Community Resources
Our community offers an array of resources, training, and assistance to support families in making community connections that will promote improved outcomes for students into adulthood.
This page is designed to provide access to various resources that students, families, educators and other professional staff may want to utilize to assist students in planning for their post-secondary lives.
Leisure and Vocational Resources
Center for Enriched Living (CEL)
CEL offers programs and services for teens, adults, and seniors with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). CEL offers programming that fosters friendships, paid employment that matches their skills and interests, REACH and Catalyst Adult Day Programs, and mental health resources. CEL is independently funded and partners with the community for donations, regular volunteers, advocacy, and collaborations that support people with IDD.
Keshet
In 1982, a small group of parents met in a kitchen with a dream for their children with disabilities to be part of the Jewish community by establishing Keshet. As their children grew, Keshet grew along with them welcoming more families and adding programs for each age and stage of life.
Over the years, Keshet developed a reputation for always dreaming big. We’ve added schools, camps, adult services and residential homes. Now at capacity, it’s time for us to undertake our most impactful project to date—building a community center where people of all abilities can learn, play, work, live and grow together.
Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA)
NSSRA provides and facilitates year-round recreation programs and services for children, teens, and adults with disabilities.
NSSRA is an extension of ten park districts, two cities, and one village in the northern suburbs of Chicago. We have been creating an environment of belonging through play since 1970 and have the distinction as the first Special Recreation Association in the country.
Our Place of New Trier
The mission of Our Place of New Trier Township is to support teens and adults with developmental disabilities so that they can live productive, meaningful lives in their home community with family and friends.
Total Link
TotalLink brings individuals with disabilities and community members together—in workplaces, learning environments, and social spaces—so that people can see firsthand the talents, contributions, and value each person brings to the community. These authentic connections shift perceptions, break down stereotypes, and foster a culture where everyone is recognized as a vital and valued member of the community. These moments break down barriers, shift attitudes, and change lives.
Mental Health and Safety Resources
Compass Health Center
We are a premier, comprehensive, evidence-based psychiatric facility providing hospital intensive care in a supportive non-hospital environment.
Department of Human Services, State of Illinois Mental Health Services
Every individual who suffers from a mental condition has different circumstances that will require a unique set of services/level of care to address their specific needs. The Division of Mental Health (DMH) provides a wide variety of services at all levels for adults and children throughout the state. These services are offered through hundreds of DMH partners called "Providers" (i.e. mental health clinics, agencies and hospitals). Providers serve as 'front doors' to enter the publicly funded system of mental health care.
Erika's Lighthouse
Erika's Lighthouse is a 501(C)(3) charitable organization based in Winnetka, Illinois. Founded in 2004, our mission is to "shed light on adolescent depression" through understanding, early identification, education and most of all, stigma busting.
Family Institute of Northwestern University
The Institute offers a wide range of high quality mental health counseling services through our staff practice and sliding-fee scale clinic, where we are committed to serving at-risk, under-resourced communities. We have locations in Evanston, Chicago, Northbrook and LaGrange in addition to several satellite offices. We offer flexible daytime, evening and Saturday hours. In addition to serving individuals, couples, children and adolescents, and families, we also offer group therapy and specialized counseling services.
Family Service Center
The Family Service Center offers individual, couples, and family therapy for a wide range of emotional, relationship, and substance abuse problems. The staff of highly experienced mental health professionals provides up to date, affordable, and quality care at three convenient locations. The Center also offers a range of community and professional educational programs throughout the year.
Family Service: Prevention, Education, and Counseling NFP
Family Service is a community organization with a customized approach to delivering proven, high quality counseling and education services to the family, regardless of socio-economic backgrounds.
The Harbour
The Harbour is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and case management to homeless, locked-out, and runaway youth in the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago.
Josselyn Center for Mental Health
The Josselyn Center has been a pioneer in providing quality mental health services to families and individuals of all socioeconomic backgrounds on Chicago's north shore. In 1967, the Center moved to its current location in Northfield, Illinois, near Willow Road and the Edens Expressway, where it continues to serve the communities of Bannockburn, Deerfield, Glencoe, Glenview, Golf, Highland Park, Highwood, Kenilworth, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, Northbrook, Northfield, Riverwoods, Wilmette and Winnetka. The Josselyn Center is a community mental health organization providing individual, family and group counseling for the full range of mental health and substance abuse problems. We are pleased to offer these services on a sliding fee scale to the people residing, working or attending school in fifteen north suburban Chicago communities.
