Medical/Health and Wellness Resources
Puentes de Esperanza (Bridges of Hope)
Hoyleton Youth & Family Services‘ Puentes de Esperanza (Bridges of Hope) serves Spanish-speaking families in Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph and St. Clair counties. Puentes de Esperanza connects Hispanic families to community resources, including interpretation and translation, finding employment, immigration and citizenship information and other resources.
Puentes de Esperanza also:
- Partners with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) to help immigrants know their rights
- Hosts mobile events with the Illinois Secretary of State Department of Motor Vehicles
For questions, please contact Puentes@hoyleton.org, or call (618) 398-0557. You can also complete the online form.
Questions and Answers About COVID-19 Vaccines
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia provides answers to some of the most common questions people are asking about COVID-19 and vaccines.
Rare Caregiver Respite Program
The National Organization for Rare Disorders’ (NORD) Respite Program is for caregivers (parents, spouses, family members, or significant others) of a child or adult diagnosed with a rare disorder. The program provides financial assistance to allow caregivers a break to attend a conference, an event, or have an afternoon or evening away from caregiving.
The Respite Program awards are granted to eligible individuals on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no fee to apply.
For more information about this program, contact NORD at (203) 616-4328 or email CaregiverRespite@rarediseases.org.
Rare Sisters Batten Foundation
The Rare Sisters Batten Foundation (RSBF) supports the development of medical research for treatments and cures for CLN3 Batten Disease and also provides monetary assistance to families with children diagnosed with Batten Disease, a neurodegenerative disorder.
Families with children diagnosed with Batten Disease may apply with RSBF for financial help to cover a wide variety of needs. Funds are awarded on a case-by-case basis and contingent on the availability of funds.
Rattle the Stars Suicide Prevention Services and Training
Rattle the Stars provides community-based suicide prevention services, information and training to the Champaign County area, including:
- Suicide prevention consultations
- Suicide intervention training
- Private training for groups and assistance developing a comprehensive suicide response plan
- Student-led school suicide prevention chapters
- Comfort dog support
- Speaking engagements and workshops
All Rattle the Stars services are free. Visit their website for program information and additional resources.
You can also email info@rattlethestars.org for more information.
RCADD Back-to-School Resources / Recursos para el regreso a clases
The Resource Center for Autism & Developmental Delays’ (RCADD) Virtual Resource Room offers back-to-school resources for parents/caregivers and their children with autism and/or neurodiversity. Resources in English and Spanish to help with a new school year include:
- Tip sheets- Hojas de consejos
- Schedules and routines materials- Horarios & rutinas
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Social stories- Historias sociales
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Visual supports – Apoyos visuales
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Structured activities- Actividades estructuradas
REACH Learning and Resource Hub
REACH Learning and Resource Hub provides free, virtual training to help educators, clinicians, parents and caregivers better support the mental health and resilience of the children and youth in their lives. The interactive, on-demand resources focus on:
- Trauma-responsive practices
- Personal and professional resilience
- Social-emotional awareness
- Self-care
Reach Out and Read provides resources for families as well as information and training for pediatricians and clinicians working with children with disabilities. The nationwide program focuses on increasing literacy by helping all families learn how to build literacy skills by talking, reading, and singing with their babies from birth.
Reach Out and Read offers resources for families, pediatricians and clinicians, including:
- Tips for reading, booklists and more for families with young children
- Training opportunities for clinicians on building connections, understanding disabilities and more
- Current research and podcast
Ready.gov provides tips for building an emergency supply kit. The information is available in a variety of languages.
Red Café Parent Support Group
Parents share information and ideas to help take care of themselves, raise strong children, and build strong relationships with their kids with disabilities.
1st Thursday of each month
6:00pm – 7:00pmTo register, call (309) 686-1177 or email parentsupport@ci.easterseals.com.

