Medical/Health Resources
Seizure Action Plan Examples and Resources
A seizure is a medical emergency. A Seizure Action Plan (SAP) contains tailored guidelines on how to respond during a seizure, based on the patient’s medical history. It includes health and medical information specific to the patient and helps others recognize seizures and the appropriate steps to take to keep them safe from injury or damage caused by prolonged seizures.
The Seizure Action Plan Coalition has several Seizure Action Plan examples and resources in English and Spanish to help you create your own plan. Resources are also available in other languages.
Epilepsy Alliance America manages the Seizure Action Plan Coalition.
Self-Care and Emotional Wellness Apps
A list of self-care, emotional wellness and stress-relieving apps compiled by the McLean County Center for Human Services.
Self-Care and Tips for Talking With Children and Teens about Mental Health
UNICEF provides tips and resources to help you support your child’s and your own mental health. Resources include a mental health quiz, information on common conditions, videos, and conversation starters to help you talk to your kids. The information is available in several languages.
UNICEF resources also include:
- Guides to big conversations
- Self-care for parents
- How to reduce stress
- Mental health tips for infants to pre-teens
The Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission has a list of Service Animal Resources. Information includes Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, programs that provide animals and more.
The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is a nonprofit hospital providing patient care, a research community focused on physical medicine and rehabilitation, clinical trials and a wide range of resources to help with caregiving, adapting and accessibility. Based in Chicago, the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab provides help with pediatric and adolescent rehabilitation, spinal cord injuries, brain injury recovery, limb loss and impairment, stroke and more.
Shirley Ryan Abilitylab’s Henry B. Betts, MD, Learning, Innovation, Family and Empowerment (LIFE) Center also offers resources to help empower people living with chronic, cognitive and physical impairments and diseases affecting function. Resource topics include:
- Caregiving and equipment
- Housing and transportation
- Inspiration and hope
- Support and wellness
- Recreation and leisure
- Medical information and care
- Education and employment
Shriner’s Hospitals for Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children has a mission to provide the highest quality care to children with neuromusculoskeletal conditions, burn injuries and other special healthcare needs within a compassionate, family-centered and collaborative care environment.
Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois
The Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois provides resources, education and support for individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) and their caregivers. Its website includes information about:
- Current SCD treatment options
- Virtual monthly support groups on Zoom
- GroupMe app support groups (the app is for use on cell phones or computers)
- SCD testing and newborn screening
- Scholarships and camp opportunities
- Events
Signed By Stories aims to raise mental health awareness, advocacy, education and support for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, late-deafened and deaf-disabled through storytelling.
Signed By Stories is working to create a community where deaf and hard-of-hearing people can:
- Join together and share their mental health stories
- Receive validation for their experiences
- Learn how to better support their own and the larger community’s mental health needs
- Have a platform where both deaf and hearing people have the knowledge, tools and feel empowered to take action to improve the current state of mental health care for deaf people
SIU School of Dental Medicine Special Needs Patient Care Clinic in Alton
The Southern Illinois University (SIU Edwardsville) School of Dental Medicine offers comprehensive dentistry for patients with physical, intellectual and emotional disabilities, and other special healthcare needs. Children and adults in central and southern Illinois with special needs can receive dental care at their Special Needs Patient Care Clinic in Alton.
Dental services are available at a reduced cost. The clinic accepts Medicaid and most dental insurance plans.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers toolkits for people with sickle cell disease and professionals navigating the disability application and evaluation process. The toolkits provide detailed information, examples of the types of medical evidence required for individuals with sickle cell disease, and tips to help with the disability application and evaluation process: