Brightpoint (Formerly Children’s Home & Aid) provides resources for Illinois families in multiple counties. I am sharing links for resources in my county here in Northern Illinois, Winnebago. Check out the sight to find services for all counties in Illinois. These resources include HOME VISITING, FAMILY SUPPORT, FATHERHOOD, CHILD WELFARE MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS,
AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION & INTERVENTION
HOME VISITING
- Illinois Pregnant & Parenting Youth in Care (IPPYC)
We connect pregnant and parenting teens in the foster care system to community-based supportive services that can meet their unique needs including home visiting and doula services.
Home Visiting programs providing specially-trained home visitors who work with parents to build their skills and promote their children’s healthy development – show evidence of reducing child abuse and neglect.
Counties Served: Statewide
For information, contact: Jaime Russell jrussell@brightpoint.org
FAMILY SUPPORT
Parents Care & Share can help by easing the stress and frustration that comes with raising children offering time and space for families to learn, listen, understand, and encourage one another.
Brightpoint’s Parents Care & Share program has groups throughout the Chicagoland area and central Illinois.
Counties Served: Cook, DuPage, and Kane, McLean, Champaign, Vermillion, Grundy, Boone, DeKalb, Winnebago, Ford, Livingston, Logan, Tazewell and Woodford
For services in: Cook, DuPage, and Kane: For information (Chicago and Suburbs), contact: Ernestine Brown ebrown@brightpoint.org (312) 952-1210
For services in: McLean, Champaign, Vermillion, Grundy, Boone, DeKalb, Winnebago, Ford, Livingston, Logan, Tazewell and Woodford: For information, contact: Dorothy Davis ddavis@brightpoint.org (309) 834-5240
The goal of the Crisis Nursery program is to provide overburdened parents with facilitated breaks, crisis counseling, stress reduction therapy, family stability and positive parenting education. The Crisis Nursery offers supportive services that link parents and caregivers to community resources to help them cope and problem-solve. Our services are free to anyone in need. The Crisis Nursery (Bloomington and Rockford) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.
Counties Served: McLean, Woodford, Livingston, Ford, Piatt, DeWitt, Logan, Tazewell, Winnebago, Boone
For services in: McLean, Woodford, Livingston, Ford, Piatt, DeWitt, Logan, Tazewell: For information, contact: jhigdon@brightpoint.org (309) 834-5260
Brightpoint Central Regional Office
403 South State Street
Bloomington, IL, 61701
For services in: Winnebago, Boone: For information, contact: jhigdon@brightpoint.org(309) 834-5260
Brightpoint Northern Regional Office
424 7th Street
Rockford, IL, 61104
New participants must contact the 24-hour crisis line and speak with a staff to schedule the initial intake. (309) 834-5260
FATHERHOOD
Our Thriving Fathers & Families (TFF) program helps to strengthen fathers’ relationships with their children, families, and communities. Thriving Fathers & Families uses a cohort and individual support model where Navigators facilitate group cohort sessions and provide one-on-one support to fathers, develop their identities as men, parents, and co-parents, while addressing their specific life needs and goals. Fathers participate in a 6-month cohort and receive individual support for a full year.
Counties Served: McLean, Winnebago, Dewitt, Champaign, Vermillion, Tazewell, Woodford, Piatt, Ford, Logan, Stephenson, Boone
For information, contact: TFFinfo@brightpoint.org (773) 918-8694
Fathers are Essential to Children’s Well-Being. Through virtual skills-building workshops and parent support groups, we help fathers build and nurture connections with each other, with mothers, and with other father figures and caregivers.
Counties Served: Cook (Westside Chicago), Winnebago, and McLean
For information, contact: Earl Kloppmann ekloppmann@brightpoint.org
CHILD WELFARE
Foster Care Services
When families are unable to care for their children, Brightpoint works to find suitable homes for them with caregivers who can provide the appropriate care based on the children’s individual needs.
Our services are offered in Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, Winnebago, Ogle, Boone, Stephenson, DeKalb, McHenry, St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, Clinton, and Jersey.
For more information on becoming a caregiver contact: fosterinquiry@brightpoint.org
Helping Families Care for their Kin
When children enter foster care with maternal or paternal relatives, we work with the family to assess why the child came into care, and address the acute needs including day-to-day caregiving, medical and mental health care, schooling, tutoring, housing, and family conflict resolution with the goal of reunifying the child with their parents or establishing a permanent living option outside of foster care.
