Families’ and Children’s AIDS Network (FCAN) was organized in 1985 by a group of health care and social service providers who work with children and families affected by HIV infection and AIDS. Since its inception, FCAN has grown into an organization of over 300 health care providers, social service providers, legal service providers, and consumers. Originally organized as a network of Chicago 
area providers and consumers, a Downstate Caucus now exists as a forum for people interested in issues impacting HIV-affected families Downstate.
Policy and Advocacy
For 16 years, FCAN has been instrumental in developing policies and programs that strengthen and support HIV-affected families.
FCAN is also well known for its advocacy efforts on behalf of HIV affected children, youth, and families. FCAN’s Advocacy Task Force began in 1992 and promptly set about advocating for additional options for families interested in making future care plans for their children. Owing in large part to FCAN’s ongoing efforts, provisions for standby guardianship and short-term guardianship became law in January 1994. In 1999, FCAN’s advocacy efforts led to passage of the nation’s first standby adoption legislation. Over the years, FCAN has repeatedly advocated against legislation that would mandate that pregnant women be tested for HIV.
Program and Service Development
Over the years, FCAN has brought together a diverse group of people working with HIV-affected families who have pooled their expertise in identifying critical gaps in services for these families. New, innovative programs have been conceptualized by FCAN committees, including Red Ribbon Trails, a statewide family camping program designed specifically for HIV-affected families. In 2001, FCAN was awarded federal funds to bring families together at two retreats per year -- a four-day/three night family camp and a three-day/two night retreat. At these events, HIV-infected and affected family members are provided with social support, people to talk to, therapeutic interventions, information and education about HIV, recreation and respite, and the opportunity to create long lasting memories. Click here for more Red Ribbon Trails information.
Links
AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families
www.aids-alliance.org
AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families is a national non-profit membership organization. We were established in 1994 to give voice to the needs of women, children, youth, and families living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.
AIDS Care Chicago
www.aidscarechicago.org
AIDSCARE assists those living with advanced HIV/AIDS in the Chicago Area achieve a higher quality of life through housing, care and support services.
AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC)
www.aidschicago.org
AFC grants funding for local HIV/AIDS care and prevention programs, advocates for sound AIDS policy and increased public support for AIDS services, and through our Service Providers Council, develops and implements strategies for coordinating AIDS care and prevention services.
AIDS Legal Council of Chicago (ALCC)
www.aidslegal.com
ALCC delivers free legal services to more than 1,000 clients each year. In addition, the ALCC provides educational outreach and advocacy to promote the fair treatment of people with HIV and AIDS
Abandoned Infants Assistance Program (AIA)
http://aia.berkeley.edu
The Abandoned Infants Assistance program provides grants to support service programs that prevent the abandonment of children and to identify and address the needs of infants and young children, particularly those with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and drug exposure.
Bethany Place
www.bethanyplace.org
Bethany Place is a nonprofit, community-based AIDS Service Organization (ASO) located in Belleville, IL, that provides comprehensive, coordinated services to people infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
Better Existence with HIV (BEHIV)
www.behiv.org
Better Existence with HIV is a private, not-for-profit AIDS service organization in northern Cook County, Illinois. Founded in 1989 to address the alarming growth of HIV in Evanston, Chicago's north side, and the northern suburbs, today BEHIV is a regional service provider with 21 caring and professional staff and 230 dedicated volunteers.
Central Illinois Friends of PWA, Inc.
www.friendsofpwa.org
Organization dedicated to serving the HIV/AIDS community in Central Illinois. Offers buddy system, support groups, Ryan White & United Way financial assistance, HIV information and connections to local resources for persons living with HIV.
Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF)
www.chicagobarfoundation.org
The CBF, the charitable affiliate of the Chicago Bar Association, improves access to justice for people who are impacted by poverty, abuse and discrimination. The mission of CBF is grounded in the belief that access to justice is central to our democratic society and that the concerted efforts of a few can make a real improvement in the lives of many. CBF accomplishes their mission by awarding grants and other assistance to legal aid and public interest law organizations (including FCAN), encouraging the legal community to contribute time and money, functioning as a clearinghouse for information and resources, and providing leadership in the community on access to justice issues.
Chicago Dept. of Public Health
www.ci.chi.il.us/Health
Chicago Recovery Alliance-Positive Change
www.anypositivechange.org
Children Affected by AIDS Foundation
www.caaf4kids.org
The mission of the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation (CAAF) is to make a positive difference in the lives of children infected with HIV and affected by AIDS. CAAF accomplishes this by helping meet their diverse, special needs, advocating and educating on their behalf, and bringing joy and fun into their lives.
HelpSource-Human Services Guide for East Central Illinois
www.helpsource.org
HelpSource is the most comprehensive, online reference guide available to human services, healthcare providers, and residents of East Central Illinois and West Central Indiana.
The HIV Coalition
www.thebody.com/hivco/hivco.html
The HIV Coalition (HIVCO) is an organization of over 500 medical and social service professionals and community members who are committed to facing and responding effectively to the epidemic of HIV disease in our communities. HIVCO's mission is to promote the awareness, prevention, treatment, and research of HIV disease in the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago. Midwest’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender organization.
