Housing, Financial, & Additional Support
Resources
Housing, Financial, & Additional Support:
INFORMATION SOURCES
Program / resource | What it may help with | Where to start |
National Cancer Institute / NCI | Federal cancer information, treatment summaries, clinical trial information, research updates, cancer definitions, and drug information. | NCI: cancer.gov |
NCI Funded Research Portfolio / RePORTER | Search tool for NIH-funded research projects, researchers, institutions, and grants. | RePORTER: reporter.nih.gov |
NCI Treatment Option Overview | Patient-friendly treatment information, including neuroblastoma treatment summaries. | Treatment Overview: cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/neuroblastoma/Patient/page4 |
Clinical Trials Information | Explains what clinical trials are, how they work, and how to search for studies. | ClinicalTrials.gov: clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/info For other types of cancer: cancer.gov/types |
Understanding Cancer | Basic explanation of what cancer is and how it develops. | NCI: cancer.gov/cancertopics/what-is-cancer |
NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms | Easy-to-use definitions of cancer-related words and medical terms. | NCI Dictionary: cancer.gov/dictionary |
NCI Drug Dictionary | Information about cancer drugs and related treatments. | NCI Drug Dictionary: cancer.gov/drugdictionary |
USC Fertility | Fertility preservation information and services, which may be important before cancer treatment begins. | USC Fertility: uscfertility.org |
Kyle E. Orwig, PhD / University of Pittsburgh | Fertility preservation research, including reproductive options for children and young adults facing cancer treatment. | University of Pittsburgh: obgyn.pitt.edu/people/kyle-orwig-phd |
OncLink | Cancer information for patients and families, including treatment, side effects, survivorship, and related topics. | OncLink: oncolink.org |
PubMed | Searchable database of medical research articles, studies, and journal publications. | PubMed: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed |
WebMD | General health and medical information written for the public. | WebMD: webmd.com |
Google Alerts | Allows families to receive email alerts when new information is published online about a disease, treatment, doctor, hospital, or research topic. | Google Alerts: google.com/alerts |
Hospital Websites | Major children’s hospitals and cancer centers often provide treatment information, clinical trial listings, physician profiles, and disease-specific resources. | Hospital websites: Search the official website of the hospital or cancer center |
Blood — Journal of the American Society of Hematology | Research on blood diseases, blood cancers, immunology, hematology, and related treatments. | Blood: ashpublications.org/blood |
Journal of Clinical Oncology | Major oncology journal published by ASCO, including cancer treatment studies and clinical trial results. | Journal of Clinical Oncology: ascopubs.org/journal/jco |
JCO Oncology Practice / formerly Journal of Oncology Practice | Cancer care delivery, oncology practice, policy, and quality-of-care information. | JCO Oncology Practice: ascopubs.org/journal/op |
Nature | Major scientific journal covering important discoveries across medicine, biology, and science. | Nature: nature.com |
New England Journal of Medicine | Leading medical journal with major clinical studies, reviews, and medical updates. | NEJM: nejm.org |
Science | Major scientific journal covering discoveries across medicine, biology, and other scientific fields. | Science: science.org/journal/science |
Journal of the American Medical Association / JAMA | Major medical journal covering clinical research, public health, and medical practice. | JAMA: jamanetwork.com/journals/jama |
The Lancet | Major international medical journal covering clinical medicine, public health, and global health. | The Lancet: thelancet.com/journals/lancet/home |
The Lancet Oncology | Cancer-focused journal covering oncology research, treatment advances, and clinical studies. | The Lancet Oncology: thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/home |
Pediatric Blood & Cancer | Pediatric oncology and hematology journal focused on childhood cancers and blood disorders. | Pediatric Blood & Cancer: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15455017 |
California Programs and Organizations
Program / resource | What it may help with | Where to start |
California Chi bowie thank you so much for spending time with me todayen’s Services / CCS | Specialty care, diagnosis, treatment, case management, therapy, and support for eligible serious conditions, including cancer. | California DHCS: dhcs.ca.gov |
