Amanda's story

Taking people from hardship to stability

Amanda* came to JCFS Chicago Financial Counseling looking for both financial
guidance and assistance. When she lost her husband to an illness in the spring of 2022,
she became a single parent to a very young child quite suddenly.
The Blum household was financially stable, with Amanda working part-time and her
husband working full-time. After her maternity leave Amanda returned to work and
enrolled in a part-time nursing program. When her husband got sick and eventually
passed away her income was not enough to cover the family’s expenses and her school
tuition.
A JCFS Financial Counselor worked with Amanda to identify how much money was
coming in and get a better sense of her monthly expenses, identifying those that could
be lowered or eliminated. She was eager to understand the family finances since her
husband had managed the budget.
Tuition for Amanda’s nursing program was the one expense that she struggled to keep
up with, but she knew that getting her nursing license would not only fulfill her dream but
also provide a solid income. Amanda was connected with multiple resources to help her
continue her education — from subsidized childcare, a zero-interest payment plan for
her credit cards to applying for SNAP. All of this, along with Amanda’s hard work
allowed her to establish a path to financial stability. With some financial assistance from
JCFS for past due tuition, she now has a solid plan to finish her education, work part-
time and maintain a financially stable household.

* Name changed for confidentiality

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Occupational Therapy Can Help Your Child Adjust to Pre-School and Kindergarten

Occupational Therapy Can Help Your Child Adjust to Pre-School and Kindergarten

As with all beginnings, starting school can be a very exciting, yet challenging time in a child's life—suddenly there is a different environment to adapt to, unfamiliar people to get to know and a new set of rules to follow. Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine if occupational therapy can help you and your child have a successful transition to pre-school and kindergarten.

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Client Grievance Procedures

  • Share your concern with your Agency staff member contact, who will talk with you to try to resolve it to your satisfaction. If your concern is not addressed to your satisfaction, the staff member informs their supervisor, who will review it within 2 business days of receiving your complaint and talk with you. If your complaint is not resolved with the supervisor, a Client Grievance Form will be given to you to complete or you can verbally give the information to the supervisor to complete on your behalf. After completing, the supervisor forwards the form to the next level supervisor. The name and phone number of that supervisor will be given to you. 
  • At all levels we will protect your confidentiality.
  • The Chief Program Officer will receive all complaints that cannot be resolved by the staff member, supervisor, or next level supervisor.  The Chief Program Officer will then talk with you to discuss your concern and meet with you, if needed.
  • The decision of the Chief Program Officer will be final.
  • JCFS Chicago prohibits any form of retaliation against a person making a complaint.
  • The JCFS Chicago Chief Program Officer is designated to accept consumer complaints that don't initiate with staff.
  • The Resolution of all complaints are reported to the JCFS Chicago Board of Directors at the next meeting following the filing of a complaint.
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We're Here

to Help.

For assistance or more information, call us at 855.275.5237 or email us at Ask@JCFS.org.

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New Disruptive Behavior Clinic

New Disruptive Behavior Clinic

Our list of comprehensive services for children and their families continues to expand with The Disruptive Behavior Clinic (DBC), a new program under the clinical direction of Carri Hill, Ph.D. and Pia Todras, Psy.D., members of the Psychological Services team at JCFS Chicago.

The purpose of the clinic is help families with children aged 2-12 who are experiencing difficulty in managing their child's behavior, or who are concerned with emotion or behavior regulation at home, school or in public settings. Some examples of behavioral issues are noncompliance, aggression, irritability and tantrums.

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Message from the Front: JCARES Professional Training Institute Attendees Hear About Surviving Rape

Message from the Front: JCARES Professional Training Institute Attendees Hear About Surviving Rape

A dozen times each year, the JCARES Professional Training Institute offers educational sessions to help professionals across disciplines become more effective and sensitive responders to—and advocates for—abuse  and sexual assault victims and their families.

Molly Boeder Harris, founder of Portland’s Breathe Network , was the keynote speaker at a recent training focused on a variety of healing techniques , including yoga, art therapy, acupuncture, and  massage, that can be used to help abuse and rape victims. The training promised to be an informative opportunity for Harris “to demystify the healing arts,” as she put it. 

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Belonging & Engagement

JCFS Chicago embraces people of all backgrounds. Our commitment to belonging is woven throughout our services, programs and welcoming workplace.

Everyone has a right to be treated fairly and with dignity and respect, free of all discrimination and harassment including that which is based on race, culture, religion, disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, and any other classification protected by law. 

JCFS Chicago currently offers three Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that are open to all. 

  • Qmmunity: members of the LGBQIA+ community 
  • Shades of JCFS: individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color 
  • AVID: Awareness of Visible and Invisible Disabilities
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Tell Me a Story

Tell Me a Story

by Wendy Guyer, M.S., LCSW, Assistant Director of  the Near North Suburban Counseling Center at JCFS Chicago

It is bedtime, that moment where we put aside the day and relax into the mysterious world of sleep, but how does sleep happen? How important is sleep? Is technology really the enemy of a good night’s sleep? What sleep method is the best? Parents are swimming in advice, and sleep is important. Child sleep patterns really do affect parent mood and levels of stress. Frequently, a child’s ability to sleep well through the night has a huge impact on mood, performance, and behavior. Sleep difficulties can lead to increased parent sleep deficits and have been associated with higher risks of maternal depression.

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Come Fly with Me: Travel Tips for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Come Fly With Me: Travel Tips for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

by Eliana Wool, M.A., Psychological Services Pre-Doctoral Intern

Air travel can be an exciting, yet anxiety provoking experience. This may be particularly true for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) because of factors connected to flying, including a change in routine, navigating unfamiliar environments and considerable sensory stimulation.

The following recommendations have been found beneficial to families planning air travel. It is important to remember that children diagnosed with ASD vary in terms of abilities and preferences, and not all recommendations may suit every child with ASD.

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