EVENTS
Raising Illinois Webinar:
Raising Our Voices - Standing Our Ground & Advancing Policy
On Wednesday, October 14 from 12:00 - 1:00pm, join Raising Illinois as they discuss federal and state policy priorities affecting expecting families, infants, and toddlers. The first panel will explore what proposed changes to Head Start could mean for maternal health, home visiting, mental health, and infant and toddler childcare, including implications for the quality, consistency, and accessibility of these critical services. The second panel will turn to Illinois and the state budget priorities that can strengthen support for young children and families, with a focus on childcare assistance, early intervention, home visiting, and other essential programs and systems.
EverThrive IL Webinar:
HR1 and Pregnancy -
What You Need to Know
On Thursday, October 29 from 12:00 - 1:00pm, EverThrive IL is hosting a webinar to discuss the impact of HR1 Medicaid changes on pregnant and recently pregnant individuals. While it was initially promised that pregnant individuals wouldn't be affected by work requirements and more frequent paperwork barriers, the reality is that there are many additional pregnant and recently pregnant people that may be at risk of losing Medicaid health coverage due to administrative barriers.
Join to discuss how clinicians, community organizations, managed care organizations, and community members all can play a role in ensuring that individuals maintain health coverage!
Learn that appropriate services and supports is heavily dependent on parents’ and guardians’ ability to navigate a very complex system and to advocate for their child.
(PDF, 1.2 MB | Last updated: June 2021)
REFERRAL & SUPPORT TOOLS
REACH: Policy Recommendations
Proposed policy recommendations related the reach initiative and the whole child task for report.
(PDF, 99.6 KB | Last updated: 2022)
Early Intervention Standardized Referral Form
FS 650 (N-7-14): Allows HFS to share information with your child's assigned primary care provider and treating doctors within the group, for care coordination.
(PDF, 109 KB | Last updated: March 2018)
Early Childhood Special Education Referral Fax Back Form
HFS 652 (R-3-18): Notify your referral source about the outcome of an Early Intervention (EI) Referral.
(PDF, 307 KB | Last updated: April 2019)
SNAP RESOURCES
On July 4, 2025, the federal government passed H.R. 1, a new law, which makes significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as Link in Illinois. These new changes affect thousands of Illinoisans' SNAP eligibility, require them to take extra steps to receive their SNAP benefits, or put them at risk of losing their benefits altogether.
See below for resources to determine SNAP eligibility, additional information on changing work requirements, and assistance meeting requirements and maintaining benefits.
We also want to direct you to organizations that are specializing in food assistance and sharing information that may be critical to helping continue benefits for Illinoisans. We hope this information is helpful to you, your family, and your communities, as we know and believe that no one should go hungry.