Family and Caregiving Support Resources
Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is responsible for providing healthcare coverage for adults and children who qualify for Medicaid. Its programs include All Kids, Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities, Managed Care and more.
Illinois Department of Human Services
The Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) provides services and programs to help Illinois residents become economically independent and self-sufficient, including food, financial assistance, mental health, child care, shelter/housing and more. Its divisions include:
- Developmental Disabilities
- Early Childhood
- Family and Community Services
- Mental Health
- Rehabilitation Services
- Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR)
Illinois Department of Human Services Find Food Website
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Find Food website offers a list of advocacy, education, and social support services, as well as links to food pantries and soup kitchens throughout Illinois. IDHS Find Food resources include:
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
- Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) Lobby Resources
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP
- Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
You can contact the IDHS Helpline at:
- 1 (800) 843-6154
- 1(866) 324-5553 TTY
Illinois Department on Aging’s Provider Profile Search
The Illinois Department on Aging’s (IDoA) Provider Profile Search provides help with finding IDoA services and providers throughout Illinois. Services are listed by county and include local contacts for the Area Agency on Aging, in-home service, care coordination and more.
For more information, contact:
- The Senior Helpline at (800) 252-8966/ TTY (800) 206-1327
- aging.ilsenior@illinois.gov
Illinois Division of Developmental Disability (DDD) Services
Illinois’ Division of Developmental Disability (DDD) Services system offers services including day services, home-based services, Early Intervention services, disability determination services and other supports.
Visit the Developmental Disability Services page for more information. You can also contact:
- (888) 337-5267
- (866) 376-8446 (TTY)
- DHS.DDDComments@illinois.gov
Illinois Dual Diagnosis Training Initiative
Dual diagnosis refers to experiencing an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) along with a mental health condition. The Illinois Training Initiative to Support People with Dual-Diagnosis or Illinois Dual Diagnosis Training Initiative is a project to identify state priorities in existing services for people with dual diagnosis, develop training to promote collaboration between the IDD and mental health systems, and examine needed changes to policies and practices to promote access to services.
Illinois Dual Diagnosis Training Initiative’s website offers:
- Information on what dual diagnosis is and assessment tools
- Services available in Illinois
- Information covering the different models of care
- Personal stories of dual diagnosis
- A variety of webinars covering topics for self-advocates, professionals and caregivers
Illinois Dyslexia Guide: A Handbook for Parents, Educators, and Students and Dyslexia Toolkit
The Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) Dyslexia Guide: A Handbook for Parents, Educators, and Students provides information and guidance about dyslexia and related disorders for educational professionals, school leaders, families, guardians, and students. The handbook seeks to empower stakeholder groups to better understand dyslexia and strengthen programs to meet the educational and social-emotional needs of children and adolescents who struggle to learn to read.
You can use the handbook alone or with the Dyslexia Toolkit. The toolkit’s ever-evolving collection of additional resources includes laws, websites, videos, and podcasts for families and educators.
Visit the Specific Learning Disability Support Project (SLD Supports) website for these resources and more.
Illinois Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program
The Illinois Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (IL EHDI) Program works to ensure families of babies and children who are deaf or hard of hearing receive appropriate and timely services. These services include hearing screening, diagnosis, early intervention and parent-to-parent support, provided through coordinated systems of care.
Families and providers can learn more about the EHDI program and find resources on the Illinois Sound Beginnings website.
Illinois’ Early Intervention Service System serves children between the ages of birth to 3 with disabilities or developmental delays to help them learn and grow. The program evaluates infants and toddlers to see if there is a delay in:
- Movement
- Learning
- Dealing with others
- Behavior and/or
- Self-help skills
If a child needs services, the program helps families write an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) to set goals and identify needs. Families, with the support of Early Intervention providers, help their infants and toddlers reach their goals.
Use the DHS Office Locator to find an Early Intervention Child and Family Connections office in your local area. You can also call the Illinois Automated Helpline at (800) 323-4769
Illinois Early Intervention Clearinghouse
The Illinois Early Intervention Clearinghouse is a lending library and information resource for families and professionals interested in or involved with the Illinois Early Intervention (EI) Program. It also provides support groups in English and Spanish for families involved in the Illinois early intervention program on Facebook.
The Illinois Early Intervention Clearinghouse offers:
- An Early Intervention Family Guide in English, Spanish and also Arabic, Simplified Chinese, French, Kiswahili, Polish, Russian, and Urdu
- Tip sheets and guides for families
- A technology loan program
- A family support group on Facebook for both English and Spanish-speakers
- Resources for EI staff and providers