Resource Directory /

Transition Resources

  • Client Assistance Program

    The Illinois Client Assistance Program (CAP) is a federally funded program that helps persons with disabilities understand and use rehabilitation services. The program:

    • Informs and advises individuals of the services and benefits available to them through programs authorized under the Rehabilitation Act and Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act
    • Advocates and provides assistance for people seeking programs and services provided for within the Rehabilitation Act
    • Helps to identify and resolve problems that may arise during the rehabilitation process
    • Identifies problem areas in providing rehabilitation services and makes suggestions for improving services

    Those eligible for CAP are:

    • Anyone seeking information, applying for services or already receiving services from the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), the Vocational Rehabilitation and the Centers for Independent Living
    • Persons who are dissatisfied with the services they are receiving, or who have been denied services for which they may be eligible
    • Persons needing intervention or assistance in their relationships with programs providing rehabilitation service

    For more information about CAP, call (855) 452-2725 (1-855-ILCAP-25). TTY and Relay callers can dial 711. You can also email cap@equipforequality.org or visit equipforequality.org/cap for more details.

  • College Scholarships for Students with Disabilities

    Information from College Scholarships.org about college scholarships available to students with disabilities.

  • Coming Out: Information for Parents of LGBTQ Teens

    HealthyChildren.org, the parenting website of the American Academy of Pediatrics, provides parents of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) teens information on understanding, supporting and remembering that each child is unique and will have their own experiences and feelings along the way.

    “Coming Out: Information for Parents of LGBTQ Teens” provides help for parents and children navigating the many aspects of acceptance.

  • Communication Wallet Card

    The Secretary of State’s Office offers an Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) Communication Wallet Card to help notify law enforcement that a person may have difficulty communicating. Applicants may request the wallet card at any Illinois Secretary of State Driver’s License Facility.

    The wallet card is available to notify law enforcement in advance that a person may require alternative methods of communication in order to respond to and communicate with an officer.

    For more details, contact the Secretary of State’s Office at (800) 252-8980.

  • Community Action Agencies

    Community Action Agencies work with local community organizations and non-profit partners to provide assistance to Illinois families with items including:

    • Rental Assistance
    • Food
    • Energy Utility Bill Assistance
    • Water/Sewer Payment
    • Employment Training/Placement
    • Financial Management
    • Temporary Shelter

    This link provides a local Community Action Agencies (CAAs) search tool that can help you find programs in your area.

  • Community Foundation of Northern Illinois

    The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) provides scholarships, including scholarships for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and grants to charitable organizations in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties. Visit CFNIL’s scholarship opportunities page to learn more.

  • Conquering CHD Transition Checklist

    Conquering CHD has put together a Conquering CHD Transition Checklist to help youth with congenital heart disease manage their own care as they reach adulthood and move from their pediatric doctor to an Adult Congenital Heart Disease doctor.

  • Conversation Guides for End-of-Life Care

    The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) provides free Conversation Guides to help you have conversations with a family member, friend, or other loved one about your – or their – wishes for care through the end of life.

    All the guides are available to download and print at home for free. The guides include:

    • Your Guide to Choosing a Health Care Proxy
    • Your Guide to Being a Health Care Proxy
    • Your Guide to Talking With a Health Care Team
    • What Matters to Me Workbook
    • Guide for Caregivers of a Child With Serious Illness

    The guides are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese.

  • Cornerstone Services – Employment Services

    Cornerstone Services’ Employment Services help people with disabilities gain and maintain employment in the community.

    Services are available in Will, Kankakee and southern Cook counties. Services include career counseling, job development and job coaching.

    For more information, visit Cornerstone Services’ contact page for phone numbers and email addresses.

  • Create Your Own Communication Card for People With Hearing Losssun-icon

    The Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission (IDHHC) provides a template to create a personalized Communication Card for people with hearing loss. The card helps others understand your communication needs and lists your preferred communication provider’s name and contact information. To create a personalized Communication Card, visit the “Create my own Communication Card” page on IDHHC’s website.

    For more information, contact the IDHHC: