Resources, Referrals & Reading Options
A curated list of organizations, helplines, and communities that Sanna trusts and recommends. This list will continue to grow.
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Crisis & other support
Crisis Text Line
Crisis Text Line is a global mental health organization dedicated to supporting people in their most difficult moments. They provide free, 24/7, confidential support through a text-based platform. Their volunteer Crisis Counselors support people through challenges like stress, anxiety, loneliness, bullying, substance use, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.
Text HOME to 741741
NAMI Helpline
The National Alliance on Mental Illness Chicago helpline offers support, information, and referrals.
Call or Text 833-626-4244
Domestic Violence Helpline
Illinois domestic violence hotline providing crisis intervention, safety planning, and referrals to local shelters and services.
1-877-TO END DV (1-877-863-6338)
Trans Lifeline & TrevorLifeline
Trans Lifeline is a hotline staffed by trans people for trans people. TrevorLifeline provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young people.
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860 · TrevorLifeline: 1-866-488-7386 · TrevorText: Text START to 678-678
Don't Call the Police
Community-based alternatives to calling the police in Chicago and other cities for Housing, LGBTQ+, Mental Health, Domestic violence & Sexual assault, Youth, Elders, Crime, and Substances.
Browse alternatives
CHI 311
Request, track, and explore City of Chicago non-emergency services.
Visit CHI 311
Adoption
Families Rising (We Are Families Rising)
At Families Rising, they harness the power of lived experiences to offer unparalleled support, education, and advocacy in the child welfare system. Whether you're seeking guidance or aiming to influence change, they're here to support your adoption, foster care, and/or kinship care journey.
National Council For Adoption — Birth Parent Resource List
They seek to honor the strength and courage of birth parents while recognizing that you have unique needs for support and care in your own healing post-placement.
Concerned United Birthparents (CUB)
Adoption loss grief support, education, advocacy and community for parents who've lost children to adoption.
Open Adoption & Family Services — Birth Parent Resources
Resources and support for birth parents navigating open adoption and ongoing connections.
Adoption Center of Illinois — Post Adoption Support
Adoption is a lifelong journey. ACI is committed to providing innovative, compassionate and ethical services that honor all members of the adoption community. Having the availability of helpful resources after an adoption is crucial for the well-being of all those touched by adoption — birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees.
Adoption Mosaic
Adoption Mosaic is a BIPOC woman and adoptee-led mission-driven nonprofit. With 30+ years of experience, they have created a robust, diverse community who want to see a future of more adoptee-centered and ethical adoption practices and critical thinking around adoption.
Adoptees United
Adoptees United is a national nonprofit tax-exempt organization with an unwavering commitment to equality for all adopted people.
KATCH — Korean American Transnational Community Hub
KATCH aims to build positive connections among adult Korean adoptees and with the larger transracial adoptee and API communities. They hold space for members of their community to learn, grow, bond, give back, and build awareness around issues related to transracial adoption, API experiences, and multiculturalism.
ICAV — Intercountry Adoptee Voices
ICAV's mission is to educate, support, connect, collaborate, and give voice to intercountry adoptees from around the world — providing a safe, supportive forum for adoptees while raising awareness about the complexities of intercountry adoption.
ME/CFS & Long Covid
Solve M.E.
Solve M.E. takes a holistic approach to research and advocacy, catalyzing efforts to make ME/CFS, Long Covid, and other 'long haul' diseases better understood, diagnosable, and treatable. They are the largest U.S. peer-reviewed provider of private competitive research funding exclusively for ME/CFS.
Bateman Horne Center
Expanding hope, access, and informed care for people with ME/CFS, Long COVID, and related infection-associated chronic conditions.
Health Rising
Health Rising is committed to sharing about ME/CFS and FM as widely as possible, providing an environment that fosters hope and creativity, empowering patients with clear reviews of the latest research, and supporting patients in their health and well-being.
Long Covid Alliance
The Long COVID Alliance is a network of patient-advocates, scientists, disease experts, and drug developers who have joined together to leverage their collective knowledge and resources to educate policy makers and accelerate research to transform our understanding of post-viral illness.
Northwestern Medicine Long Covid Support
Long COVID patient resources from Northwestern Medicine.
UChicago Medicine Covid-19 Long-Haulers Clinic
Post-COVID Clinic Medical Director Rasika Karnik, MD, and internist Lisa Vinci, MD, answer questions about post-COVID-19 syndrome and UChicago Medicine's clinic for patients who have symptoms potentially related to a mild or moderate case of the virus.
ILLInet RECOVER
RECOVER is a first of its kind, patient-centered research initiative to understand, treat and prevent Long COVID.