EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF GREATER CHICAGO

THE EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF GREATER CHICAGO'S COUNSELING AND CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM PROVIDES PEOPLE LIVING WITH EPILEPSY ACCESS TO SUPPORTIVE COUNSELING AND ASSISTANCE THAT WILL ENHANCE THEIR ABILITY TO COPE WITH ISSUES RELATED TO THEIR MEDICAL CONDITION AND IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. THROUGH SUPPORTIVE COUNSELING, CASE MANAGERS ARE ABLE TO REACH OUT AND ASSURE ANYONE STRUGGLING WITH EPILEPSY IN THE EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF GREATER CHICAGO'S 44 COUNTY SERVICE AREA THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE. IN FY25, THE EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF GREATER CHICAGO'S CASE MANAGEMENT TEAM SERVED 601 INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS, PROVIDING ASSISTANCE ON 15,624 OCCASIONS. BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, CLIENTS CAN DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO HANDLE COMMON CHALLENGES SUCH AS ISOLATION, MEDICATION COMPLIANCE, NAVIGATING PUBLIC BENEFITS, DIFFICULTIES WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND EMPLOYEE DISCRIMINATION. MOST CLIENTS NEEDED ASSISTANCE WITH OBTAINING ACCURATE INFORMATION ON EPILEPSY, EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT, REFERRAL AND ENTITLEMENT ASSISTANCE, AND EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE. THE EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF GREATER CHICAGO'S CASE MANAGERS ALSO ADVOCATED ON BEHALF OF CLIENTS ON HUNDREDS OF OCCASIONS, DEALING WITH EMPLOYMENT, DISCRIMINATION, BENEFITS AND MEDICAL MATTERS. INDIVIDUAL CLINICAL SERVICES OFFERED ARE STRUCTURED TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC ISSUES FACED BY PEOPLE LIVING WITH EPILEPSY AND TO FACILITATE APPROPRIATE LINKAGE TO NECESSARY SERVICES AND BENEFITS. SHORT-TERM, SOLUTION FOCUSED COUNSELING FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, INCLUDING THOSE FACING A NEW DIAGNOSIS OF EPILEPSY, THOSE DECIDING ON SURGICAL INTERVENTIONS AND THOSE SEEKING SUPPORT DURING CHANGES OR ADJUSTMENTS TO MEDICATION AND TREATMENT. EPILEPSY IS INTERMITTENT AND UNPREDICTABLE AND CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON MOOD AND BEHAVIOR. OUR TRAINED STAFF USES METHODS SUCH AS COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY (CBT), PSYCHOEDUCATION AND STRENGTHS-BASED COUNSELING TO PROVIDE RELIEF AND SUPPORT TO THOSE LIVING WITH EPILEPSY. THE EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF GREATER CHICAGO OFFERS SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, TEENS, AND ADULTS LIVING WITH EPILEPSY, AS WELL AS THEIR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS. THESE SOCIAL, RECREATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES BUILD STRONGER BONDS IN THE EPILEPSY COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE VITAL PEER GROUP INTERACTION AND MEMORABLE, SHARED EXPERIENCES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH EPILEPSY.

THE EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF GREATER CHICAGO'S HEALTH EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY (HEA) DEPARTMENT (PREVIOUSLY NAMED THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT) PROVIDES NO-COST EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND TRAININGS THAT CREATE AND PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS SURROUNDING EPILEPSY TO SCHOOLS, WORKPLACES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THESE TRAININGS EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT EPILEPSY AND TEACH THEM HOW TO KEEP OTHERS SAFE DURING A SEIZURE. THERE ARE TWO MAIN TRAININGS PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC: "SEIZURE TRAINING FOR SCHOOL PERSONNEL, AND "SEIZURE RECOGNITION & FIRST AID". WITH LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS OF THIRD-PARTY EDUCATIONAL PLATFORMS, AND A NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF AMERICA, EFGC STAFF PROVIDED EDUCATION TO OVER 9,000 PEOPLE THROUGH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING. ANNUALLY, EFGC HOSTS A FREE, DAY-LONG EDUCATION CONFERENCE WITH SPEAKERS AND EXHIBITORS TO PROVIDE A BROAD PLATFORM GIVING THOSE AFFECTED BY EPILEPSY AND THEIR FAMILIES EASY ACCESS TO A RANGE OF INFORMATION INCLUDING THE LATEST MEDICAL TREATMENT OPTIONS. ON NOVEMBER 16, 2024, EFGC HOSTED THE 14TH ANNUAL EPILEPSY EDUCATION CONFERENCE IN OAK BROOK, ILLINOIS. THE FREE DAY-LONG CONFERENCE WAS GEARED TOWARD PROVIDING INDIVIDUALS WITH EPILEPSY, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE GENERAL COMMUNITY WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION ABOUT EPILEPSY. MORE THAN 175 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED THE 2024 EDUCATION CONFERENCE. ON MARCH 29, 2025, EFGC HOSTED THE 8TH ANNUAL SPANISH EDUCATION CONFERENCE IN THE PILSEN NEIGHBORHOOD OF CHICAGO. MORE THAN 120 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED.