Statewide Listing of Organizations

The organizations or programs listed on this page provide resources for parents anywhere in the state of Illinois. Where indicated, the resources are available through regional or county offices.

Academic Development Institute
http://www.adi.org
Works to convert research into procedural knowledge so that schools and families will be served with sound, effective, research-based programs and practices.
Adoption Information Center of Illinois
http://www.adoptinfo-il.org
Offers information and resources parents need before, during, and after becoming an adoptive or foster parent.
Adult Learning Resource Center
http://www.thecenterweb.org/alrc
Provides workshops that train staff from all types of programs that provide educational and support services for families.
All Kids
http://www.allkids.com
All Kids is Illinois’ program for children who need affordable health insurance.
Arc of Illinois Family to Family Health Information and Education Center
http://www.thearcofil.org/familytofamily
Provides free information and referral services; health-related training opportunities for families, youth, and professional health care providers; specialized training for parent leaders and organizations; and linkages to local, regional, statewide, and national partners.
Autism Society of Illinois
http://autismillinois.org
Provides advocacy and support for Illinois families. State chapter of the Autism Society of America, Inc.
Autism Speaks (formerly Cure Autism Now (CAN))
Works to provide hope for those who care for individuals with autism by raising funds for autism research, being a local resource for autism topics/services, and increasing autism awareness within the community.
http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/chapters/index.php
Baby TALK
http://www.babytalk.org
Encourages parents in the nurture of their very young children (ages birth to 3 years). Provides information and services to parents to equip them for challenges and to help them enjoy their children's development. Links to several Baby TALK programs located in Illinois.
Career Development and Preparation
http://www.isbe.net/career/default.htm
Works to improve the educational system and provide access to career opportunities and work-based learning experiences for all students.
Child Care Assistance Program
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=30355
Provides low-income, working families with access to high-quality, affordable child care through the Illinois DHS Child Care Program, which allows parents to continue working and contributes to the healthy emotional and social development of the child. (Families are required to cost-share on a sliding scale.)
Child Care Association of Illinois
http://cca-il.site-ym.com/?
Provides a full range of services to Illinois' abused, neglected, and troubled children and their families, including adoption, foster care, family preservation, residential care, youth services, children's mental health services, special education services, and in-home support services.
Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois
http://www.ccdionline.org
A cross-disability, grassroots, membership organization dedicated to empowering people with disabilities and their families by helping them become stronger advocates. Serves anyone with any type of disability, in addition to family members, direct care providers, and advocates.
Compassionate Friends, Inc.
http://www.compassionatefriends.org/home.aspx
Assists families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age, and provides information to help others be supportive.
Every Library in Illinois - ELI
http://eliillinois.org
Supplies access to directory and statistical information concerning Illinois libraries, as collected by the State Library.
Illinois Assistive Technology Project
http://www.iltech.org
Works to break down barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing the assistive technology that lets them to learn, work, play, and live in the community.
Illinois Association of Court Appointed Special Advocates
http://illinoiscasa.org
Provides leadership and support in the development and growth of local programs whose volunteers advocate for the best interests of children in the Juvenile Court System.
Illinois Association for Gifted Children
http://www.iagcgifted.org
Educates, supports, and influences those who work with Illinois children with gifts and talents through advocacy, standards, and networking.
Illinois Association for Infant Mental Health (ILAIMH)
http://ilaimh.org
Offers opportunities for mental health professionals to exchange information, share resources, and engage in peer-to-peer discussion of topics related to infant mental health.
Illinois Association of School Boards
http://www.iasb.com
Works to strengthen the public schools through local citizen control.
Illinois Career Information System
http://ilcis.intocareers.org/loginmain.aspx?cookieTest=y
Enter the logon ID "iletc" and the password "etc99" (do not include the quotation marks). Provides information on occupations, employment, education, and training for parents (and for students, teachers, and counselors).
Illinois Chapter of the Leukemia Society of America
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/hm_lls
Dedicated to curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma, and to improving the quality of life of patients and their families. (The Illinois Chapter offers Family Support Groups throughout Illinois.)
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/index.shtml
Provides information about child protection, foster care, adoption, day care licensing and other services provided by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS). Search the phone directory of DCFS offices by region and city.
Illinois Department on Aging
http://www.state.il.us/aging
Helps older people live independently in their own homes and communities.
Illinois Department of Human Services
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx
Helps Illinois families achieve self-sufficiency, independence, and health to the maximum extent possible. Improves the quality of life of thousands of Illinois families by providing an array of comprehensive, coordinated services. Encompasses all or part of six state agencies: the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (DMHDD), the Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (DASA), the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS), the Department of Public Aid (DPA), the Department of Public Health (DPH), and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Search the directory of offices by county.
Illinois Early Intervention Clearinghouse
http://www.eiclearinghouse.org
(877-275-3227)
Provides a collection of services for families of children from birth to age 3 who have disabilities or developmental delays or who are at risk of having developmental delays.
Illinois Early Learning Project
http://illinoisearlylearning.org
Offers online resources and a question-answering service for parents, caregivers, and teachers of preschoolers in Illinois, including information related to the Illinois Early Learning Standards. Delivers information in several accessible formats. All resources available in both English and Spanish.
Illinois Family Institute
http://www.illinoisfamily.org
