Family Support Resources
Best Buddies in Illinois offers one-to-one friendship, integrated employment and leadership development programs for individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Best Buddies offers chapters throughout Illinois. Programs and opportunities include:
- Best Buddies Friendship program, which offers social mentoring while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion
- Best Buddies Jobs program, which helps secure jobs for people with IDD.
- Best Buddies Leadership Development programs, which educate and empower people with IDD to be leaders, public speakers and advocates
For contact information, visit the Best Buddies in Illinois staff directory page.
Between Friends-Domestic Violence Prevention
Between Friends is dedicated to preventing domestic violence and ending the cycle of abuse by equipping our communities with the tools necessary for everyone to feel safe and equal in their relationships. Between Friends provides a 24-hour helpline at (800) 603-4357 and a safe, supportive environment where individuals and families in crisis can access programs including:
- Relationship education to prevent teen dating violence
- Counseling to empower clients to make their own decisions and choices
- Legal assistance
- Education and training
- Resources for navigating conversations about an abusive relationship
- Help for adult, teen and child survivors of domestic violence
Programs are provided in multiple languages.
Bilingual Parents Video Library
The Illinois Resource Center has put together a library of videos for bilingual parents with videos in French, Tagalog, Urdu, Arabic, Polish, Spanish and English.
Each video showcases subjects and information relevant to parents, caretakers and community members, such as the role of Bilingual Parent Advisory Committees, financial aid for college, tenant rights, multilingual student rights and more.
Blueprint for Families of Loved Ones With Mental Health Issues
Mental health challenges affect the whole family and are hard on everyone. The Caregiver Action Network provides a Blueprint for Families of Loved Ones With Mental Health Issues.
The guide includes information on discussing mental health with doctors, screening for mental health issues, the value of knowing early diagnosis and intervention, and more.
Bottom Line Diaper Bank in Champaign
The Bottom Line Diaper Bank is a collaborative effort of the United Way of Champaign County and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health Department. Together they provide diapers to local programs to distribute to families and caregivers in need. Visit the diaper bank’s website for more details on how to receive help.
Bounce Children’s Foundation is a Chicago area non-profit that aims to transform the lives of chronically ill children and their families, shifting all from surviving to thriving. The foundation serves children from birth to 18 years of age.
Bounce’s free programs aim to build the resilience needed to cope with the ongoing, unexpected setbacks that define chronic illness. Programs include family adventures, education to strengthen vital coping skills, donated tickets to high-demand events, themed care packages for families, access to resources, peer support and more.
For any questions, please email info@BounceChildrensFoundation.org or call (844) 626-8623.
Traveling with a child with medical complexity can be challenging. Brades’ Place provides tips, tools and templates to help parents with children with specialized healthcare needs plan and create memorable family travel experiences.
The site also provides diagnosis resources for certain conditions.
Brain Injury Association of Illinois
The Brain Association of Illinois (BAI) is a statewide, non-profit organization providing advocacy, information and support to people with brain injuries, family members, friends and rehabilitation professionals.
The BIA of IL is part of a network of brain injury associations across the United States, and is an affiliate of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA).
Brave Health Online Mental Health Services
Brave Health provides online mental health services and accepts more than 200 insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare. Physicians, nurse practitioners, therapists and counselors with specialized training in mental health care provide care virtually in English and Spanish. Services include one-on-one and group therapy sessions, medication management, specialized programs and help managing complex medical and behavioral health challenges for adults and youth ages 13 and up.
Brave Health has a closed-loop referral process and also accepts patients who do not have insurance. Patients, referrers and providers can visit Brave Health’s website for information on how to get started and other resources.
Provides prevention, intervention and educational services to foster non-violence in the lives of children and adults.