Medical/Health and Wellness Resources
Chicago Survivors (CS) provides crime victim services and support to family members of Chicago homicide victims. Services are free, voluntary and open to all. Services include a crisis helpline and response services, protecting victims’ rights and compensation assistance, funeral planning, counseling, wellness kits, support groups and more. Help is available in Spanish and English. Real-time translation services for other languages is also available.
The Chicago Survivors Crisis Helpline is open 24/7 at (877) 863-6338.
Chicago Survivors resources and services also include:
- Counseling for youth and adults
- Comprehensive referral services (e.g., grief counseling, legal aid, housing, utilities)
- Protecting victims’ rights and compensation assistance
- Court advocacy and unsolved case assistance
- Community of Survivors adult and youth workshops, events and groups
Child & Family Connections of McHenry County
Child & Family Connections (CFC) is the system point of entry for Illinois Early Intervention Services within McHenry County for children under 36 months of age. Early Intervention services are designed to meet an infant’s or toddler’s needs if they are experiencing issues related to the following areas of development: physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional and adaptive.
Referrals to CFC can be made by a family member, doctor, day care provider or anyone concerned about the development of a child who is under 36 months. For more information, visit the CFC’s frequently asked questions page.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Information and Resources
Mental health is an important part of overall health for children as well as adults. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIH) provides a list of behavioral signs and symptoms to watch for in children and adolescents. This NIH site also includes information on:
- Addressing and finding treatment
- Health hotlines
- Mental health research news
- Educational information
The Child Mind Institute’s Family Resource Center provides information for parents, caregivers, and others supporting children who are struggling with mental health, behavioral, or learning challenges. Resources include parenting guides, podcasts, a glossary of terms and up-to-date information on learning and behavior disorders, sensory processing, milestones and more.
The Child Mind Institute offers a variety of free parenting guides in English and Spanish. Guide topics include:
- The Quick Guide to Anxiety in Children in English
- The Quick Guide to Anxiety in Children in Spanish
- Executive Function Issues in Kids in English
- Executive Function Issues in Kids in Spanish
If you have any questions, please visit the Contact Us page on Child Mind Institute’s website.
The Child Neurology Foundation (CNF) is a patient advocacy organization offering tools, education resources and a network of more than 48 organizations to help children and their families living with neurologic conditions find social services and emotional support.
CNF’s Family Support Program helps families navigate the journey of being a caregiver of a child with a neurologic condition. Families can connect with trained staff who will listen and help with:
- Learning about a child neurology disorder and clinical trials
- Connecting to disease-specific organizations
- Talking to another parent
- Navigating insurance and more
Visit the CNF Family Support Program page to learn more. You can request help online or by calling (859) 551-4977.
Child Welfare Information Gateway
The Child Welfare Information Gateway aims to provide free and trusted resources to service providers, family members and parents working to bring children home from foster care. It helps equip individuals with the resources needed to support positive outcomes for all children, youth and families. The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to the following:
- Publications
- Research
- Laws and policies
- Databases covering a wide range of topics, including prevention, child abuse and neglect, adoption, search and reunion.
For questions, call 1 (800) 394-3366 or email info@childwelfare.gov.
Childhood Tracheostomy Alliance
The Childhood Tracheostomy Alliance is a non-profit created by families and healthcare providers working together to transform the care and quality of life of children with tracheostomy and ventilator dependence and their families. The Alliance is focused on educating communities, improving access to in-home support and supplies, helping with out-of-pocket medical expenses, and providing a network of support from both caregivers and healthcare professionals. The Childhood Tracheostomy Alliance website includes:
- Frequently asked questions and terms about tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation
- Annual caregiver grants
- A list of resources by state
For questions, please contact the Childhood Tracheostomy Alliance.
Childproofing Your Home Toolkit
As you welcome a new baby, prepare for toddlerhood or relocate to a new home, it is important to provide a safe environment for your child. The Illinois Early Learning Project put together this Childproofing Your Home Toolkit that includes general guidance, helpful checklists, videos and additional resources.
Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs in Emergencies
All children have unique needs in emergencies, but care for children with special healthcare needs is often more complex because of their various health conditions and extra care requirements. They may have a hard time moving from one place to another, urgent or constant medical needs, difficulty communicating or have trouble with transitioning to different situations. A disaster can present all these difficulties at once.
The CDC’s Children and Youth With Special Healthcare Needs in Emergencies page provides tips for creating an emergency kit and practicing an emergency care plan to help children stay safe and feel calm during an emergency. It also includes tips on involving your child’s healthcare provider and local emergency services in your planning.
Children’s Flight of Hope (CFOH) provides flights to essential, life-changing and life-saving medical care for children in need. CFOH eases the emotional and financial burden on families by providing commercial airline tickets for children and caregivers for the duration of their child’s treatment.
CFOH provides commercial airline tickets for children traveling in the United States to specialized medical care with board-certified doctors at accredited medical facilities. To learn more or to start the application process, visit Frequently Asked Questions and Resources on CFOH’s website.
For questions, please contact CFOH at connect@cfoh.org or (919) 466-8593.