Medi-Cal and CHIP / CCHIP | Health insurance, hospital care, doctors, prescriptions, specialists, and sometimes transportation. | Medi-Cal / DHCS: dhcs.ca.gov; Covered California: coveredca.com; CHIP: healthcare.gov |
Title V / CYSHCN Programs | Care coordination, referrals, public-health navigation, and support for children with complex medical needs. | California CDPH: cdph.ca.gov; HRSA Title V: mchb.hrsa.gov |
SSI Disability Benefits for Children | Monthly cash assistance if disability and household financial rules are met. | Social Security: ssa.gov |
California Paid Family Leave | Partial wage replacement when a parent takes time off work to care for a seriously ill child. | California EDD: edd.ca.gov |
IHSS – In-Home Supportive Services | Paid in-home support for eligible children who need help staying safely at home. | California DSS / CDSS: cdss.ca.gov |
Hospital Financial Assistance / Charity Care | Reduced or forgiven bills, payment plans, and help with uninsured or underinsured medical bills. | Ask each hospital: financial assistance, charity care, or patient financial services office |
Hospital Social Work and Family Resource Centers | Gas cards, parking, lodging lists, meals, school support, insurance guidance, and grant referrals. | Ask the hospital: social worker, family resource center, or nurse navigator |
Pediatric Cancer Direct-Aid Charities – California and National | Rent, utilities, groceries, gas, car expenses, funeral costs, travel, emotional support, and peer support. | CAC2: cac2.org; Jacob’s Heart: jacobsheart.org; Jack’s Helping Hand: jackshelpinghand.org; Keaton’s Child Cancer Alliance: childcancer.org; CCF SoCal: ccfsocal.org; Megan’s Wings: meganswings.org. |
Travel-Assistance Organizations | Gas cards, mileage, airfare, lodging, clinical-trial travel, and out-of-area treatment travel. | Miracle Flights: miracleflights.org; Mercy Medical Angels: mercymedical.org; Air Charity Network: aircharitynetwork.org; Corporate Angeles: corpangelnetwork.org |
Lodging Near Treatment Centers | Free or low-cost housing near hospitals, meals, family rooms, and hotel discounts. | First ask: the hospital social worker; Ronald McDonald House: ronaldmcdonaldhouse.org |
Co-Pay and Medication-Assistance Foundations | Prescriptions, co-pays, insurance premiums, and treatment-related out-of-pocket costs. | Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay Relief: patientadvocate.org; CancerCare: cancercare.org; HealthWell Foundation: healthwellfoundation.org; PAN Foundation: panfoundation.org |
Insurance Appeals and Patient Advocacy | Denied claims, out-of-network requests, prior authorization problems, medical debt, and case management. | Patient Advocate Foundation: patientadvocate.org; Triage Cancer: triagecancer.org; California DMHC: dmhc.ca.gov; California Dept. of Insurance: insurance.ca.gov; LawHelpCA: lawhelpca.org |
California Insurance Regulators / Independent Medical Review | External review when a health plan denies, delays, or changes requested care. | California DMHC: dmhc.ca.gov; California Dept. of Insurance: insurance.ca.gov |
Food Programs | Grocery money, emergency food, food banks, and meal support. | CalFresh: calfresh.dss.ca.gov; BenefitsCal: benefitscal.com; GetCalFresh: getcalfresh.org; 211 California: 211ca.org; United Way: unitedway.org; Salvation Army: salvationarmyusa.org |
Utility-Bill and Energy Programs | Utility discounts, shutoff prevention, one-time energy help, and medical electricity needs. | LIHEAP California / CSD: csd.ca.gov; CPUC: cpuc.ca.gov; CARE / FERA: cpuc.ca.gov; Medical Baseline: cpuc.ca.gov; PG&E: pge.com; Southern California Edison: sce.com |
Rent, Mortgage, and Emergency Basic-Needs Help | Rent, mortgage, emergency cash, food, gas, car repairs, utilities, and urgent needs. | 211 California: 211ca.org; Family Reach: familyreach.org; Pinky Swear: pinkyswear.org; B+ Foundation: bepositive.org; CancerCare:cancercare.org; CalCAPA: calcapa.org; California Community Foundation: calfund.org; CA Community Foundations: lccf.org |
Wish, Memory-Making, and Quality-of-Life Organizations | Wishes, room makeovers, family experiences, memory-making, and end-of-life support. | Make-A-Wish: wish.org; Also ask: the hospital social worker about local programs |
Local Community Organizations | If needed: Emergency checks, meals, gas cards, sibling care, rent help, fundraising, transportation, and local referrals. | Talk to Executive Director at your local Chamber of Commerce and Community Foundations, service clubs, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Club, Elks, Faith Groups: Churches, Synagogues, Mosques, County Non-profits, United Way, Chamber of Commerce.
