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Resources for Parents and Caregivers
JCFS clinicians have gathered several resources with guidance about how to support children in the wake of tragedy (like the one in Israel).
How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War
Common Sense Media provides tips and conversation starters to help adults talk to students of different ages about the toughest topics.
These articles from the American Psychological Association can help adults and teachers guide young children and middle school-aged beyond fear to resilience.
Resilience in a Time of War: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children
Resilience in a Time of War: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children
We recognize that bad things can happen all the time and traumatic events impact everyone differently. JCFS communication and trauma focused specialists created a social story that can be edited to meet a person's specific needs.
A social story is a social learning tool developed to support the safe and meaningful exchange of information between parents, professionals and people with autism of all ages. These are great for individuals who are nonverbal communicators but can be very useful for EVERYONE.
We are providing two communication boards as well as an editable social story and a social story focused on the Israel Hamas War prepared by professionals at Keshet.
- AAC Boardmaker Yes_No
- Traumatic Event Communication Board
- JCFS Traumatic Event Social Story [Editable]
- Israel Hamas War Social Story
If you have any questions about how to process an event in your or a loved one's life, or need additional support, contact JCFS Chicago at 855.275.5237 or Ask@JCFS.org.
We're Here
to Help.
For assistance or more information, call us at 855.275.5237 or email us at Ask@JCFS.org.
Here for the Community
October 9, 2023
The people impacted by the horror unfolding in Israel are colleagues, friends and family for many of us. It is hard to know what to do for them from here, but for now, we as a community can come together and support each other.
- JCFS Chicago is offering a warm line for anyone, anywhere looking for support. Call 855.275.5237 to talk with someone, including Hebrew-speaking emotional support professionals, between 9am and 5pm Monday through Thursday, 9am-4pm Fridays.
- Support for organizations, schools and synagogues interested in further services focused on healing through words of comfort, can call 855.275.5237 to request JCFS programming.
- JCFS clinicians have prepared several resources with guidance about how to support children in the wake of scary events (like the one in Israel).
Our hearts are breaking for those already lost, our friends, our colleagues, all innocent civilians, and, of course, the State of Israel.
The Jewish Federation of Chicago has opened the Israel Emergency Fund to funnel critical aid from our community to the Israeli people. If you’d like to show your support, you can make a donation to the Israel Emergency Fund.
We're Here
to Help.
For assistance or more information, call us at 855.275.5237 or email us at Ask@JCFS.org.
Pediatric Assistive Technologies
Increase your professional knowledge of and access to a variety of assistive technologies - both high and low tech. Led by staff from the Illinois Assistive Technology Program (AITP) and hosted by JCFS Chicago. You may register for one or more sessions. These free sessions are supported by a grant from SourceAmerica. Register today.
This in-person session will include a basic IATP overview with special focus on their ISBE program and include a hands-on device demonstration. Learn about sensory assistive technology evaluations and how to borrow things from the AITP Device Loan program. This session will take place at the JCFS Chicago office in Northbrook.
Kathy Abraham is the Director of Assistive Technology/Augmentative and Alternative Communication Evaluations at IATP. She has been a Speech Language Pathologist for over 30 years in a variety of settings.
Additional sessions:
Residential Assistive Technologies – Nov. 15, 2023
Vocational Assistive Technologies – Nov. 29, 2023
Vocational Assistive Technologies
Increase your professional knowledge of and access to a variety of assistive technologies - both high and low tech. Led by staff from the Illinois Assistive Technology Program (AITP) and hosted by JCFS Chicago. You may register for one or more sessions. These free sessions are supported by a grant from SourceAmerica. Register today.
This online session will include a basic IATP overview, with specific focus on vocational rehabilitation assistive technology evaluation services, device loan, blind and low vision technologies, mainstream device access, apps and organizational technologies. Case studies will be included.
Jessica Schuyler-Weir is the Training Manager for the Illinois Assistive Technology Program. She is a RESNA certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), and is near completion of a Master’s degree in Assistive Technology and Human Services from California State University, Northridge. For the past 15 years, she has worked closely with the state of Illinois’s Vocational Rehabilitation program completing over 1,000 assistive technology evaluations for Division of Rehabilitation Services customers with a wide variety of disabilities and vocational needs.
Additional sessions:
Residential Assistive Technologies – Nov. 15, 2023
Pediatric Assistive Technologies – Dec. 13, 2023
Support Groups
Find Your Future Counseling Support
If you are struggling with feelings of isolation, anxiety, depression or being overwhelmed, our online support group can provide you with resources that will have a real impact by incorporating accessible mindfulness practices and research-based self-care strategies to both reinforce resilience and promote a sustained sense of well-being.
Our group offers a safe environment to share, learn and get the support you need. Simply go to the link provided to sign up.
If you believe you would benefit more from a Grief Support Group, this monthly group is for young adults who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or partner. The group is co-sponsored with Mishkan Chicago and Silverstein Base Hillel. Please contact Marsha Raynes, LCSW at 847.745.5408 for more information.
And for those who would prefer to access our one-on-one therapy services, please reach out to our intake team by calling 855.275.5237 or email Ask@JCFS.org
List of support group topics
JCFS Chicago offers education and support groups through many of its program areas. Upcoming events and groups are listed on our calendar.
Addiction Services
Members of the Jewish community learn skills and gain support for addiction recovery in our psychoeducational and support groups. Examples include groups for learning Jewish spiritual practices in recovery, drop-in groups for loved ones of those in active addiction, and support groups for Jewish Older Adults in recovery. For more information, please contact Beth Fishman or 847.745.5422.
