Health Condition and Disability-Specific Resources
The High Fives Foundation focuses on preventing life-changing injuries and providing resources for outdoor adventure sports athletes if they happen. High Fives provides community support, inspiration and grants to help athletes and veterans with spinal cord injuries (SCI), traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and others get back to their outdoor physical activity of choice from snowboarding and skiing to surfing and mountain biking and beyond.
The High Fives Foundation Empowerment Fund grants are primarily need-based. Recipients can use the grant funds for adaptive sports equipment, healing network, medical equipment, programs, living expenses and emergency care/injury expenses. Athletes living in the United States or Canada and meeting the criteria for each grant cycle can apply each year.
Hire Autism is a free program from the Organization for Autism Research to help autistic job seekers find meaningful employment opportunities and connect with autism-friendly employers.
The site features include a searchable jobs board and resource library, profile and job board navigation tutorials, personalized job alerts and autism- or disability-related employment events. Job seekers can request free one-on-one virtual assistance with resume and cover letter writing as well as interview preparation through Hire Autism’s volunteer mentoring program.
Homocystinuria (HCU) Network America
Homocystinuria (HCU) Network America provides free resources and connections for people impacted by this rare genetic disorder that affects the body’s ability to process the amino acid homocysteine. HCU Network America supports a wide range of research and provides educational resources, connections and practical tools to help patients and their families navigate living with HCU.
HCU Network America resources include:
- Information on understanding HCU, clinic visits and treatment options
- An HCU Community Cookbook
- A downloadable Classical HCU Toolkit and podcast
- A New Patient Toolkit
How to Support a Child with Epilepsy: Information for Parents
“How to Support a Child with Epilepsy: Information for Parents” from HealthyChildren.org, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ parenting website, provides tips for encouraging and supporting a child with epilepsy from infancy to adulthood. Topics include:
- Recognizing and treating seizures as early as possible
- Talking to your child’s doctor
- Discussing epilepsy openly and honestly with your child and others
- Finding childcare
- Teens with epilepsy
- Transitioning to adulthood
Additional resources for explaining epilepsy to others, building a care notebook, asking your medical team questions and what to do if your child has a seizure are also available.
iCanConnect is a national communication equipment distribution program for people with significant combined hearing and vision loss. The program helps eligible individuals who are deaf-blind stay connected to friends, family and the world by providing equipment specific to each person’s needs.
The iCanConnect website provides information about each local program and application requirements. The local program works with iCanConnect participants to provide an individualized assessment and help with equipment needs.
The Illinois Center for Autism (ICA) is a nonprofit, community-based mental health treatment and educational agency serving people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ICA offers a variety of programs designed to support families and help individuals from age 3 through adulthood achieve their highest level of independence at home, school and in the community.
ICA provides education, advocacy, social skills, life skills and vocational training and resources to children ages 3 to 22 in its Special Education Program, individuals 22 and older in its Adult Services Program, and their families in its Client Family Support Services Programs.
ICA serves about nine counties in southern Illinois on a regular basis. These counties include Madison, St. Clair, Bond, Clinton, Washington, Monroe, Fayette, Marion, and Macoupin. The center also provides services in other counties based on where students and families reside.
Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities
The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD) helps lead change in Illinois so all people with developmental disabilities exercise their right to equal opportunity and freedom.
ICDD provides information, investments and initiatives to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families have a part in the design of and access to culturally competent services, supports and other assistance and opportunities that promote independence, productivity and integration and inclusion into the community.
Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission
The Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission (IDHHC) is an executive state agency that promotes education and awareness of the legal requirements for effective communication on behalf of people with hearing loss in Illinois.
The commission also provides information about:
- Assistive technology
- Hearing aid assistance
- Service animal resources
- Interpreters and CART providers
- American Sign Language (ASL) videos and publications
Illinois Department of Human Services
The Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) provides services and programs to help Illinois residents become economically independent and self-sufficient, including food, financial assistance, mental health, child care, shelter/housing and more. Its divisions include:
- Developmental Disabilities
- Early Childhood
- Family and Community Services
- Mental Health
- Rehabilitation Services
- Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR)
Illinois Division of Developmental Disabilities Website and Helpline
The Illinois Division of Developmental Disabilities provides services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
Possible services include in-home supports, respite care, job coaches, residential living arrangements, adaptive equipment and others.
To find out more information about available services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities, you can call the DHS Helpline at (888) DD-PLANS or (866) 376-8446 (TTY).