Financial Help for Children With Cerebral Palsy in Chicago

Sources of Financial Assistance for Families of Children Suffering From Cerebral Palsy in Chicago, IL

If your child has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP), you will likely be concerned about how to manage this condition and provide the care and treatment that will be needed. The costs involved in caring for your child can be huge, since in addition to medical treatment and ongoing needs like physical and occupational therapy, you may have to pay for assistive devices, home modifications, and medications. Fortunately, some forms of financial help are available.

Government Benefits

A variety of government programs provide aid to families, and these types of public aid may cover basic necessities such as food and housing, the costs of medical treatment, or a child's educational needs. Programs that may benefit the family of a child with CP include:

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - This program provides income for those who are unable to work because of a disability. It is typically available for low-income families.
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) - Disability payments may provide income meant to be used to pay for living expenses. When a child has CP, the payments a family may be eligible to receive will typically be based on the amount of income the parents previously earned. These benefits are often temporary, because a child with Cerebral Palsy may be able to work and earn an income when they reach adulthood.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) - Low-income families may be eligible for these temporary benefits, which are meant to assist with the costs such as food, clothing, shelter, and utilities.
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - This program, which is commonly known as "food stamps," provides low-income families with financial assistance to help purchase food.
• Medicaid - People with disabilities may be able to receive government-sponsored health insurance to pay for the costs of medical care. Medicaid is meant to provide for low-income families. Those who have been approved for SSDI or SSI benefits are typically eligible for Medicaid.
• Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) - This type of health care coverage may be available for families with income that exceeds the requirements for Medicaid eligibility.
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) - In order to ensure that a child with CP can receive education, this program provides some early intervention services for young children, as well as addressing special education needs for people up to the age of 21. Benefits may include physical, occupational, or speech therapy, health and nutrition services, and transportation.

Private Organizations

There are a wide variety of organizations that assist families in providing for the needs of those with disabilities, and some of them also provide grants or other services. Some of these organizations include:

• United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) - Local affiliates of this organization may provide educational programs, support services, transportation, and other services. The organization's Elsie S. Bellows Fund assists families in purchasing assistive technology.
• UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation (UHCCF) - This charitable foundation offers grants to help pay for medical expenses that are not fully covered by a health insurance plan.
• Variety - The Children's Charity - This organization provides grants to provide medical services, equipment, education, and transportation for individuals, families, and children's organizations.
• Children's Hemiplegia and Stroke Association (CHASA) - This organization provides financial assistance to families of children who suffer from hemiplegia, helping purchase hand and foot braces that are not covered by health insurance.
  
• Ability Found - This organization helps provide mobility devices to those who do not have the financial ability or insurance coverage that will allow them to obtain this equipment on their own.

Legal Help for Families of Children With CP

While public benefits and charitable organizations may help a family address the costs related to Cerebral Palsy, families often struggle to continue to meet a child's needs throughout their lifetime. In many cases, the best option for receiving the financial resources your family needs is through legal action that seeks to hold a hospital or medical provider responsible for birth injuries that led to a child's CP. At the Birth Injury Law Alliance, we can provide you with a free consultation and help you determine your best options for recovering compensation that will ensure that you can provide for your child in the years to come. To learn more, contact us at 312-462-4200.