Resource Directory /

Medical/Health Resources

  • Family Connections with Pediatrics

    “Family Connections with Pediatrics” is a series of family-written blogs summarizing research articles in Pediatrics Journal. Each blog explains the “scientific literature” findings and what they may mean for families, including:

    • Examples of how the findings apply to real-life situations
    • Suggestions for ways that families and healthcare professionals can work together for the health and well-being of children and families

  • Family Voices “My Language, My Care” Language Access Rights and Services Course

    Family Voices’ “My Language, My Care” is a free online, plain language course to help increase awareness, understanding and use of language access rights and services for families whose preferred language is not English. The course is available in English, Spanish, Chinese and American Sign Language.

    Family Voices’ My Language, My Care course will provide:

    • An understanding of their rights under the law
    • Information about interpreter confidentiality
    • Tools to advocate for high-quality language access services in the healthcare setting
    • A certificate of completion after finishing all six modules of the training course
    • Access to a free toolkit with information from the course in English, Spanish and Chinese

  • Family Voices Telehealth Toolkit, Tips and New Telemedicine Family Resource Center

    Family-centered telehealth can help children and youth with special healthcare needs and families access health care, improve their experience with health care, reduce stress, improve communication between all team members and across systems, and improve quality of life and well-being. During the COVID-19 outbreak, telehealth is being used more and more. Family Voices features extensive resources to help families and individuals with disabilities better understand, access, prepare for and navigate telehealth appointments.

    These resources are in Spanish and English.

    “Before, During, and After” is a two-part toolkit providing a checklist and worksheet to help prepare for telehealth visits, note questions or key information during a visit, and provide guidance and clear follow-up steps for each appointment.

    Family Voices also provides guidance on how to use telemedicine, what to expect and policy changes. (Click here for the Spanish version.)

  • FDA Information: At-Home COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

    The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) provides general information about at-home over the counter (OTC) COVID-19 diagnostic tests. Individuals can use these FDA-authorized tests at home to self-test for COVID.

    This site also provides information about:

    • Who can use the FDA-authorized tests
    • Test expiration dates
    • Other details to decide what test is right for you

  • FDA-Approved Drugs Database

    This FDA-Approved Drugs alphabetical listing covers the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) drug approvals. You can search by drug name, active ingredient or application number.

  • Feeding Tube Information from Lurie Children’s Hospital

    Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago provides this video on “The Basics of Caring for a Child With Feeding Tubes.”  Lurie also provides the parent guide, “Supporting Nutrition: Understanding Tube Feeding.” The reference guide includes personal stories and information on:

    • Administering feedings through the feeding tube
    • Changing the dressings and cleaning around the tube
    • Problems that may occur with the gastrostomy tube or the insertion site

    Lurie’s website also offers tube-feeding resources for children and adults with cystic fibrosis and an overview of the types of feeding tubes for children.

    Please note this information is not a substitute for the medical care and advice of your physician. There may be individual circumstances in your child’s healthcare that cause a variation in treatment.

  • Find a Pediatrician Tool

    The HealthyChildren.org website provides a tool to search for an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) member pediatrician, pediatric sub-specialist or pediatric surgical specialist. Click on the “Find a Pediatrician or Pediatric Specialist Tool” to start looking.

  • Find Treatment for Mental and Substance Use Disorders

    FindTreatment.gov is a confidential and anonymous resource for people seeking treatment options anywhere in the United States. Information about paying for treatment and understanding addiction and mental health is also available. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ) oversees the site.

    FindTreatment.org also offers:

    • The National Helpline at (800) 662-4357
    • State substance use and mental health agency links and phone numbers
    • Video tutorials for using the site
    • Information about the Disaster Distress Helpline for counseling related to disasters
    • Other treatment resources

  • FIRST.IL Mental Health Program

    FIRST.IL is a program of the Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Mental Health. It is a specialized treatment approach that helps individuals who are between the ages of 14 to 40 and who have had a treated or untreated psychotic illness for no more than 18 months.

    The program aims to reduce the symptoms of psychotic illnesses, improve individual and family functioning, promote recovery, reduce the chance of relapse and more.

    Eligible diagnoses are schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder or other specified/unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder with psychotic features, major depressive disorder with psychotic features and PTSD with dissociative symptoms.

    Individuals can call the FIRST.IL agency in their service area for an assessment. If the agency determines that FIRST.IL treatment is appropriate, they will expedite an appointment with their team psychiatrist.

  • flok for Individuals with an Inherited Metabolic Disorder

    Formerly known as PKU News, flok provides resources, support and an app for individuals with an inherited metabolic disorder and the people and clinicians who care for them. These conditions include Classical Homocystinuria (HCU), Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD), Phenylketonuria (PKU), Tyrosinemia and more.

    The flok website includes:

    • Opportunities to connect and share in person and virtually
    • Annual flok Family Camps
    • Food science information guided by a staff dietitian and collaborations with partner organizations and Genetic Metabolic Dietitians International
    • The flok app for individuals managing an inherited disorder of protein metabolism