A mother came to MAHA's Family Advocacy Center seeking help. Her son was diagnosed with a serious illness as a baby. Despite many challenges, including chemotherapy and surgery, the son is now three and a half years old, but faces delays in his development. This often leads to frequent frustration and temper outbursts.

The mother determined to help her son while she struggled with the language barriers and understanding western healthcare system. A most significant challenge was the lack of therapists who speak her language, Chinese, making it difficult to access the necessary services for her as well as her son. The FAC team at MAHA worked hard to find the solutions. The case manager identified the needed bilingual health professionals for the family to receive needed services and successfully connected the family with a Chinese speaking therapist, even though the wait for an appointment is still long.

Client B, an elderly veteran, faced a major challenge when his gas supply was cut off in his apartment in cold winter weather, preventing his discharge from the hospital after being treated for Dementia. Living with his wife and daughter, client B needed urgent help. MAHA quickly assessed the situation, referred him to the FAC program programs for assistance.

The program provided emergency assistance to help Client B to restore the gas supply within a week and assisted them with a manageable payment plan for future bills. This swift intervention allowed client B to return home, ensured stability for his family and demonstrated MAHA's commitment to helping clients overcome challenges.

A mother and her teenage daughter came to MAHA's Family Advocacy Center for family therapy. Due to cultural and language differences, they struggled with communication and understanding each other. Through dedicated therapy and counseling sessions, they both learned new ways to connect, breaking down the barriers between them.

The mother applied techniques learnt from therapy to improve communication, and the daughter recognized and appreciated her mother’s efforts. This led to a stronger, and more understanding relationship between them. Their commitment to maintaining open communication with our team shows the progress they've made.

Client L, a mother of three, felt her relationship with her boss at work was deteriorating, which caused anxiety, depression, and poor sleep. This in turn affected her ability to care for three children. She spoke with her husband, but he did not seem to understand the situation. This lack of support from home contributed to her feelings of helplessness.

The case manager planned six sessions to help the client to address her issues. L's ability to think critically and her openness to new ideas exceeded the expectations. After three sessions, L reported, "I am in a much better mood now, and I have the patience to take care of my children. Regarding the conflict with my boss, I understand the root of the problem and will implement the solutions we discussed. I feel confident in addressing the issue on my own."

With the support and guidance provided by the FAC, L learned how to manage the challenges she faced and improved communication both at home and at work. Through this assistance, she regained emotional balance and rebuilt her resilience. Today, L is thriving, successfully navigating her responsibilities and reconnecting with her family, and showcasing the positive impact of the center’s support in her journey.

In our Family Advocacy Center (FAC), we were able to help a mother with two young children, ages 5 and 3, who was struggling with some challenges. Her husband was the only one working and the family was having a tough time with money.

Our team quickly stepped in to help. We signed her up for our food pantry program to make sure her family had enough food. We also saw that she could use some support with parenting, so we enrolled her in our parenting classes. Over the next few months, she attended these classes and learned useful tips on how to care for her kids. She shared in a survey that the classes were helpful and made her feel more confident as a mom.

To make things easier for her, our FAC case manager also helped her find a daycare for her kids. This gave her more time and reduced some of the stress she was feeling. As she prepared to move out of Chicago at the end of October, our case manager made sure she was ready for the move. We helped her fill out school forms for her kids and provided other valuable information to make the move as smooth as possible.

MAHA’s (FAC) successfully supported a single mother, who came to the program seeking financial assistance to manage an overdue utility bill. The client, a Hispanic mother of one, was struggling with a final notice from Peoples Gas, owing $973. She works as a full-time Instacart Shopper, and her low income made it difficult to cover the utility costs.

The FAC team acted promptly, performing an intake assessment within 72 hours of the client's admission into the program. The client was enrolled in the Share the Warmth program, a community resource designed to help with utility assistance. Over the course of several weeks, the case manager guided the client through the application process, confirmed eligibility and verified the required documents with CEDA, the agency responsible for the Share the Warmth grants.

Within a short period of time, the client received confirmation that the grant had been applied to her Peoples Gas bill, bringing her account up to date. Thanks to the quick response and effective advocacy from the FAC, the case was closed successfully, with all the client’s needs met.

"Jerry" (name changed for privacy) is a young Mandarin-speaking client referred by DCFS, faced significant challenges, particularly due to a language barrier. As a young adult who had recently moved from China to the U.S., was navigating a new life without any family or friends. He was placed with a non-Chinese speaking foster family, which heightened his feelings of anxiety, isolation, and displacement. Recognizing his need for support, Jerry’s DCFS caseworker referred him to FAC, where he was able to communicate in his native language for the first time since arriving in the U.S. His case manager immediately assisted him in enrolling in an ESL (English as a Second Language) course and maintained regular communication with DCFS to ensure coordinated support. Over time, Jerry’s case manager provided mentorship and introduced him to the Chinatown community, helping him build connections and a sense of belonging. His DCFS caseworker later expressed deep appreciation for FAC, recognizing the program’s critical role in creating a safe and supportive environment for Jerry.

Codi is a Chinese-speaking middle school student with autism who faced significant challenges in school due to both his disability and language barriers. Although he had an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), his parents, who have limited English proficiency struggled to communicate with teachers and fully understand the services being provided.

The FAC team was invited to support the family during an IEP meeting to advocate for Codi’s needs. Upon reviewing the IEP, our case workers identified several critical issues, including an incorrect note stating that an interpreter was not required and the absence of necessary assistive technology. In collaboration with the school’s special education team, FAC addressed these concerns and advocated for adjustments, including support for Codi’s ongoing health issues that were impacting his school attendance.

As a result of this collaborative effort, the IEP was successfully revised to include appropriate accommodations. FAC case workers also provided translation services during a follow-up parent-teacher conference and continued to monitor the implementation of the revised plan. This led to improved communication between the school and Codi’s family, ensuring that he received more effective and inclusive support in his education.

Luna, who was pregnant and approaching her due date reached out to the FAC program in urgent need of medical coverage. She had recently resigned from her job and, as a result, lost her employer-sponsored health insurance. With only two months remaining in her

pregnancy, she needed several medical examinations and was growing increasingly concerned about accessing necessary care.

Upon learning of her situation, FAC case manager acted immediately, connecting her to the navigator program to assist with a Medicaid application. Recognizing the urgency, the case manager followed up directly with the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), making several calls to expedite the application and approval process.

Once approved, the client encountered another challenge. Her new Medicaid plan was not accepted by her existing obstetrician. At 33 weeks pregnant and classified as high-risk, she faced multiple rejections from hospitals unwilling to accept her as a new patient so late in her pregnancy. Understandably anxious and distressed, the client feared she would be left without appropriate medical care.

The FAC team continued to advocate on her behalf, persistently contacting her obstetrician and various hospitals. After extensive coordination, the client’s preferred hospital agreed to accept her as a new patient, ensuring she could safely continue her prenatal care.

Following the birth of her baby, the FAC case worker collaborated once again with the healthcare navigator to help enroll the newborn in Medicaid, ensuring both mother and child had continued access to essential healthcare services. The client expressed deep gratitude for the compassionate and persistent support provided by the FAC team during this critical time.