UIC Division of Specialized Care for Children - About the Chicago North Regional Office

The DSCC Chicago North Regional Office staff assist families and children that reside within the city of Chicago.

The Chicago North Regional Office staff are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Professional and Support staff work together as a team to provide care coordination for eligible children. Team members include Nurses, Social Workers, Speech and Hearing professionals and program consultant aides (PCA). A Program Services Manager (PSM) supervises the Regional office team. The office is located at:

If you have questions about any of our programs or would like information about available resources within the counties served, please contact us.

July 15	ADA: Era for Change. Join us in commemorating the 19th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on Wednesday, July 15 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the James R. Thompson Center, 100 West Randolph Street, Chicago. There will be informational workshops on ADA issues, a fashion show with designs made by persons with disabilities, an art exhibit featuring artists with disabilities, a three-on-three wheelchair basketball exhibition, an ADA Help Table, and exhibits from a variety of federal, state and local organizations with entertainment provided by performers with disabilities. For more information call 312/793-0034 (Voice) or 312/793-3597 (TTY) or email DHS.ADACelebration@illinois.gov
July 18	14th Annual Six Flags Deaf and Hard of Hearing Awareness Day. There will be sign language interpreters in the park assigned to various shows and facilities. See http://www.chicagohearingsociety.org/Youth%20Program/Flyer_DeafDayGA09.htm for more information.
July 25	DISABILITY PARADE Register to march in the sixth annual Disability Pride Parade, set for Saturday, July 25th in downtown Chicago. An estimated 7, 000 people, floats, and vehicles will march and roll from Harold Washington Library to Daley Plaza to celebrate the theme “Disable and Proud 2009” Call (866) 260-5812 or visit www.disabilityprideparade.org

Regional Office staff are available at the following locations and times to meet with families, answer questions, take referrals, and offer assistance with any special health care needs:

DSCC representatives are available from 9am-4pm on the first Wednesday of each month at the CMH outpatient clinic site located at 2515 N. Clark Street in Chicago. The DSCC table is located on the 7th floor.

DSCC representatives are available from 9am-noon on the second Wednesday of each month at the CMH Craniofacial Clinic located at 467 W. Deming Place in Chicago. The DSCC table is located in the lobby on the 9th floor.

DSCC representatives are available from 9am-4pm on the third Tuesday of each month. Please feel free to stop by the DSCC table located in the lobby at the Spina Bifida Clinic on the 9th floor.

The Office of Consumer Health Insurance provides assistance regarding health insurance problems and questions. They are available to explain your rights as a health care consumer, answer questions regarding health insurance, help you understand the coverage specific to your health care plan and to assist you with problems or complaints. To contact the office, call 877/527-9431.

Chicago Public Library: The Chicago Public Library located at 400 State Street offers a free Wednesday Story Time for children ages 3-8 years beginning at 10:30 every Wednesday. For more information call 312/747-4200.

The Theodore Roosevelt Branch at 1101 W. Taylor St. 312-746-5656 also offers a Tales for Tots story time every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30 and a Read and Play group for kids infancy to 4 years old on Fridays at 10 a.m.

Shedd Aquarium: Offers Tots on Tuesday designed for ages 3-5, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The program is free with admission to the aquarium and is located at 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, 312/939-2435.

Cernan Earth and Space Center: Offers children's shows Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $5 for adults and $2.50 for children ages 12 and younger. The Center is located at Triton Community College, 2000 Fifth Avenue in River Grove, 708/583-3100. http://www.triton.edu.

New City YMCA: The Thursday Afternoon Drop-In program offers an opportunity for parents of children from birth to age 4 years to relax and chat with other parents and child development specialists while the children nap or play. Hours are from 1:30-3:00 at the New City YMCA 'Mazing Kids Room 1515 N. Halsted. The cost for the session is $5.00 but a sliding scale fee is available. For more information, contact Karen Benson 312/440-1203.

Skokie North Shore Sculpture Park: The park offers a two mile handicapped accessible pathway featuring 72 large scale, contemporary sculptures. The park is open all year and the admission is free. It is located on the east side of McCormick Blvd. between Dempster Street and Touhy Avenue in Skokie. Visit their website at http://www.sculpturepark.org/index.htm.

Lincoln Park Zoo: The zoo is open 365 days of the year and offers free admission. Other activities with separate costs include paddle boats, endangered species carousel, zoo train ride and African Safari Ride. The zoo is located at Lake Shore Drive and Fullerton Parkway. http://www.lpzoo.com.

Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows: The museum is located on the lower terraces of Navy Pier and features 150 decortive windows. Admission is free.

DuSable Museum of African American History: The DuSable Museum of African-American History is the oldest museum of its type in the country and features the historical experiences and achievements of African-Americans. It is located at 740 E. 56th Place in Chicago and admission is free from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. http://www.dusablemuseum.org/home.asp.

Morton Arboretum: The Morton Arboretum is open 365 days per year. They offer summer concerts and theater-hikes throughout the summer. For more information, visit their webiste at http://www.mortonarb.org. or call 630/968-0074 for ticket information.

Guardianship involves the appointment by a court of a legally responsible individual to manage the affairs of another. The law assumes tht an adult age eighteen or older is capable of handling his/her own affairs. However, a guardian may be appointed if a person is disabled because of mental deterioration, physical incapacity, mental illness or developmental delay if the disability prevents the person from making or communicating responsible decisions about his/her personal affairs. The Illinois Guardinship and Advocacy Commision is a good resource for people interested in becoming a guardian for their diabled family member. Visit their website at http://gac.state.il.us.

The Our Own Home Program is offered through the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer and is designed to help Illinois residents buy a home or refinance a loan if they are facing foreclosure due to financial hardships beyond their control. The Office of the Illinois State Treasure will guarantee 10% of the loan thereby making it easier for lenders to approve loans they would normally have rejected. To qualify a resident must have an income less than $75,000 and the home must be their primary residence. For more information contact 888/803-4663 or go to their website at http://www.ourownhome.net.

___________________________________________________FAMILY SOLUTIONS PROGRAM

Youth in Crisis Inc. offers a Family Solutions Program designed to help families in preventing juvenile offenses, achieving persional and family well being and strengthening family ties. The group meets for ten weeks and is offered in both Spanish and English. For more information, contact 708/484-7400.

The following support groups are provided for parents of children diagnosed with epilepsy. All the support groups meet monthly but the dates, times and locations are subject to change. Please contacat Jack Brinton at 312/939-8622, x214 before attending a group for the first time.

Chicago: University of Chicago Wyler's Children's Hospital, 5841 S. Maryland-The group meets the 1st Saturday of the month at noon.

Chicago: Rudy Lozano Library, 18th St. and Blue Island-The group meets the 2nd Thursday of the month at 6 pm and is in Spanish.

Schaumburg/Hoffman Estates: Township of Schaumburg Building, One Illinois Blvd., Hoffman Estates-The group meets the last Wednesday of the month at 7 pm.

The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired and Friedman Place have produced a new public affairs program on disability issues, which runs every Sunday from 11 a.m. to noon on WNTD 950 AM with a simulcast on WAUR 930 AM