Family Support Resources
Magical Moments Foundation is a wish-granting organization for children with facial differences. Working with the children and their families, the foundation creates experiences and adventures to comfort, inspire and encourage children that face the world with a difference. Family members, medical professionals, teachers and others may nominate a child for a magical moment. To be eligible, a child must:
- Have a congenital or acquired facial difference
- Be between the ages of 3 and 18
- Not yet received a wish from another wish-granting organization
Visit the Magical Moments Foundation website for more details.
Margaret Hackett Family Program
Congenital anomalies of the central nervous system (CNS) are birth defects of the physical structure of the brain or spinal cord that occur during fetal intrauterine growth such as spina bifida, hydrocephalus and other conditions. The Margaret Hackett Family Program (MHFP) at the University of Chicago provides individuals and families help with diagnosing, understanding, caring for and addressing the challenges of living with CNS congenital anomalies. MHFP also provides research and research grants.
The Margaret Hacker Family Program also offers:
- A monthly, virtual “Connect Group” for individuals and families affected by CNS anomalies
- In-person quarterly socials
- In-person events twice a year featuring food, giveaways, fun activities and resources
- Help with finding resources and medical care
Maryville Children’s Healthcare Center
Maryville Children’s Healthcare Center provides care to children with complex medical needs who are not yet able to go home. They also provide training for caregivers enabling them to care for the child when he/she transitions home. Maryville offers both transitional and respite care.
Medical Grants Through United Healthcare Children’s Foundation
United Healthcare Children’s Foundation’s (UHCCF) mission is to help fill the gap between what medical services/items/equipment a child needs and what their commercial health benefit plan will pay for.
UHCCF grants provide financial help/assistance for families with children that have medical needs not covered or not fully covered by their commercial health insurance plan.
To be eligible for grants, children must be 16 years of age or younger at the time of application and have a Social Security number. Eligible families must also meet UHCCF’s economic guidelines.
Families could receive up to $5,000 annually and $10,000 a lifetime per child for eligible medical services, treatment therapies, items and equipment.
The Mended Hearts program is a national peer-support program for patients who have cardiovascular disease, their caregivers and their families. Mended Hearts provides support and education, bringing awareness to issues that those living with heart disease face, and advocating to improve quality of life across the lifespan.
It includes Mended Little Hearts, which provides support to families of children with congenital heart defects (CHDs) or other heart conditions, and Young Mended Hearts, which supports young adults ages 18 to 55 who have heart disease, including CHDs.
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.
Mental Health America of Illinois
Mental Health America of Illinois is a statewide organization that works to promote mental health, prevent mental disease and improve the care and treatment of those suffering from mental and emotional disorders. For more information go to www.mhai.org/.
Mental Health for Children With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Navigate Life Texas, a project to inform and empower parents of children with disabilities or special healthcare needs, has a Mental Health for Children With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities page. This page provides ideas on how to talk to your healthcare provider and the people working with your child if you think your child might be having mental health symptoms.
Mental Health Resources for Kids, Teens and Young Adults
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has resources geared toward kids, teens and young adults. NAMI also provides a coloring and activity book and step-by-step guidance to help parents explore and talk to children about emotional topics or mental health challenges.Metropolitan Family Services provides a variety of services throughout Chicago, DuPage County, Evanston, Skokie and the southwest suburbs to help families learn, earn, heal and thrive. Metropolitan Family Services programs include:
- Early learning
- Afterschool
- Job readiness
- Counseling and mental health
- Legal assistance