Pregnancy

SAIC is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for pregnant students. Students may request reasonable accommodations as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions. Please refer to the Pregnancy and Parenting Accommodations Policy [PDF] for more information.

Below you will find resources for pregnant students.

On-Campus Housing

Learn more about on-campus housing options and contact SAIC Residence Life at stulife@saic.edu or 312.629.6870. 

Off-Campus Housing

These organizations have been identified as having maternity home services or referral services in Chicago. For more detailed descriptions of these organizations and their services, please use the contact information provided below.

Aid for Women: Residential Programs  
Helpline: 312.621.1100
Email: help@aidforwomen.org

• Heather’s House: Located on the Maryville Academy Campus in Des Plaines, Illinois, Heather’s House provides a safe and nurturing home where pregnant women and their babies can live. Heather’s House offers mothers an opportunity to develop the life skills, education, and job skills necessary to become independent and loving mothers. 
• Monica’s House: Located at St. Pascal Church in Chicago’s Portage Park neighborhood, Monica’s House serves as a transitional home for Heather’s House residents who have had their babies and are either going to school or working. Monica’s House provides these new mothers more independence, while they work toward completing their goals.

The Well of Mercy 
6339 North Fairfield Avenue
Chicago, IL 60659-1705
Phone: 773.274.4227
Email: info@thewellofmercy.com 

The Well of Mercy helps mothers to know their purpose in life and to take responsibility for the discipline it takes to acquire these life changes. We’re not only providing a secure home for single, pregnant women in need—when they’ve been abused, abandoned, left broke, or broken—we’re creating a program of change together. The opportunities we provide set our women on a course for stability and success.

Your health is paramount to not only your family, but to you. One of the main problems that young single parents face in the healthcare arena is affordability. It is crucial that families have the type of plan that will give the best service, the best coverage, and the best rates. Plans are varied, and each profile is unique to the family and to the company you are applying to. 

SAIC’s Insurance Policy 

Learn more about SAIC's insurance policy and contact Health Services to find out whether SAIC allows students to add children to their insurance coverage. 

State Insurance Policies 

Illinois Medicaid: Medicaid is a jointly funded state and federal government program that pays for medically necessary services. Medicaid pays for medical services for children and their caretakers, pregnant women, and persons who are disabled, blind, or 65 years of age or older. Primary services funded through Medicaid are physician, hospital and long term care. Additional coverage includes drugs, medical equipment and transportation, family planning, laboratory tests, x-rays, and other medical services.

FamilyCare offers healthcare coverage to parents living with their children 18 years old or younger. FamilyCare also covers relatives who are caring for children in place of their parents. FamilyCare covers doctor visits, specialty medical services, hospital care, emergency services, prescription drugs, and more. 

For more information, call the FamilyCare Hotline 866.ALL.KIDS (1.866.255.5437) or TTY: 1.877.204.1012.

The All Kids program offers many Illinois children comprehensive healthcare that includes doctor visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, vision care, dental care, and medical devices like eyeglasses and asthma inhalers. Some families pay monthly premiums for the coverage, but rates for middle-income families are significantly lower than they are on the private market. For instance, a family of four that earns between $45,000 and $67,000 a year pays a $40 monthly premium per child, and a $10 co-pay per physician visit. 

For more information, call the All Kids Hotline 866.ALL.KIDS (1.866.255.5437) or TTY: 1.877.204.1012. 

CHIP (Child’s Health Insurance Program) provides free or low-cost health insurance for children up to age 19. This insurance covers doctor visits, immunizations, hospitalizations and emergency room visits. The income limit changes yearly and currently a family’s gross income must be below 200 percent federal poverty level (FPL) for the children to get CHIP coverage. Generally, a family’s gross income must be below 133 percent FPL for children age one to five years to get Medicaid. Find more information and apply at chipmedicaid.org. In Illinois, the CHIP program is referred to as CHIPRA (see below).

Being a parent and a student is expensive, and finding places and people to help support your family’s material needs will help ease that burden. For material assistance (such as maternity clothes, baby items, etc), please contact the following organizations.

Aid for Women 
1510 N Claremont
Chicago, IL 60622
Phone: 312.621.1100

Business Hours: WF 9:45a-12:45p. *Appointments scheduled after hours through Option Line.*

Services Provided: Options Information, Ultrasound, Material Aid, After Abortion Support, Community Referrals, Parenting Classes, Prenatal Classes, STD/STI Information

Aid for Women  
8 S Michigan Ave, Suite 812
Chicago IL 60603
Phone: 312.621.1100

Business Hours: MTW 9a-5p; Th 10a-6p; F 8a-4p; Sat 10a-3p *Appointments scheduled after hours through Option Line.*

Services Provided: Options Information, Ultrasound, Material Aid, After Abortion Support, Community Referrals, Parenting Classes, Prenatal Classes, STD/STI Information

Aid for Women  
1400 S. Austin
Cicero, IL 60804

Phone: 708.863.1000 Business Hours: WF 9:15 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; appointments preferred. *Appointments scheduled after hours through Option Line.*

Services Provided: Options Information, Ultrasound, Material Aid, After Abortion Support, Maternity Home, Community Referrals, Parenting Classes, Prenatal Classes, STD/STI Information

Goodwill 
The Goodwill and other thrift stores offer low priced items. You can find clothing, houseware, and other miscellaneous supplies. Locate a Goodwill store near you.

Local Churches and Religious Communities 
Local churches often have outreaches and ministries that serve their community. Contact the religious organizations in your area, and inquire about programs that may provide material support.

School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Student Financial Services Office  

Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA)

Government Grants

Academic Competitiveness Grant
The federal government also offers students the opportunity to obtain needed college funds through the Academic Competitiveness Grant, or ACG. This grant may be used in conjunction with Pell Grants. Unlike Pell Grants, however, the ACG is performance-based. It is designed for those who are enrolled in the first or second year of their college education. Application is open to all students who submit a Free Application for Financial Student Aid.

Federal Pell Grant
Pell Grants are available to all college students who can demonstrate financial need, including single mothers and pregnant mothers. This is a need-based program offered through the federal government, so it is best suited for low-income individuals. The Federal Pell Grant can be extremely useful to finance study material cost and the tuition fees of university. Reward amounts may be as high as $5,000 per semester for those who qualify. Applications can be conducted online by completing the Free Application for Financial Student Aid at fafsa.gov. Students should research application deadlines to ensure that funds are received for the upcoming semester as needed.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
This is another grant offered by the federal government. It is a need-based grant like Pell Grants, and it is designed to be used as a supplemental financing option in conjunction with Pell Grants. As with the previous two federal grants, interested candidates can complete the Free Application for Financial Student Aid to be considered for this program.