Specialized Foster Care
Many youth in care have experienced trauma, often leading to behavioral and medical issues that require highly specialized care. We offer mental health, medical, dental, developmental, and educational services specific to each child’s needs. We also offer therapy, training, and peer support for parents and caregivers.
Sibling Connections
We work to keep sibling groups together in the same home while we work to promote family reunification and ensuring the safety, permanency and wellbeing of children.
For services in Cook, Lake, Will, and Kane, email: Rebecca Stone rstone@brightpoint.org
For services in Winnebago, Stephenson, Boone, McHenry, Ogle, and Dekalb, email: Loni Wilson lwilson@brightpoint.org
For services in St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, and Jersey, email: Katy Cotts kcotts@brightpoint.org
Foster Care - Become a Caregiver
Our caregivers provide a stable and accepting temporary home for children and teens that are separated from their families by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) while they work to improve the complex situations that led to the removal of their children through the court system.
We welcome all backgrounds and family structures including single parents, empty nesters, LGBT+ families, and caregivers with disabilities.
If you are interested in becoming a foster caregiver, contact: fosterinquiry@brightpoint.org
Achieving Permanency through Kinship (AKIN)
We know parents need assistance navigating a complicated foster care system and accessing appropriate resources to support reunification with their children. With the AKIN model, our Caregiver Support Team created the new role of Parent Partners to help fill this gap.
We provide services in the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, Winnebago, Ogle, Boone, Stephenson, DeKalb, McHenry, St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, Clinton, and Jersey
For more information contact: Ashley Akerman aakerman@brightpoint.org
MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS
Our Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)
CPP is an evidence based, trauma informed therapy model for young children from birth to age 5 and their parents or significant caregivers. The service supports addressing children’s trauma symptoms, mood and behaviors.
We provide services in the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, Winnebago, Ogle, Boone, Stephenson, DeKalb, McHenry, St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, Clinton, and Jersey
For more information, email: Anna Glass aglass@brightpoint.org
Nurturing Parenting Program (NPP)
The NPP is a family–centered, trauma–informed 16-week program for parents who have open intact cases, open DCFS cases, and pregnant or parenting teens who are involved with DCFS.
We provide services in the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, Winnebago, Ogle, Boone, Stephenson, DeKalb, McHenry, St. Clair, Madison, Randolph, Bond, Clinton, and Jersey
For Referrals, email: ffsareferrals@brightpoint.org
MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS - SCHOOL BASED SERVICES
Early Prevention in the Community
Early Prevention in the Community (EPIC) is a voluntary program that provides therapy to students with a current mental health diagnosis. This program offers individual and group counseling, activity therapy groups, links community resources and advocacy for children and their families at school and in the community. Crisis Resources: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 SASS/CARES Line: 1-800-345-9049 We provide year-round counseling and community referrals to families who have children (ages 4–18) with a mental health concern and are living in Winnebago County or the Freeport School District.
Counties Served: Winnebago
For information, contact: Elizabeth Smith esmith@brightpoint.org (815) 962-1043
Brightpoint Northern Regional Office
424 7th Street
Rockford, IL, 61104
Therapeutic Response with Intervention & Outreach (TRIO)
Emotional support to navigate school and family life
Youth may be experiencing mental health concerns, family stress, or life transitions that are impacting their functioning and life satisfaction. We partner with youth, families, and school staff to improve mental health, decrease problematic behaviors, and support family harmony.
This is a free program that focuses on utilizing a holistic approach to improve the quality for children and families.
Eligible participants are Winnebago County school-aged children and families who struggle with mental health concerns, family stress, or life transitions that are impacting their functioning and life satisfaction.
Counties Served: Winnebago
For information, contact: Renee Johnson Program Supervisor, TRIO rejohnson@brightpoint.org(815) 229-7403
Brightpoint Northern Regional Office
424 7th Street
Rockford, IL, 61104
VIOLENCE PREVENTION & INTERVENTION
Partner Abuse Intervention Program (PAIP)
Intervention services for adults of any gender and sexual orientation, who use Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in any form to maintain or increase power and control over an intimate partner.
Counties Served: Winnebago, Stephenson, St. Clair
For information, contact: Erin Bergren ebergren@brightpoint.org
Services & Advocacy for Empowerment (SAFE)
Community based mental health program designed to provide therapy and case management to youth and families who have experienced multiple types of victimization.
Counties Served: Winnebago
For information, contact: Lori Poppen lpoppen@brightpoint.org
Therapy services may be provided at service locations which may also include participant homes, agency offices, other locations in the community, virtually, or contact the Family Peace Center at: (779) 348-7600
Family Peace Center
315 N Main St
Rockford, IL, 61101
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