COVID-19 Resources for the Disability Community
Last updated: 1:00pm, 11/30/21
In light of developments in the outbreak of COVID-19 across the country, Access Living will continue to support our community in a multitude of ways, including creating and maintaining the below list of resources.
Please note: This is a living document. Information will be updated as it changes or becomes available.
Table of Contents
Recently Added
- FDA endorses Covid drug for high-risk adults
- Will the vaccines protect against the new omicron variant? Your COVID-19 questions answered
- COVID’s Omicron Variant Poses ‘Very High’ Global Risk; Local Officials Urge Vaccinations, Masks
- At some Chicago schools, fewer than 5 students are signed up for CPS Covid testing program
- Midwest is current COVID hot spot
- What to know about omicron, the new COVID variant
- Where kids can get the COVID-19 vaccine in the Chicago area
- From the CDC: COVID vaccines for Children and Teens
- Your right to the COVID-19 vaccine as a person with a disability
- The CDC adds mood disorders to its list of conditions that increase your risk of severe COVID-19
- FDA authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for children ages 5 through 11 years.
- Even if kids have had COVID they’ll still benefit from vaccines, experts say
- Assistance for Renters, Homeowners, Home Buyers
- COVID-19 Eviction Moratorium ends on 10/3: Eviction and Housing Resources in Chicago
- COVID-19 Materials for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Materiales sobre el COVID-19 para las personas con discapacidades intelectuales y del desarrollo
- FAQ on Breakthrough Infections from the New York Times
Accessible Tech Resources
- Online Course Accessibility Checklist
- Remote communication options for Deaf/Hard of Hearing professionals or students
- Access strategies for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing in remote meetings
- National Homework Hotline for Blind/Visually Impaired Students
- Accessibility tips for a better Zoom meeting
- On-Site and Remote Captioning & Interpreting Services
- ACS Remote Captioning
- Live Transcribe for IOS – The story behind the app and where to buy it
- Transcription/Note-Taking App Ottor.ai Allows for Live Transcription
- Apps for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Kids and Adults – Android
- Apps for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Kids and Adults – iOS
Booster Shots
City and State Updates and News
- Covid-19 testing sites in the State of Illinois
- IDHS Coronavirus Information Center
- Cook County Social Vulnerability Index
- Cook County Medical Examiner COVID-19 Dashboard
- Coronavirus.Illinois.Gov
- Chicago Department of Public Health Coronavirus Information
- Chicago COVID Coach Website/App
- Home Services Program Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
- Illinois COVID-19 Immigrant Family Support Project
- City of Chicago COVID-19 Testing Sites
Communications Access Assistance
- Communication Resources for Deaf/deaf, HOH, DeafBlind Community
- A guide for Deaf/HOH community on communicating with medical staff during COVID-19
- Letter Template To Use For Any Live News Updates Without ASL Access
- COVID-19 information – ASL
- COVID-19 ASL videos from the Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission
- Roundup of ASL Resources on Coronavirus
- COVID-19 Vaccine Social Story for People of Color with Disabilities
- COVID-19 Accessible Resources
- Easy Read Guides on Covid-19 and Vaccine
Disability Health Information & Resources
- Reduce Prescription Costs with the Chicago RX Card
- Access Living and More than 140 Illinois Organizations Request COVID-19 Treatment Protocols
- Home Services Program Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
- COVID-19 sanitation best practices for the blind/visually impaired
- National Disability Institute Financial Resilience Center for People with Disabilities
- A Checklist for People with Disabilities – Preparing for Hospitalization During COVID
- Cleaning service for older adults – the heavy duty chore program
- Keeping Your Wheelchair Clean During COVID-19
- Returning to Work During Covid-19
- Mental Health Resources from NAMI
Food
- Find a Chicago-area food bank or pantry
- Grocery Delivery Through Shopping Angels, Inc.
- West Side Residents Can Sign Up To Get Free Groceries Delivered
Housing
- On-site housing and Off-site Housing for people and pets who need a safe escape from domestic violence
- Department of Family and Support Services has announce the Rental Assistance Program in an effort to prevent homelessness
- The Mayor’s Office has launched the Utility Billing Relief UBR Program to help low-income residents come into compliance on water bill payments
- The City of Chicago is providing further rent/mortgage assistance to households in Chicago impacted by Covid-19
- What the new CDC eviction moratorium means for you (8/5/2021)
- Chicago resources for people facing eviction at the end of August
- If you are a Chicago tenant that needs help with a housing issue like lockouts or evictions, please contact Rentervention, a program of Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing. Rentervention is free and confidential. To get started, tenants can call 312-347-7600, or visit their website.
