General Resources
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24-hour, seven-days-a-week, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
(800) 662-HELP (4357)
TTY: (800) 487-4889
SAM’s Sweet Heart Memorial Foundation
SAM’s Sweet Heart Memorial Foundation is dedicated to helping Illinois families with children with complex medical diagnoses.
SAM’s Sweet Heart provides financial assistance to Boone and Winnebago county families with children under the age of 18 who have a medical condition requiring lifelong treatment. Local families may apply for a grant during open application periods.
Sangamon County Health Department
The Sangamon County Health Department protects, promotes and works to improve the health and well-being of all individuals and families in Sangamon and Menard Counties. Programs and services include vaccination clinics and other health services for children and adults, a discount card for medications, medication and sharps disposal, and more.
Sarah’s Inn provides comprehensive services for families affected by domestic violence so that they get the support they need to find safety, rebuild their lives and heal. It serves Chicago and 22 surrounding West Cook County suburban communities. Sarah’s Inn resources include:
- Support and crisis interventions
- Legal support
- Violence prevention programs
- Community education and training programs
- The Partner Abuse Intervention Program (PAIP)
Sarah’s Inn’s 24-hour emergency Crisis Line is (708) 386-4225.
The Self-Advocacy Online (SAO) website, from the Research and Training Center on Community Living at The University of Minnesota, provides self-advocacy tools for people with disabilities. The SOA website can help you research, learn and connect around self-advocacy. It includes:
- Stories from self-advocates
- A search feature to help you find self-advocacy groups
- Research and information on a variety of important topics
Self-Help Legal Assistance Clinic from Governors State University
Governors State University’s Self-Help Legal Assistance Clinic (GSU-LC) provides free self-help legal assistance and non-legal resources to low-income Illinois residents navigating the court system without legal representation. The clinic’s team of attorneys, social workers and volunteers works under the supervision of a licensed attorney and social worker to increase access to legal services in underrepresented communities. GSU-LC offers pro se and free legal assistance in the areas of family law, immigration, housing and expungement, and can help with:
- Understanding legal rights and laws
- Filing depositions, settlement negotiations and court appearances
- Reviewing and explaining court orders and filings
Sensory-Friendly Movie Showing List at Illinois Theaters
Several Illinois theaters offer movie showings with the lights up, lower sound and the freedom to get up, dance, walk, shout or sing. Visit the following sites to find more details and a theater near you:
Sertoma Star Services in Illinois
Sertoma Star Services (SRS) is a not-for-profit community organization dedicated to challenging the limits and changing the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental illness in the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana areas. Services include vocational, educational, therapeutic, recreational and residential programs.
Sertoma Star Services programs include:
- Special recreation services for children, teens and adults
- Community living and home-based services
- Life skills enrichment program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Janitorial and e-recycling vocational training and long-term job opportunities for adults
The Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission has a list of Service Animal Resources. Information includes Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, programs that provide animals and more.
Sesame Street in Communities is an online community that provides multimedia tools in both English and Spanish for parents, caregivers and providers to support children from birth to age 6.
The site covers a wide range of topics including school readiness, healthy minds and bodies, emergency planning and tough issues such as divorce, hunger and other traumatic experiences. It features videos, activities, printables and digital interactives fearing Sesame Street characters.