Medical/Health Resources
The Autism Collective is a collaboration of Easterseals Central Illinois and OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois. The collective is working to end the isolation felt by those living with autism by uniting experts and connecting families.
The collective coordinates early identification, diagnosis, therapy, services and support. Its care coordination services are available throughout Illinois (outside of Chicago).
The Center for Chronic Illness
The Center for Chronic Illness (CCI) is a nonprofit organization offering support and education to promote well-being and decrease isolation for people affected by chronic illness. CCI offers adults and teens living with chronic illness a variety of support groups and programs focusing on emotional well-being, health education and community. CCI provides:
- Chronic illness support groups for adults and teens
- Supporting loved ones and parenting children with health challenges support groups
- BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ support groups
- Health education programs
- Resources
- Events
The Chicago Lighthouse is a social service organization serving the blind, visually impaired, disabled and veteran communities. It provides vision rehabilitation services, education, employment opportunities and assistive technology for people of all ages throughout Chicagoland. It also provides national and statewide resources for college, brailler repair, employment, recreation, service animals and more.
The organization’s Lader Family Scholarship Program is open to Illinois residents who are blind or visually impaired, as well as Chicago Lighthouse employees who are blind, visually impaired, have another disability or are veterans. You can learn more about the Lader Family Scholarship and other scholarship opportunities on the Chicago Lighthouse website.
The official site of the Hearing Improvement Kids Endowment Fund, Inc. (HIKE). The purpose of the fund is to provide hearing devices for children with hearing losses between the ages of newborn and 20 years whose parents are unable to meet this special need financially.
Children are eligible to receive a grant providing the need is verified by a prescription from an audiologist or physician.
The Humanitarian Foundation Grottoes International program helps cover the costs of dental treatment, including hospital and anesthesia costs, for children with Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, Organ Transplants or Muscular Dystrophy and related neuromuscular disorders.
The Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness (ISPB)
The Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness (ISPB) promotes vision and eye health in the state of Illinois. ISPB provides:
- Eye care education programs and information
- Youth replacement glasses and low-vision equipment reimbursement services
- Research grant opportunities
- Speakers and screening events
The Importance of Healthcare Transition
Transition not only includes vocational goals and community involvement but also health care transition. This includes discussing and planning for maximizing the potential for self-management of health care, along with age-appropriate health care as they transition to adulthood.
In this short video, one of the regional managers with UIC’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) explains the importance of healthcare transition and how DSCC is here to help youth and their families prepare for what lies ahead.
Program helps patients who may qualify to enroll in a patient assistance program. Prescription medicine is free to individuals in need if they meet the sponsor’s criteria.
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry Services
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry provides comprehensive dental care including a full range of services for people with disabilities and children with complex oral health needs and special developmental and behavioral care needs. Pediatric Dentistry clinics provide care for children from infancy through adolescence (under age 17), including:
- Comprehensive oral health examinations, teeth cleaning, fluoride treatments, sealants, restorative procedures (fillings, crowns, etc.)
- Extractions and minor surgical procedures
- Urgent care (trauma, infection, etc.) and more
These services can be completed using inhalation sedation (Nitrous oxide), moderate sedation and general anesthesia. Read more about pediatric services.
People with disabilities can request services to help them participate equally in the College of Dentistry’s services, programs and activities. Requests can include sign language interpreters, documents in Braille, and other ways of making information and communications accessible.
Thresholds provides recovery services for persons with mental illnesses and substance use disorders in Illinois. Thresholds’ services include:
- Youth and young adult services
- Deaf program
- Intensive outreach for mental illness
- Training and workforce development
- Integrated primary and behavioral health care
Thresholds offers programs at more than 75 locations throughout Chicago, the adjacent suburbs and four surrounding counties.