Family Support Resources
City of Chicago Office of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights
The City of Chicago Office of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights (IMRR) partners with community organizations, academic institutions and the private sector to provide a wide range of information, resources and services. IMMR’s website resources include:
- A Know Your Rights Guide (Translations are available in Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese, Ukrainian and Haitian Creole)
- A Resource Guide for New Arrivals in Chicago (Translations are available in Spanish, French, Arabic, Haitian Creole and Portuguese)
- Citizenship requirements and how to apply for citizenship
- Information and resources for new Americans
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) eligibility and resources
- Legal Protection Fund information and more
Claire’s Place Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis Support
Claire’s Place Foundation is a non-profit organization providing support to children and families affected by cystic fibrosis (CF).
Its programs are focused on creating a better quality of life for people and their caregivers as well as emergency funding assistance during long hospital stays. Its programs include an Extended Hospital Stay Grant Program and the Support Families and Resources Program.
Clearbrook’s various respite programs offer an array of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These services are designed to help maintain individuals with developmental disabilities in the individual/family home by providing short-term relief to primary caregivers.
Clearbrook provides respite services in the following counties: Lee, Dekalb, Stephenson, Winnebago, Jo Daviess, Ogle, Boone, Cook, Lake, Will, Kankakee, Grundy, Kendall, Kane, McHenry and DuPage.
Coloring Pages for Caregivers
UIC’s Division of Specialized Care for Children has created adult coloring pages to help caregivers relieve stress and practice mindfulness. Four designs are available in English and Spanish:
Lighthouse (Lighthouse Spanish)
Sunflowers (Sunflowers Spanish)
ComeUnity is a parent support website with resources on parenting children with special needs, adoption, child development and multiple lists of groups and organizations providing information on specific topics or areas.
Visit www.comeunity.com/index.html.
Coming Out: Information for Parents of LGBTQ Teens
HealthyChildren.org, the parenting website of the American Academy of Pediatrics, provides parents of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) teens information on understanding, supporting and remembering that each child is unique and will have their own experiences and feelings along the way.
“Coming Out: Information for Parents of LGBTQ Teens” provides help for parents and children navigating the many aspects of acceptance.
Community Action Agencies work with local community organizations and non-profit partners to provide assistance to Illinois families with items including:
- Rental Assistance
- Food
- Energy Utility Bill Assistance
- Water/Sewer Payment
- Employment Training/Placement
- Financial Management
- Temporary Shelter
This link provides a listing of local Community Action Agencies (CAAs) that can help you find programs in your area.
Community Alternatives Unlimited
Community Alternatives Unlimited (CAU) provides a wide range of services for people of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as programs to help economically challenged families with health and wellness during pregnancy and birth.
CAU provides residents of the city of Chicago (north side), several northern suburbs and Lake County with services and programs that include:
- Interview for Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS)
- Pre-Admission Screening (PAS) and determinations for eligibility for services
- Individual services and supports
- Connecting new mothers to appropriate medical care, eligible public benefits, support services and community resources
- Information and referral regarding prenatal care, checkups and immunizations, breastfeeding, infant development, family planning and parenting
Community and Residential Services Authority (CRSA)
The Community and Residential Services Authority (CRSA) is an interagency group that identifies and addresses barriers facing parents, families, professionals and providers trying to get needed services and programs for individuals with a behavior disorder or a severe emotional disturbance. CRSA’s free and confidential services include:
- Helping agencies, schools and parents form working partnerships using a team approach
- Addressing/resolving multiple agency disagreements about residential placement or funding of placement and services
- Assisting local communities in developing and strengthening collaborative interagency networking on request
You can also call CRSA to connect with a program coordinator who will listen and help you develop a plan of care at (877) 541-2772 or (217) 782-2438.
Community Connection Point is a regional agency that is recognized as a leader, catalyst and resource for making high quality, affordable childcare and education options available for children and families in the Illinois counties of Christian, Logan, Macoupin, Mason, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Sangamon and Scott.