- State of Illinois to offer $60 million as ‘additional safety net’ to keep people in their homes
- 9/7: The Rental Assistance Program: Available to Chicago renters who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- IDHS Rental Assistance Hotline is open Monday to Friday from 8AM-7PM. Operators can speak Spanish, Polish and 28 other languages to assist you. Call (866) 454-3571 today to learn more about rental assistance resources.
Long Covid
- Federal Guidance on Long COVID as a Disability
- Long COVID under Section 504 and the IDEA: A Resource to Support Children, Students, Educators, Schools, Service Providers, and Families
- Accommodation Resources for Covid and Long Covid in the Workplace
Parents and Teachers
- Two research-based strategy bundles for families of students with disabilities
- Illinois State Board of Education Continuing Education Resources
- For Teachers: Accessible teaching in the time of COVID-19, and a related Twitter thread on e-learning accessibility for students with disabilities.
- For Teachers: How to provide access and accommodations to your students
- CPS Virtual Academy (for medically fragile students) is accepting applications on rolling basis
- Questions and Answers on Civil Rights and School Reopening in the COVID-19 Environment
- Long COVID under Section 504 and the IDEA: A Resource to Support Children, Students, Educators, Schools, Service Providers, and Families
Pet Aid
- Illinois Pet Food Pantry List
- On-site housing and Off-site Housing for people and pets who need a safe escape from domestic violence
- RedRover Relief Emergency Pet Boarding Grants
Relief Funds
- City of Chicago Emergency Rental Assistance Program
- Illinois Department of Employment Security FAQ on COVID-19 and Unemployment
- Temporary financial assistance for pregnant women/families w/one or more dependent children
- Stimulus Check Resource: Non-Predatory Accounts for Un-banked Individuals
- Emergency Broadband Benefits
- 9/3: Declaración de impuestos simplificada para reclamar su Crédito Tributario por Hijo, Espanol
- 9/3: Simplified Tax Filing to Claim Your Child Tax Credit or Missing Stimulus Payment, English
Transportation
- Masking requirements from the Chicago Transit Authority
- Latest information on Pace’s response to COVID-19
- Pace announces reinstatement of several suspended routes
Vaccine Information
- City of Chicago Vaccine Finder
- Vaccine Communication Card
- Vaccine Guidance for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind Persons
- Patient fact sheets in English and Spanish
- Homebound Vaccination Program for City of Chicago Homebound Residents
- Illinois Vaccine Appointment Aggregator – Find an available appointment for you or someone you love. **Some areas are struggling to get their residents vaccinated, so please be conscious of booking in neighborhoods you don’t usually visit**
- United Center Mass Vaccination Site Information
- Vaccine FAQs – Illinois Department of Public Health
- Vaccine FAQs – City of Chicago
- Vaccine Planning Information – City of Chicago
- Vaccine Information Hub for the City of Chicago
- Vaccine Planning Information – State of Illinois
- City of Chicago Vaccine Distribution Data
- Plain Language Covid-19 Vaccine Information
- Reasons to Vaccinate – CDC
- Tutorial – Using Zocdoc to Sign up for COVID Vaccine in Chicago
- State of Illinois Vaccination Location Finder
- Become an Illinois Covid-19 Prevention Ambassador
- ICYMI: Watch the Recording of Virtual Community Q&A on the Covid-19 Vaccine
- ICYMI: Watch the Recording of Virtual Webinar on the Covid-19 Vaccine and the Disability Community
- CDC Guidelines for the Fully Vaccinated
- FDA gives Pfizer vaccine full approval for all people over 12
- MAP: Chicago businesses, bars, and restaurants with vaccination requirements
Resource Archive
Below are resources we found and published in the first few months of the pandemic. While they are no longer immediately relevant, they may still come in handy.
Collective Care, Caregiving, and Organizing
- Pod mapping for mutual aid
- Template: Creating a mutual aid group
- Organizing and DIY resources from Its Going Down
- Suggested Practice for Racial Equity Rapid Response Outreach
Coronavirus Preparedness
- COVID-19 information for people with disabilities from the CDC
- Template: My Coronavirus Emergency Plan
Self-Care
- Mental Health Resources from NAMI
- Crisis Counselor Text Line
- Mental Health Toolkit for Coronavirus anxiety
- Grounding, meditation, and mindfulness techniques free of charge from Calm. (Suitable for kids too!)
- Mental health, grief, anxiety, and other coping resources from NAMI
- Getting emotionally organized during a crisis