Resource Directory /

Health Condition and Disability-Specific Resources

  • 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:

  • The Center for Courageous Kids Summer Camps and Family Retreats

    The Center for Courageous Kids (CKC) offers free family retreat weekends and overnight summer camp sessions for youth ages 5 to 17 with complex medical conditions and disabilities. CKC welcomes children with a wide range of conditions, including heart/cardiovascular disease, blood disorders, sickle cell disease, spina bifida, and more. The camp provides 24-hour medical coverage, an on-site medical center, and program and medical staff with training and experience in all aspects of medical camping.

    The Center for Courageous Kids is open to youth ages 5 to 17 diagnosed with one of the illnesses/conditions it serves and immediate family members. To learn more about the camp, you can also:

  • The Chicago Lighthouse

    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 Guthrie-Koch Scholarship for Individuals with Certain Metabolic Disorders

    The Guthrie-Koch Scholarship from flok is for individuals with one of several metabolic disorders. The scholarship is for students demonstrating character, academic achievement and engagement with their community, and who are pursuing post-secondary educational or vocational opportunities. Students from any country can apply. Scholarship applications open by mid-December each year. Applications are due in mid-March.

    To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must have one of these metabolic disorders:

    • Classical HCU
    • Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
    • An Organic Acidemia
    • Phenylketonuria (PKU)
    • Tyrosinemia
    • Urea Cycle Disorder (UCD)

  • The Humanitarian Foundation

    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 Hydrocephalus Association

    The Hydrocephalus Association provides information and resources for people of all ages living with or caring for someone with hydrocephalus.

  • The KASE Project

    The KASE Project aims to raise awareness and support for autism through community outreach in the Springfield area. Its programs include:

    • PECS (Picture Exchange Communication) at the Park – an initiative to install picture communication boards at local parks and playgrounds.
    • PALS (Parent Autism Life Support) – a caregiver support initiative for parents, siblings and caregivers of children and adults with autism in Sangamon County. PALS currently hosts a support group for moms.
    • FLASH (Friends Learning and Sharing Hope) – an effort to bring adaptive sports to the Chatham community and beyond.
    • SIBS – A Sibshops program for siblings of children with health, mental health and developmental needs.

  • The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University

    The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University is a federally funded center providing elementary and secondary education programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The Clerc Center Online Community provides best-practice videos, research, toolkits and resources for families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and the professionals who work with them.

    Clerc Center resources include:

    • The Language First Parent Guide, a step-by-step roadmap for parents with children who are deaf and hard of hearing
    • Family-focused activities such as American Sign Language (ASL) classes, bilingual storybooks and more

  • The Parent Advocacy App for Families of Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Children

    The Parent Advocacy app is a free application for families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing attending Individualized Education Program meetings, 504 Plan meetings and more.

    The app aims to help you understand your child’s rights and prepare to work with the school in the best interest of your child.

  • The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry Pediatric Special Needs Dentistry

    The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry Pediatric Dental Care provides comprehensive dental care for children including individuals 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.

    Social stories are also available to help children with autism or sensory issues get ready for a dental visit: