If your child is below the age of 3, there is a parent manual put out by the State of Illinois Deaf and Hard Hearing Commission called “Experiencing The Journey”.  It has lots of good information for parents of newly diagnosed infants and toddlers to helpyou navigate the Early Intervention system in Illinois and get your child the services he/she needs.

Here is some information from a flyer we just received on some upcoming  conferences of interest to parents of Illinois’ deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Fourth Annual

South of Eighty Parent Conference

For parents of children who are dear or hard of hearing in Central Illinois.

Save the date and plan to attend!

Saturday November 15, 2008

Illinois School for the Deaf

Jacksonville, Illinois

In the past this conference has been held in the spring, this year it will take place in the fall.
*More information about this and other parent conferences will be coming soon to the ISD
Outreach website at http://morgan.k12.il.us/isd/events.html

North of Eighty
March 14, 2009
Rock Falls, Illinois

and

South of Seventy
April 2, 2009
Mt. Vernon, Illinois

• ASDC
  • American Society for Deaf Children
• Beginnings
• Chicago Hearing Society
  • Youth Programs
  • Interpreter Referral Services
  • Hearing Aid Sales and Service
  • Hearing Aid Bank
  • TTY Distribution
  • Deaf Line (events for and about the Deaf Community)
• Child and Family Connections
  • Early Intervention Providers through the state of Illinois – all early intervention services must begin with Child and Family Connections
• Choices for Parents
• DHS Illinois Department of Human Services
  • vocational rehabilitation services
  • counseling and guidance
  • assistance with training and technology
  • resources related to hearing loss
  • information and referral
  • interpreter resources and guidelines
  • in-service training
  • advocacy
• DSCC
  • Division of Specialized Care for Children
• Family Resource Center on Disabilities
  • information
  • training
  • support services
• Hearing and Vision Connections (HVC)
  • early intervention
  • technical assistance
  • training
  • Deaf Mentor program
• IDHHC
  • Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission
• Illinois Service Resource Center
• Midwest Center on Law and the Deaf
  • Pocket Cards