Peoria Resources
Dunlap & Central Illinois Special Needs Parent Group
A forum for parents to discuss different topics for their special needs children.
Meets monthly at Dunlap Valley Middle School.
For additional information, contact Libby at (309) 693-0514 or email dunlapparentgroup@att.net.
Red Café Parent Support Group
Parents share information and ideas to help take care of themselves, raise strong children, and build strong relationships with their kids with disabilities.
1st Thursday of each month
6:00pm – 7:00pm
To register, call (309) 686-1177 or email parentsupport@ci.easterseals.com.
Safe Harbor Family Crisis Center
This non-profit community agency provides confidential help to people experiencing violence in their relationships.
DSCC’s Education Skills Checklist
The Division of Specialized Care for Children’s (DSCC) education skills checklist can help youth and their families identify the skills and abilities they have met as well as those areas where they may need more focus. Some of these activities may not apply to everyone.
Transition to Employment & Adult Services
The Arc of Illinois Family to Family Health Information and Education Center’s Family Transition Manual provides help for families of young adults with developmental disabilities preparing to transition from school and services for children to the world of work and adult services.
DSCC’s Work Skills Checklist
The Division of Specialized Care for Children’s (DSCC) Work Skills Checklist is designed to help youth identify work-related skills they have and other areas where they may need more focus. Some of these activities may not apply to everyone.
Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS)
The Plan to Achieve Self Support or PASS for people with disabilities is a written plan of action for getting a particular kind of job or starting a business offered by the Social Security Administration. The PASS allows you to earn more money to apply towards a work goal, without reducing your SSI benefits.
Got Transition aims to help youth and young adults move from pediatric to adult health care. Its website includes frequently asked questions and resources for youth and young adults as well as parents and caregivers.
The site also includes an animated video “What is Health Care Transition? HCT 101” for youth, young adults and families.
Almost Home Kids provides a bridge from hospital to home through an innovative community-based care system for children with medical complexities. It responds to the needs of families, trains caregivers, offers respite care, advocates for accessibility and inclusion and educates healthcare professionals.
Almost Home Kids offers transitional, respite and respite transportation care. It has locations in Chicago, Naperville and Peoria.
DSCC’s Adult Living Arrangements/Self-Reliant Skills Checklist
There are many activities that youth with specialized healthcare needs can practice doing to become more self-reliant and ready for their desired adult living arrangements. The Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) created this Adult Living Arrangements/Self-Reliant Skills Checklist to help youth and their families learn about and build important skills and abilities in the areas of independence, nutrition, personal care and hygiene, and mobility/exercise. Some of these activities may not apply to everyone.
DSCC’s Adult Living Arrangements/Self-Reliant Skills Checklist in English
DSCC’s Adult Living Arrangements/Self-Reliant Skills Checklist in Spanish