Dental Services

Any child who is a resident of Champaign or Urbana is eligible for dental services.  There is a fee schedule, but no one will be turned away for an inability to pay a fee.  Website:  http://www.cuphd.org/dentalhealth.html

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Services can be obtained by calling to schedule an appointment (217) 531-4279.  Emergency dental appointments can be made the same day.  Parental supervision is required.  Hours are 8-5, Monday through Friday at 710 N. Neil St., Champaign. 

School children who are Urbana residents may also go to the Urbana School-based Health Center Dental Clinic, 1002 S. Race St., Urbana.  Hours vary. Call for appointment: (217) 531-4254.

NOTE: children who live in Champaign County outside C-U may call Central Illinois Dental Education and Services, (www.cides.org) at (217) 359-7404, fax  (217) 352-9745.

Central Illinois Dental Education and Services (CIDES) works with the Champaign County Public Health Department to bring the Child Dental Access Program to the families of outlying Champaign County.

Vision Services

     VISION USA offers children, adults and seniors in working families free eye care.  To qualify for this service, individuals must be working or be part of a household with one member who is working at least part time, have no insurance that covers eye examinations, have an income below an established level based on household size, and not have had an eye exam in the past 24 months. (Some states have different eligibility requirements.)
     You may register by calling toll-free (800) 766-4466, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Application forms are also available from VISION USA, 243 Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141 or on the AOA website at http://www.aoa.org.

     DSCC is a sponsor of the Institute for Parents of Preschool Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.  This year, it will be held Sunday, June 8 through Friday, June 13 at the Illinois School for the Deaf campus in Jacksonville.  Participants are infants and toddlers from birth to age 5 years who have a moderate to profound bilateral hearing loss and their parents. For further information and application forms, please contact your local Division of Specialized Care for Children at (800) 779-0889. The application deadline is May 30, 2008.

DSCC will offer scholarship money to parents who attend in the amount of $30 per day. This money is mailed to the families after the Institute ends. The purpose of the money is to offset the costs of families having to miss work, pay for day care for other children, etc. and to make the Institute more accessible to families. There is also a sibling program again this year so a limited number of siblings under the age of 8 can attend. This is also to help make the program more accessible to families.

Grants for Kids

     The United Healthcare Children's Foundation is offering support to meet the needs of children nationwide with assistance grants for medical services not fully covered by health insurance.
      Parents and caretakers across the country will be eligible to apply for grants of up to $5,000 for health-care services that will help improve their children's health and quality of life.  Examples of the types of medical services covered by the foundation grants include speech therapy; physical therapy and psychotherapy sessions; medical equipment such as wheelchairs, braces, hearing aids and eye-glasses, and orthodontic and dental treatments. 
     To be eligible for the grants, children must be 16 year old or younger.  Families must meet economic guidelines, live in the U.S. and be covered by a commercial health insurance plan.  For more information, visit:  www.uhccf.org.

Central Illinois Transition Linkage Partnership

The goal of transition is to enhance a person's employability, independent living, integration, and community participation.  For information, resources, local service providers and links to other websites, visit:  www.geocities.com/transitionlink.  

Telephone Help

In Illinois, Ameritech, Verizon and Illinois Consolidated telephone customers can get assistance with phone bills from Lifeline, a government program that offers qualified people a discount on their monthly local telephone bill.  Eligibility criteria, restrictions and instructions on how to apply can be found at www.lifelinesupport.org.  Another program, Link Up, helps consumers who are eligible to save up to 50% on telephone installation fees.  Eligibility criteria can also be found at the above website.