Resources
District 97 will continue to provide important resources to familes and the community.
In addition to the resources linked below, District 97 social workers and nurses have collaborated to create a community resource list! Click here to view >
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The World Health Organziation has provided a list of mytbusters about COVID-19.
Governor's Office and Illinois Department of Health
On Friday, March 20, Governor JB Pritzker announced he had signed a statewide stay at home order, aiming to keep new cases of COVID-19 from rapidly increasing and ensure the state's health care system remains fully operational to treat patients in need of urgent care.
Illinois Governor, J.B. Pritzker announced that the state of Illinois will close all schools from March 17 through March 30 and implement additional economic measures to reduce the burden on Illinois families.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) lists how schools should handle and prepare for the coronavirus. District 97 will continue to follow the guidance of the IDPH and local health departments.
Village of Oak Park
Oak Park and River Forest Township has provided a list to several community mental health and other social services serving our community. Please click here to view the guide.
On March 18, Village of Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb declared a local state of emergency under the Illinois Municipal Code due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus and is urging residents to stay home to protect the public health. Oak Park Public Health Director Mike Charley also issued a public order that requires residents to shelter in place effective Friday, March 20, through Friday, April 3.
At 9 a.m. on March 15, 2020, the Oak Park Public Health Department issued an official bulletin regarding the status of testing for Covid-19 in our community. To see the bulletin, click here.
The department has authorized six tests for Oak Park residents; three were negative, and results from three are pending.
From the Village of Oak Park:
"The Village Board today adopted a resolution declaring a local public health emergency, a procedural step under state law that gives municipal administrators the authority to respond more quickly to the rapidly changing challenges of the novel coronavirus illness, COVID-19.
The move does not mean that the risk of contracting the virus has immediately increased in Oak Park, officials said, but establishes the legal authority for rapid mobilization of resources as needed. The formal declaration also creates the mechanisms necessary to seek future reimbursements from the state and federal governments."
Click here to read the entire news release.
The Village of Oak Park has created a list of resources to help support the people in our community. Please click here to see those resources.
To recieve immediate updates from the Village, you can sign-up for community alerts.
Community Support Resources
Beyond Hunger will relax requirements for families to access food. There will be no questions asked for anyone who requests food.
Volunteer at Oak Park Homelessness Coalition to help those impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Internet 4 All --> The D97 program that offers free home Internet service to District 97 students in grades three through eight who do not currently have access. If you would like to learn more, please contact the Senior Director of Technology, Michael Arensdorff at [email protected].
Spectrum: is offering free internet service during the shutdown period. Call 844-488-8398.
Comcast: The company will provide low-income Chicago residents with 2 months of free internet to help them work from home: https://www.internetessentials.com/
This group is intended to offer support during the Covid-19 crisis to the most vulnerable in our community. Those offering help and seeking help are both welcome to join.
Support4U is a mental health resource for students, by which you can text licensed mental health clinicians any time of the day for assistance or guidance. You can text about any issue, including anxiety, depression, substance use, thoughts of suicide, eating disorders, bullying, abuse, or any other mental health-related topic. Support4U is safe, anonymous, and always available, so don’t hesitate to reach out for support.
D97 – Text: HOPE to 1-844-670-5838
This website will provide information/access/linkages/referrals to anyone regardless of working with a provider. The general public can access the website and search by zip code information for the 10 social determinants of health: Transportation, Food, Housing, Mental Health, Seniors, etc.
The Oak Park Libary is closed but will still offer cardholders access to online resources and stream TV/movies.
Kid-Friendly Resources
This comic was created just for kids to better understand the coronavirus and what they should do to better protect themselves.
Other Resources
This article can help educators educators understand the historical context and confront racist tropes and xenophobia from students and colleagues.
As we continue to discuss coronavirus, we also want to be mindful of the stereotyping, racism and discrimination that is often attached to outbreaks of infectious disease.
The CDC states, "Public health emergencies, such as the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are stressful times for people and communities. Fear and anxiety about a disease can lead to social stigma (1) toward people, places, or things. For example, stigma and discrimination can occur when people associate a disease, such as COVID-19, with a population or nationality, even though not everyone in that population or from that region is specifically at risk for the disease. Stigma can also occur after a person has been released from COVID-19 quarantine even though they are not considered a risk for spreading the virus to others.
"It is important to remember that people – including those of Asian descent – who do not live in or have not recently been in an area of ongoing spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, or have not been in contact with a person who is a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 are not at greater risk of spreading COVID-19 than other Americans. Everyone can help stop stigma related to COVID-19 by knowing the facts and sharing them with others in your community." (Source: CDC - Stigma and Resilience)