Mental Health Resources
It’s easy to view self-care as a low priority when your child is diagnosed with a serious illness. Your role as a parent and parenting partner has unexpectedly changed. The child has urgent and complex medical needs; you must manage appointments and service providers, and learn new information about the disease and medical treatment—all while tending to the needs of other family members, work and/or other responsibilities.
The Courageous Parents Network provides this guide to help parents make time and find ways to take care of themselves.
Association for Individual Development (AID)
The Association for Individual Development (AID) serves individuals with developmental, intellectual, physical, and/or mental health challenges, those who have suffered a trauma and those at risk. Operating in the greater Fox Valley area and other western suburban counties, AID provides services to address the unique needs of individuals at every stage of life.
Programs include:
- Autism programs
- Permanent supportive housing and in-home support
- Developmental and vocational training
- Job placement and on-the-job coaching service
- Crisis intervention and victim services
- Mental health treatment
AID is also a sponsor of the Ride in Kane paratransit program in partnership with RTA, Pace, Kane County, and local municipalities and social service agencies.
BIrth to Five Region 26 serves Fulton, Hancock, McDonough and Schuyler counties. Birth to Five is a network of local councils that listen to families to identify community needs, build sustainable services, and help families connect to the help they need. Region 26 resources and information include:
- Fulton, Hancock, McDonough and Schuyler County Mental and Behavioral Health Resources Guide
- NAMI’s West Central Illinois Behavioral Health Resource Guide
- The Region 26 newsletter
- The Royal Guide, a comprehensive list of resources for individuals and children who are on the spectrum
Blueprint for Families of Loved Ones With Mental Health Issues
Mental health challenges affect the whole family and are hard on everyone. The Caregiver Action Network provides a Blueprint for Families of Loved Ones With Mental Health Issues.
The guide includes information on discussing mental health with doctors, screening for mental health issues, the value of knowing early diagnosis and intervention, and more.
Brave Health Online Mental Health Services
Brave Health provides online mental health services and accepts more than 200 insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare. Physicians, nurse practitioners, therapists and counselors with specialized training in mental health care provide care virtually in English and Spanish. Services include one-on-one and group therapy sessions, medication management, specialized programs and help managing complex medical and behavioral health challenges for adults and youth ages 13 and up.
Brave Health has a closed-loop referral process and also accepts patients who do not have insurance. Patients, referrers and providers can visit Brave Health’s website for information on how to get started and other resources.
For questions, please see Brave Health’s Contact Us page for more details.
Children in Therapy and You (C.I.T.Y.) of Support is an online and in-person community that supports all families navigating the needs of their child in therapy, regardless of diagnosis, age, therapeutic needs or overall situation. Information, resources and events are available online.
C.I.T.Y. of Support includes members from all across Chicagoland. Local leaders help coordinate on-site events and opportunities within specific geographic regions. C.I.T.Y. programs include:
- In-person and online events and classes
- Celebrations and inclusive playgroups
- NICU welcome kits
- GENERO-C.I.T.Y. Toy Shop
- Sensory-friendly photo shoots
C.I.T.Y. of Support also sponsored the creation of the Accessibility Support Collection at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. Children in therapy and their caregivers may borrow therapeutic toys/tools/print materials from the library to explore at home.
Center for Childhood Resilience Learning and Resource Hub
Center for Childhood Resilience 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
For questions, please email LearningHub@LurieChildrens.org.
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
DSCC’s Mental Health Resources for Youth Tip Sheet
The Division of Specialized Care for Children’s (DSCC) Mental Health Resources tip sheet provides a listing of websites, fact sheets and videos to help youth and their families find mental health resources.
Erie House
Erie House is a social services nonprofit organization that aims to provide the most comprehensive support immigrant and low-income families in Chicago need to thrive. Its services include:
- Legal service: Its in-house team of attorneys and legal representatives helps clients navigate the U.S. citizenship and immigration system, keeping families together, and allowing them to achieve a greater sense of security.
- Mental health: Clinical therapists provide free, individual, social-emotional and behavioral counseling services to support children, teens, adults and families when they need it most.
- Children and youth: Erie House works with young people from infancy through high school graduation to equip them with tools and resources to build a bright future, including educational programs and activities, mentoring and family support.
- Adult education and training: Through foundational academic and professional programs like ESL (English as a Second Language), civics education, workforce development and more, Erie House aims to provide the tools adults need for long-term success.
- Community wellness and support services: Erie House offers workshops, support groups and counseling, all through a trauma-informed and culturally-sensitive lens.
Visit the Erie House website for a list of its locations throughout Chicago and the contact form.