COVID-19 Resources
Deaf Success in Fall 2020: Guide for Families, Parents, and Students
The National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes has created this guide filled with key strategies to support deaf success with your child during fall 2020 and beyond. It is also available in Spanish.
The Illinois Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health provides frequently-asked questions, tips and resources for how to handle traumatic events.
Information includes possible symptoms after experiencing a traumatic event and when to seek help from a trained professional.
Decatur Public Schools COVID-19 Information
Decatur Public Schools’ Return to Learn website provides information on how the district ill deliver meals to students’ homes during the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year, while students are participating in virtual learning.
Destination Vaccination – Cook County Department of Public Health
Destination Vaccination, a partnership between the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) and Kaizen Health, offers free rides to get people to and from their vaccinations. Kaizen can provide vehicles to accommodate most residents, including those in wheelchairs or those who require child seats. This service is provided at no cost to residents.
Visit the Destination Vaccination website for more details.
Digital Accessibility in the Age of COVID-19
As COVID-19 makes digital connection increasingly important, the American Association of People with Disabilities offers resources to enhance Digital Accessibility in the Age of COVID-19.
Disability Information and Access Line for COVID-19
The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) is available to help people with disabilities get vaccinated and access COVID-19 tests. The hotline’s trained staff are available to:
- Help find local vaccination locations
- Assist with making vaccination appointments
- Help connect to available testing options, including help with order free at-home test kits
- Connect callers to local services, such as accessible transportation, to overcome barriers to vaccination.
The hotline also can provide information and resources to answer questions and address concerns about the vaccines and can connect callers to information and services that promote independent living and address fundamental needs, such as food, housing and transportation.
Call, text or videophone DIAL Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m at (888) 677-1199.
You can also email the hotline at DIAL@n4a.org or start an online chat with an information specialist.
You can also connect to an agent in American Sign Language.
During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, individualized education program (IEP) teams have a unique educational opportunity to create meaningful distance learning activities at home for transition-age students. The PACER Center provides this handout for how parents can help their children practice and learn new skills to prepare for adulthood.
Distance Learning and Students With Disabilities Resources
PACER has developed multiple resources for families to help prepare them and their children for distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tip sheets and handouts are available in English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali.
Diverse Learners Recovery Fund
The Diverse Learners Recovery Fund is a lottery-style grant program for Chicago families with children with disabilities offered through the Chicago Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities and Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. The fund will provide one-time grants of $500 to up to 8,000 eligible K-12 students through a lottery. Families must submit an application and complete the verification process to participate. The deadline to apply is Oct. 30, 2024.
The Diverse Learners Recovery Fund program will select recipients through three lottery drawings on the following dates:
- July 1, 2024
- Sept. 16, 2024
- On or after Nov. 30, 2024
The program will notify selected applicants by email. Verified applications that are not chosen will be included in the next drawing.
Submitting an eligible application does not guarantee you will receive the funds.
Do You Know Your Rights With COVID-19?
The Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities provides this tip sheet for individuals with disabilities to help them advocate for their rights when they are sick.