Medical/Health and Wellness Resources
City of Chicago Emergency Assistance Registry for People with Disabilities or Special Needs
The City of Chicago has created a voluntary registry for individuals who may need assistance in the event of an emergency.
Individuals with disabilities or special needs or their caregivers can sign up at www.cityofchicago.org/voluntaryregistry/ or contact the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) at (312) 744-7050 for additional information.
City of Chicago Office of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights
The City of Chicago Office of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights (IMRR) partners with community organizations, academic institutions and the private sector to provide a wide range of information, resources and services. IMMR’s website resources include:
- A Know Your Rights Guide (Translations are available in Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese, Ukrainian and Haitian Creole)
- A Resource Guide for New Arrivals in Chicago (Translations are available in Spanish, French, Arabic, Haitian Creole and Portuguese)
- Citizenship requirements and how to apply for citizenship
- Information and resources for new Americans
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) eligibility and resources
- Legal Protection Fund information and more
City of Chicago Rental Assistance Program
The Rental Assistance Program (RAP) provides funding to Chicagoans who are at risk of becoming homeless. RAP helps Chicagoans who have housing right now, but who may become homeless soon because they lost income or had another eligible emergency which prevents them from paying rent.
Cleft and Craniofacial Condition Resources
HealthyChildren.org, the parenting website of the American Academy of Pediatrics, provides articles and information for parents and caretakers of children with a cleft lip, cleft palate or craniofacial disorder.
ClinicalTrials.gov is a place to learn about clinical studies from around the world.
CMS Sickle Cell Disease Provider Toolkit
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Provider Toolkit provides help to strengthen the infrastructure across care settings and support the needs of people with SCD. The toolkit includes:
- How CMS program coverage can assist people with SCD
- General information about SCD
- Resources for individuals with SCD and those who support them
- SCD treatments, pain management and wellness
- Information for providers and community partners
- CMS Action Plan
Coloring Pages for Caregivers
UIC’s Division of Specialized Care for Children has created adult coloring pages to help caregivers relieve stress and practice mindfulness. Four designs are available in English and Spanish:
Lighthouse (Lighthouse Spanish)
Sunflowers (Sunflowers Spanish)
ComEd Financial Assistance Options
ComEd offers assistance programs and its Smart Assistance Manager tool (SAM) to help you find the right options. ComEd programs include free energy-saving products, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), payment and budget billing arrangements, and more.
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 and Residential Services Authority (CRSA)
The Community and Residential Services Authority (CRSA) is an interagency group that identifies and addresses barriers facing parents, families, professionals and providers trying to get needed services and programs for individuals with a behavior disorder or a severe emotional disturbance. CRSA’s free and confidential services include:
- Helping agencies, schools and parents form working partnerships using a team approach
- Addressing/resolving multiple agency disagreements about residential placement or funding of placement and services
- Assisting local communities in developing and strengthening collaborative interagency networking on request
You can also call CRSA to connect with a program coordinator who will listen and help you develop a plan of care at (877) 541-2772 or (217) 782-2438.