Adoption Support
We offer one-time education and support programs and ongoing support groups for Jewish adoptive and prospective adoptive families and those struggling with fertility challenges in building their family. Contact Marsha Raynes, LCSW or call 847.745.5408.
Adults with Disabilities and their Families
Community Education
Periodic community education lectures on a variety of topics of interest to people with disabilities, their families and professionals such as Creative Solutions to Holiday Stress, Healthy Sexuality and Disability, Special Needs Trusts, Guardianship, Estate Planning and more. CEUs are available. For a full list of community education lectures, refer to our calendar. To register, or for more information contact Allison Rodenhouse or call 773.765.3160.
Children with Disabilities and their Families
Sibshops
Sibshops offer brothers and sisters of children with a variety of special needs an opportunity to share common joys and concerns, learn to handle common dilemmas and have fun! For information on Sibshops, contact Tammy Besser, LCSW, or 773.765.3159.
Grief and Loss
To support those mourning the death of a loved one, we offer ongoing Grief Support Groups, loss specific groups such as Grieving a Loss to Suicide, and one-time Evenings of Support, including for those Grieving a Death During the Pandemic. Contact Marsha Raynes or call 847.745.5408.
Mental Health Support
We facilitate groups that help individuals and families understand and cope with the stressors of living. Our goal is to offer a safe space to express thoughts and feelings with others who may have a shared experience. These groups will also offer an opportunity to learn about mental health challenges and to share resources and strategies to address them. For more information, please contact Bracha Jakofsky at 847.745.5457.
Parenting
School Age
Parenting is a journey, don’t take it alone. Parents can learn the latest research and trends, and gain new ideas for handling those “now what” times. Programs may target specific age ranges (grades 3-5 or middle school, for example) or specific topics (Girl Drama or Raising Emotionally Healthy Boys). Contact Tracey Lipsig Kite, LCSW or 847.745.5411.
Teens
Growing up is hard to do! Groups for parents seeking support are also available. Contact David Lipschutz, or 847.676.0078.
Preschool Socialization Group
The Virginia Frank Child Development Center provides therapeutic social skills group for children ages 3-5 with an emphasis on emotional regulation and social development. Contact Linnet Mendez, LCPC at 773.765.3119 to register or for more information.
Psychotherapy Group
Ongoing group for men and women working on communication, relationships and managing feelings. Offered in Skokie. Contact 847.392.8970.
Social Skills Groups for Children
We offer a range of therapy and social skills groups for children and teens ages 5-15 who have difficulty finding their footing with peer groups and struggle to navigate relationships. Groups include practice with communication, discussion of common social struggles, team building activities, therapeutic intervention, and expressive arts to help children and teens learn the skills necessary for forming and maintaining healthy friendships. Groups explore topics such as feelings identification, conflict resolution, frustration tolerance, effective communication, dealing with bullying and improving self-esteem. Contact 773.467.3823.
Therapeutic Groups for Children
Toddler Play Group (ages 2-3) focuses on activities and skills that promote social/emotional communication, early problem solving and following directions. Handwriting Boost (for various ages) uses fun, engaging, themed activities to target fine motor, bilateral coordination and visual-motor skills. This group also focuses on letter formation, size, alignment and spacing, and works to improve each child's overall grasp, posture and core strength. Contact Megan Kowalski or 847.412.4335.
We're Here
to Help.
For assistance or more information, call us at 855.275.5237 or email us at Ask@JCFS.org.
Speech-Language and Occupational Therapy
Speech-Language Therapy focuses specifically on how children communicate.
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) assess, diagnose and treat the various skills needed for communication. These include:
- Articulation and phonology
- Auditory processing
- Cognition
- Executive functioning skills
- Fluency
- Language expression—Verbal and augmentative/alternative
- Oral motor movement
- Pragmatic-social language skills
- Reading and spelling
- Writing
The JCFS Integrated Pediatric Therapies team also addresses feeding and swallowing concerns including:
- Oral-Motor Skills
- Sensory Aversion
- Medical Complex Feeding needs including decreasing feeding tube dependency
Our SLPs are known for working together with the family to develop dynamic and functional goals for a child to be successful. We believe that helping a family to communicate with their child is just as important as giving a child vocabulary and teaching them sentence structures. Let our therapists support your child throughout their development in the areas of language development, reading and comprehension, social skills and feeding. We will work with your doctor, school and other therapists to generalize skills across your child’s natural environments.
For more information or to make an appointment, please email ipi@jcfs.org or call 847.412.4379.
Additional Resources:
A child’s primary “job” or “occupation” is to play.
A child’s primary “job” or “occupation” is to play. Through play, children develop motor coordination, social skills, emotional regulation, as well as learn how to process all of the sensory input in their environment.
Occupational therapists evaluate children in four primary areas to determine a delay or difficulty in skills: cognitive or our thinking processes (cause/effect, problem-solving, reasoning), sensory processing, behavioral development and motor skills.
Occupational Therapy works with children on their ability to perform everyday activities, such as tying shoes and handwriting, motor skills, as well as individual sensory needs, as the video below demonstrates.
For additional information or to ask about making an appointment, please email ipi@jcfs.org or call 847.412.4379.
We're Here
to Help.
For assistance or more information, call us at 855.275.5237 or email us at Ask@JCFS.org.