Illinois Dept. of Children & Family Services (DCFS)
www.state.il.us/dcfs
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services provides child welfare services in Illinois.
Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH)-AIDS/HIV
www.idph.state.il.us
The Illinois Department of Public Health provides AIDS/HIV information, ADAP, testing and other services.
Jewish AIDS Network-Chicago
www.shalom6000.com
Jewish AIDS Network is a grass roots organization dedicated to providing services and referrals with a Jewish content to individuals infected with HIV/AIDS, and their families and friends who are also impacted.
The Men of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition (MOCHA)
www.mochacoalition.org
Community-based organization serving African-American and Latino MSM by providing outreach, support groups, educational groups, prevention case management, Individual-level intervention, HIV counseling and testing, STD screening, AIDS vaccine research, HIV prevention for men who are HIV-positive, substance use counseling, mental health counseling, Ryan White HIV case management, and Office of Rehabilitative Services (ORS) case management and other HIV prevention and care services.
Midwest AIDS Prevention Project
www.aidsprevention.org
Each year, MAPP provides more than 700 safer sex workshops, presentations, trainings, media events, display tables, outreach events, and speaking engagements throughout the state. Audiences targeted have included teens, college students, gays and lesbians, women, people of color, health care workers, church groups, HIV outreach workers, Latino, Asian, and Arabic communities, and others. Since its incorporation in 1988, MAPP has distributed over two million AIDS education materials and condoms, reaching more than 500,000 people.
Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center
www.uic.edu/depts/matec
MATEC is based at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Jane Addams College of Social Work. MATEC provides training and information services through seven local sites in seven states including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Each is charged with developing training and information services to meet the needs of their area.
Midwest Hispanic Health Coalition
www.mhhcsalud.org
The Midwest Hispanic Health Coalition is a recognized leader in non-for-profit development, advocacy and information dissemination increasing the awareness of Public Health, Community Based and Academic Institutions on the significance of identified needs of the Latino population. The organization has contributed over fifteen years with the formulation of prevention models, new segregated data on Latino issues and the implementation of numerous culturally competent services engaging Latinos in critical health care services across the Midwest. In its commitment to improve the public health, social and educational conditions of Latinos, the organization fosters the growth of Latino leaders and community providers.
National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center
http://aia.berkeley.edu/index.html
The National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center's mission is to enhance the quality of social and health services delivered to children who are abandoned or at-risk of abandonment due to the presence of drugs and/or HIV in the family. The Resource Center provides training, information, support, and resources to service providers who assist these children and their families.
Open Door Clinic
www.opendoorclinic.org
The purpose of the HIV Clinic is to aggressively confront the Human Immunodeficiency Virus with early intervention using primary medical services and compassion. Open Door Clinics are located in Elgin & Aurora.
Ryan White Care Act
http://hab.hrsa.gov/history.htm
In August 1990, Congress signed the Ryan White CARE Act and in doing so created a system of services that has greatly improved the quality and availability of health care services for people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. Named for Ryan White, the HIV positive teenager from Indiana who made headlines with his brave fight against ignorance and prejudice, the CARE Act funds a variety of health and social programs across the country.
Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN)
www.tpan.com
Located in Chicago and founded in 1987, TPAN continues to grow and evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of those affected by HIV and AIDS. TPAN offers a range of services, including treatment and resource information, support, buddy networks, yoga, limited medical clinic focusing primarily on testing, but also including diagnostics and blood work, needle exchange and a variety of other services.
Board of Directors
FCAN is privileged to have the direction, support, expertise, and wealth of knowledge of a distinguished Board of Directors.
Chairman of the Board
Daniel M. Johnson, MD
Chair, Department of Pediatrics
Pediatric Infectious Specialist
Sinai Children’s Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital
Chicago, Illinois
*Director, Pediatric & Adolescent HIV Program
at Sinai Children's Hospital, Board Member,
Pediatric AIDS Chicago Prevention Initiative
Treasurer
Brother Wade Ek, M.Dir., LCPC
Quality Assurance Manager
The Children's Place
*National Catholic AIDS Network, National Assoc.
of Catholic Chaplains, NASW
Project Director
Linda S. Coon, Esq.
President
LSC and Associates
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Director
Marcy Ashby, MS
Project Director
Southern Illinois University
School of Medicine
Central Illinois Ryan White CARE Consortium
Springfield, Illinois
Director
Chet Kelly, M.S., M.P.H.
Associate Director
Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center
Chicago, Illinois
Director
John O'Donnell
Retired/Child Welfare Consultant
Chicago, IL
Director
Mildred Williamson
Director, Program Planning and Research
Ambulatory & Community Health of Cook County
Chicago, Illinois
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FCAN Staff
Project Director
Linda S. Coon, Esq.
lcoon@familiesandchildrensnetwork.org
Policy and Program Associate
Michelle Leiker, JD
mleiker@familiesandchildrensnetwork.org
Fiscal and Office Manager
Hector Arnaez
harnaez@familiesandchildrensnetwork.org