A conservative advocacy group working to create an environment in which families can flourish by equipping churches and influencing public policy makers through leadership, information, and training.
Illinois Fatherhood Initiative
http://www.4fathers.org
Works to end father absence by connecting children and fathers and promoting responsible fatherhood by equipping men to be better fathers and father figures.
Illinois Life Span Project
http://www.lifesplaninc.org
A statewide information resource and referral network for people with disabilities. Provides information on advocacy, services, and supports through a Web site and toll-free line.
Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
http://www.inccrra.org
Helps parents locate appropriate child care and helps providers and communities improve and expand their child care services.Search for a local office by ZIP code, county, or region.
Illinois Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs, Inc.
http://www.iomotc.org
Provides support, information, and networking services to parents of twins and higher-order multiples through its member-club affiliates.
Illinois Parent Information Resource Center
http://www.colum.edu/ilpirc
Housed on the Columbia College Chicago Web site.
Illinois PTA
http://www.illinoispta.org
Works to carry on constructive work for better parenthood, better homes, better schools, and better communities.
Illinois State Board of Education
http://www.isbe.state.il.us
Provides information for parents on Illinois education policy and practice.
Illinois State Board of Education Division of Early Childhood
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/earlychi/default.htm
Develops and provides materials and support for the Illinois Early Learning Standards and their use in early childhood programs, and for programs that focus on children from birth to 8 years old, early intervention for at-risk students, pre-kindergarten programs, early literacy, and partnerships among schools, communities, and service providers.
Illinois Violence Prevention Authority
http://ivpa.org
Dedicated to violence prevention. Focuses on the development and implementation of a statewide plan for violence prevention; coordination of existing violence prevention initiatives and encouragement of collaborative projects; evaluation and provision of technical assistance for violence prevention programming; and conducting public education and awareness efforts about violence and its prevention.
Illinois Waste Management and Research Center Library
http://www.istc.illinois.edu/main_sections/info_services/library.cfm
Hosts the Illinois Greening Schools Project, which includes a Web-based database of environmental education resources. Environmental education materials are available for interlibrary loan via OCLC FirstSearch.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (Illinois Chapter)
http://www.jdrfillinois.org
Raises funds, seeks to raise awareness about diabetes and the need for a cure, and educates elected officials about the need for increased funding for diabetes research.
La Leche League of Illinois
http://www.llli.org//Web/Illinois.html
Provides education, information, support, and encouragement to women who want to breastfeed. Provides a link to La Leche League groups in Illinois.
Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois
http://www.ldail.org
Monitors and advises on special education legislation and rules and regulations at the state and federal levels. Provides advocacy information and support to parents, LD individuals, and professionals. Awards scholarships, hosts workshops and conferences, publishes a quarterly newsletter, and maintains a lending library.
Lifelink
http://www.lifelink.org
Provides a range of services to children, families, and the aging throughout Illinois, and in Florida and Missouri, through the United Church of Christ. Includes a division of Latino Family Services to provide a continuum of care and support services in a culturally sensitive manner.
Life's Plan, Inc.
http://www.Lifesplaninc.org
Operates trust options for meeting the supplemental service needs of people with disabilities without jeopardizing state and federal entitlements. Assists families in addressing the difficult and universal question: "Who will care for my family member when I am gone?"
Lincoln's ChalleNGe Academy
http://www.ngycp.org/site/state/il
Helps high school dropouts between 16 and 18 years of age in a 17-month program designed to give them the skills and educational opportunities they need to become contributing, self-supporting members of their communities. An innovative program, run by the Illinois National Guard, as a comprehensive approach to the dilemmas facing today's high school dropouts.
NAMI Illinois (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Illinois)
http://il.nami.org
Works to improve the quality of life for persons with mental illness and their families.
National Lekotek Center
http://www.lekotek.org/lekotek.asp?selState=Illinois
Makes play accessible to children with all types of disabilities through special play and learning centers where children can have fun with traditional toys, adapted toys, books, and computers. View a list of Illinois affiliates of the Lekotek Center.
Ounce of Prevention Fund
http://www.ounceofprevention.org
Home of the Illinois Parents as Teachers program
Prevent Child Abuse - Illinois
http://www.preventchildabuseillinois.org
Provides public awareness campaigns, parent education and support programs, professional training and technical assistance, and community-based prevention programs focused on preventing child abuse and neglect.
Project Choices
http://www.projectchoices.org
Works to increase the capacities of school districts and educational personnel to educate and provide supports and services to children and youth with disabilities in the preschool, school, and community environments in which they would participate if not identified as having a disability.
Secretary of State Literacy Office
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library
who_we_are/literacy/home.html
Funds and links to public and private adult and family literacy volunteer programs.
Stars of David International - Chicago Chapter
http://www.starsofdavid.org
Provides adoption information and support groups for Jewish and interfaith prospective adoptive families and families created through adoption.
University of Illinois Extension
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state
Provides practical, research-based information and programs to help individuals, families, farms, businesses, and communities to make practical decisions that improve the quality of their lives.Search the directory of offices by county.
Urban Programs Resource Network
http://urbanext.illinois.edu
Provides information to residents, businesses, schools, and communities in the Chicago metropolitan area on topics related to horticulture, youth development and 4-H, family life, nutrition and wellness, community development, school reform, consumer economics, volunteerism, and environmental issues.
Voices for Illinois Children
http://www.voices4kids.org/index.html
A nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization. Offers statistics and data about Illinois families, publications, and information on legislative and policy issues and on Voices' work.

Funded by the Illinois State Board of Education.