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National Programs and Organizations
| Program / resource | What it may help with | Where to start |
| Medicaid and CHIP Programs | Health insurance, hospital care, doctor visits, medications, specialty care, and transportation benefits in some states. | Medicaid / CHIP: medicaid.gov; healthcare.gov/medicaid-chip; insurekidsnow.gov. Every state has Medicaid and CHIP; CHIPhelps cover children in families that may earn too much for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance. |
| Title V / Children with Special Health Care Needs Programs | Care coordination, referrals, help navigating complex care, and sometimes special-needs support. | Title V Maternal and Child Health Programs: mchb.hrsa.gov. Every state and U.S. jurisdiction has a Title V program, including support for children and youth with special health care needs. |
| SSI Disability Benefits for Children | Monthly cash assistance for children who meet disability and household financial rules. | Social Security SSI: ssa.gov/ssi. Children may qualify from birth through age 18 if they meet medical and financial rules. Ask Social Security about childhood cancer and disability eligibility. |
| Family Leave and Wage-Replacement Programs | Job-protected leave or partial wage replacement while a parent cares for a seriously ill child. | Federal FMLA: dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla. FMLA may provide eligible workers unpaid, job-protected leave. Some states also have paid family and medical leave programs. |
| Hospital Financial Assistance / Charity Care | Reduced hospital bills, forgiven bills, payment plans, and help applying for public coverage. | Hospital billing or financial assistance office: ask for the hospital’s “financial assistance,” “charity care,” or “financial assistance policy” application. Eligibility varies by hospital. |
| Major Pediatric Cancer Hospitals with Special Support Models | Treatment, housing, food, travel, social work, clinical trials, and family support. | St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: stjude.org. St. Jude says families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food. Other children’s hospitals may not have this same model, but many have social workers, financial counselors, charity-care offices, and family funds. |
| Direct Financial-Assistance Charities | Rent, mortgage, utilities, groceries, gas, transportation, lodging, emergency bills, and other non-medical costs. | Family Reach: familyreach.org; National Children’s Cancer Society: thenccs.org; CancerCare: cancercare.org; B+ Foundation: bepositive.org; Pinky Swear Foundation:pinkyswear.org; Go4theGoal: go4thegoal.org; Live Like Bella:livelikebella.org; Oracle Health Foundation:oraclehealthfoundation.org; Clayton Dabney Foundation:claytondabney.org; ALS: alexslemonade.org |
| Transportation-Assistance Organizations | Gas cards, mileage reimbursement, airfare, train or bus tickets, and rides to treatment. | National Children’s Cancer Society: thenccs.org; Miracle Flights:miracleflights.org; Mercy Medical Angels: mercymedical.org; Compass to Care: compasstocare.org; American Cancer Society Road To Recovery: cancer.org; Children’s Flight of Hope:childrensflightofhope.org; Angel Flight / Air Charity Network:aircharitynetwork.org: Coalition Against Childhood Cancer (CAC2), consists of dozens of nonprofits that address various children’s issues and cancers, and offers a wide range of support: Cac2.org; Corporate Angeles: corpangelnetwork.org |
| Lodging Organizations | Free or low-cost housing near hospitals, family rooms inside hospitals, and hotel help. | Ronald McDonald House Charities: rmhc.org; American Cancer Society Hope Lodge: cancer.org; Joe’s House: joeshouse.org; Hospital family housing programs: ask the hospital social worker about local housing, hotel discounts, or partners. |
| Clinical-Trial Travel and Navigation Programs | Help finding trials, understanding trial options, travel to clinical trials, lodging, and airfare for treatment not available locally. | Compass to Care: compasstocare.org; National Cancer Institute:cancer.gov; Children’s Oncology Group:childrensoncologygroup.org; CAC2: consists of dozens of nonprofits that address various children’s issues and cancers, and offers a wide range of support: www.cac2.org; End Kids Cancer: EndKidsCancer.org; CAC2: www.cac2.org |
