ahead for Lifelong Heart Health
Children with congenital heart defects and disease (CHD) will need lifelong care from congenital heart experts. The Adult Congenital Heart Association provides this brochure to help parents of children born with CHDs support their child’s lifelong heart health.
Mended Little Hearts and St. Jude Medical partnered to create this digital resource guide for parents and caregivers of children with congenital heart disease or defects (CHD).
Medical professionals and parents worked together on this guide to provide accurate and honest information that addresses the tough feelings, questions and concerns parents and caregivers may have.
Go to The Mended Hearts, Inc. HeartGuides page and scroll down to see the Mended Little HeartGuide in English and Spanish.
A number of heart conditions can affect children. Some are structural abnormalities they are born with. Others deal with the electrical system that controls the heartbeat.
HealthyChildren.org, the official parenting site of the American Academy of Pediatrics, provides numerous articles and information about heart conditions, including common heart defects in children, the challenges faced by parents of children with congenital heart disease, dental care for children with heart conditions and more.
The American Heart Association’s Support Network, in partnership with The Children’s Heart Foundation, provides a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Support Network for parents of young children diagnosed with CHDs or adults living with a CHD.
Illinois Elks Children’s Care Corporation
The Illinois Elks Children’s Care Corporation (IECCC) assists any child under the age of 21 who is a legal resident of Illinois with medical assistance, as long as it falls within the IECCC scope and guidelines.
Assistance can include custom-designed braces, wheelchairs, treatment programs, corrective shoes, physical/occupational therapy services and more.
IECCC provides several competitive scholarship programs. No current or past affiliation with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is required. Areas of study include physical or occupational therapy, special education and speech-language pathology. Scholarship application packets must be returned by March.
Explore all IECC scholarship requirements online or visit your local Elks Lodge for more information.
ILHousingSearch.org is a free bilingual online resource for renters and property providers in Illinois.
You can search for affordable, accessible and market-rate housing to fit your needs and budget.
For additional assistance, call (877) 428-8844 (toll-free) Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dial 7-1-1 for TTY.
Illinois Housing Development Authority
The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) connects people with financing programs for their homes.
IHDA provides mortgage loans, grants that enable low-income homeowners to pay for repairs and improvements to their homes and free foreclosure prevention assistance for homeowners struggling with mortgage payments.
IHDA also provides resources to help people across the state find apartments that fit their budgets.
Plain Language COVID-19 Resources
The Arc has made free plain language COVID-19 resources for disability advocates.
You can fill out a short form on The Arc’s website to access these resources, which include plain language videos explaining the coronavirus pandemic and how the pandemic is affecting daily life.