Medical/Health and Wellness Resources
Generation Patient is a nonprofit organization created by and for young adult patients with chronic, complex, rare or undiagnosed medical conditions. The organization’s focus includes providing peer-support groups, roundtable discussions and helping to drive systems-level change through policy work, leadership programming and advocacy initiatives across healthcare and research spaces.
Generation Patient also offers:
- “Creating Spaces for Young Adults with Chronic Conditions,” a step-by-step toolkit with resources and strategies for finding and creating peer support
- Virtual community-led peer-support groups for young adults (ages 18 and up), including:
- A general group for young adults with chronic and rare medical conditions,
- A support network and resources for students with disabilities,
- A higher education group for patients in college or graduate school,
- A group for young adults with irritable bowel disease (IBD)
Get Covered Illinois – The Official Health Insurance Marketplace Resource
Get Covered Illinois is the health insurance Marketplace resource for the state of Illinois. Get Covered Illinois provides information about health insurance coverage provided under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Get Covered Illinois provides:
- Information and support to help Illinois residents understand insurance and the importance of health insurance coverage
- Access to health plans through Healthcare.gov
- Free enrollment help from Get Covered Illinois Navigators by phone or in person in multiple languages and in your community
Get Covered Illinois is a division of the Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI).
Getting the Care You Need: A Guide for People With Disabilities
“Getting the Care You Need: A Guide for People with Disabilities” aims to empower patients with disabilities by explaining their rights to accessible care.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides this resource. It is available in multiple languages, including:
Give Kids a Smile Dental Program
Bethany for Children & Families brings dental care directly to schools through the Give Kids a Smile (GKAS) mobile dental program. This program helps children in need receive free preventive dental services, including cleanings, exams, fluoride, sealants (when needed), education packets, referrals for fillings, extractions, or root canals, and more. Services are available to children ages 1 to 18 who are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and who have never been to a dentist or have not been to one in the past 6 months.
Bethany provides more than 30 programs and services in Rock Island, Henry, Mercer, Whiteside, Knox, Warren, Lee, Carroll, and Henderson counties in Illinois, as well as in several counties in Iowa.
GLMA is a national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and all sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals.
GLMA provides resources for patients, including a provider directory.
Global Genes is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating the burdens and challenges of rare diseases for patients and families globally. It aims to connect, empower and inspire the rare disease community.
The Global Genes website includes a RARE Portal, which is an online community for patients, caregivers and more to share resources and create discussion groups.
Good Samaritan Ministries in Carbondale
Good Samaritan Ministries assists families and individuals in need in the Carbondale area. Programs and services include:
- Emergency assistance
- An emergency shelter and transitional housing
- A soup kitchen
- Food pantry
For questions, please contact the Good Samaritan House in Carbondale.
Got Transition aims to help youth and young adults move from pediatric to adult health care. Its website includes frequently asked questions and resources for youth and young adults as well as parents and caregivers.
The site also includes an animated video “What is Health Care Transition? HCT 101” for youth, young adults and families.
Granted helps “wishes” come true for children in southeast Illinois, southern Indiana and western Kentucky with terminal or life-threatening conditions. The non-profit aims to give children and their families respite from the physical, emotional and financial toll of a life-threatening illness. Granted’s wishes aim to to provide strength, hope, joy and a wonderful experience that the family can enjoy together and treasure among their memories.
Granted’s services also include events throughout the year, support groups and resource referrals for families in crisis. The organization serves a 100-mile radius of Evansville, Ind. See a map of Granted’s service area.
For questions, please contact Granted online.
Greater Family Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Community Health Centers are independent, non-profit, non-governmental health care organizations that provide access to quality, cost-effective health care services to everyone, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Greater Family Health has 12 locations and offers patient-centered dental, health, and mental health services in the Elgin community and 54 municipalities in Illinois.
Greater Family Health services include:
- Women’s health and Better Birth Outcomes Comprehensive program
- Dental services
- Adult and senior health
- Behavioral health and counseling
- Sexual health
For questions or more information, please call Greater Family Health at (844) 599-3700.