| Co-Pay and Medication-Assistance Foundations | Insurance premiums, drug co-pays, treatment co-insurance, deductibles, and prescription costs. | Patient Advocate Foundation / Co-Pay Relief:patientadvocate.org; copays.org; PAN Foundation:panfoundation.org; CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation: cancercare.org; HealthWell Foundation:healthwellfoundation.org; Blood Cancer United:bloodcancerunited.org; Drug-company patient assistance programs: search the drug name plus “patient assistance program;” |
| Insurance Appeals and Patient Advocacy | Denied claims, prior authorizations, out-of-network requests, medical debt, case management, and practical barriers. | Patient Advocate Foundation: patientadvocate.org; Triage Cancer: triagecancer.org; Hospital financial counselors: ask the treating hospital; State insurance departments:content.naic.org/state-insurance-departments; Legal aid programs:lsc.gov |
| Food, Rent, Utilities, and Basic-Needs Programs | Groceries, food banks, utility bills, rent help, emergency household assistance, and local referrals. | SNAP: fns.usda.gov/snap; WIC: fns.usda.gov/wic; LIHEAP:acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/liheap; 211: 211.org; United Way:unitedway.org; Salvation Army: salvationarmyusa.org; Catholic Charities: catholiccharitiesusa.org; Jewish Family Services:networkjhsa.org; St. Vincent de Paul: svdpusa.org; Community Action Agencies: communityactionpartnership.com |
| Disease-Specific Cancer Organizations | Diagnosis-specific education, grants, trial navigation, support groups, research information, and community referrals. | Blood Cancer United: bloodcancerunited.org; Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation: cncfhope.org; Solving Kids’ Cancer: solvingkidscancer.org; MIB Agents: mibagents.org; American Brain Tumor Association: abta.org; Lymphoma Research Foundation: lymphoma.org; Sarcoma Foundation of America: curesarcoma.org; American Childhood Cancer Organization: acco.org; End Kids Cancer provides cancer navigation and prevention: EndKidsCancer.org: |
| Emotional, Sibling, Caregiver, and Psychosocial Support Organizations | Counseling, support groups, sibling support, parent mentoring, bereavement support, and help coping with cancer. | CancerCare for Kids: cancercare.org; American Childhood Cancer Organization: acco.org; American Cancer Society:cancer.org; Cancer Support Community:cancersupportcommunity.org; Family Voices: familyvoices.org; Candlelighters groups: search “Candlelighters childhood cancer” plus your state; Hospital child-life programs: ask the hospital. |
| Wish, Memory-Making, and Quality-of-Life Organizations | Wishes, family experiences, memory-making, room makeovers, comfort, and end-of-life support. | Make-A-Wish: wish.org; Clayton Dabney Foundation:claytondabney.org; Special Spaces: specialspaces.org; Give Kids The World Village: gktw.org; Local wish organizations: search by state or ask the hospital social worker. |
| Scholarship and Education-Support Organizations | Scholarships for survivors or siblings, school support, tutoring, college financial-aid help, and survivorship resources. | CancerCare children and teen resources: cancercare.org; American Childhood Cancer Organization: acco.org; National Children’s Cancer Society: thenccs.org; Local childhood cancer foundations: search by state or ask the hospital social worker; Hospital survivorship programs: ask the treating hospital; CAC2: www.cac2.org |
| Local Community Groups in Every State | Emergency cash, gas cards, meals, childcare, rent, utilities, fundraising help, local grants, and practical support. | Local groups: Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Club, Elks, churches, synagogues, mosques, community foundations, county nonprofits, local pediatric cancer funds, local United Way, school foundations, fire/police associations, and local businesses.; 211: 211.org is one of the best ways to find local programs by ZIP code; Chamber of Commerce call for leads for support. |