The Lake County Haven
The Haven fulfills its mission by providing shelter, housing, and professional services in support of its residents and graduates.
NAMI Cook County North Suburban
NAMI, The National Alliance on Mental Illness, is a grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons and their families affected by mental illness through support, education, advocacy, and research. NAMI CCNS is a grass roots organization and an affiliate of the NAMI National organization. Our affiliate was started in the early 1990’s by a group of family members who were all dealing with the challenges of loved ones with mental illness. They offered a Family to Family class and that was the beginning of our affiliate, which now serves over 17 communities in our catchment area.
Northshore University Health Systems Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
Our programs for teens include inpatient services, a partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient services, a chemical dependency program, eating disorders program and a therapeutic day school. Additionally, we offer an educational program to schools targeting the stigma of mental illness called, "There's No Such Thing as Crazy." We also offer a wide range of services for individuals suffering from depressive or anxiety disorders. These include skilled medication management, specialized individual and group therapy techniques such as cognitive behavior therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, and services for patients with concurrent medical and emotional health needs. Numerous other programs exist within the Department: neuropsychological testing, professional life coaching and stress management and mediation. Finding the right treatment for emotional problems can be difficult. To simplify this, our Access program, staffed by mental health professionals, will help guide you to the right services and schedule your appointment.
Rogers Memorial Hospital
Rogers Behavioral Health in Skokie provides PHP and IOP level of care for children, adolescents, and adults with OCD, anxiety, mood disorder, or eating disorder.
Rosecrance
Rosecrance is a private not-for-profit organization offering behavioral health services for children, adolescents, adults and families throughout the country. With more than 20 locations in the Chicago and Rockford areas, Rosecrance offers comprehensive addiction services for adolescents and adults, including prevention, intervention, detoxification, inpatient and outpatient treatment, experiential therapies, dual-diagnosis care and family education. Rosecrance also offers high-quality, efficient and effective outpatient mental health services for children, adults and families through a variety of programs. Rosecrance serves more than 14,000 families each year.
Thresholds Chicago
Thresholds provides a comprehensive, individualized program of mental health services that include psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery programs, outreach programs, housing, educational advancement, social opportunities and employment services.
Turning Point
Turning Point is an outpatient mental health center that exists to provide expert care and relief, no matter who you are or what your situation might be. We guide you through the most frightening and difficult steps and decisions you face and help to ensure that you maintain your legal rights. We provide solid support, every step of the way, recognizing each client’s efforts to change, stabilize and grow.
Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook
Transition Resources
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Adult Down Syndrome Center
The mission of the Adult Down Syndrome Center is enhancing the well-being of adolescents, 12 and older, and adults with Down syndrome using a team approach to provide comprehensive, holistic, community-based health care services.
Association for Persons in Supported Employment
APSE is a national voice for Employment First. Nembers are leaders in making inclusive workplaces, fair wages, and benefits, and the dignity of a job well done a reality for people with physical, mental health, intellectual, and developmental disabilities.
APSE creates fair wages and inclusive work opportunities for all people with disabilities through changes in policy and partnerships with employers.
APSE offers a range of memberships for individuals and organizations. Through membership, you gain timely information, tools, and support that help make you the strongest advocate possible.
The Arc of Illinois
The Arc of Illinois advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, families and community organizations to ensure that people with disabilities can live, work, learn, and play in communities across the state. The Arc offers resources and information, supports families in their individual advocacy efforts and trains and educates people with disabilities, families and professionals among other things.
Community Alternatives Unlimited (CAU)
- Community Alternatives Unlimited (CAU) is a private not-for-profit organization, incorporated in the state of Illinois as a 501(c)3. CAU is the first case management agency in Illinois that provides independent case management services to individuals with a wide range of disabilities, including developmental disabilities, mental health needs, hearing, visual and physical impairments.
- CAU provides case management services to several niche markets including individuals with developmental disabilities, mental health needs, and child welfare challenges.
- PAS stands for Pre-Admission Screening. PAS services are provided by agencies that act as the "front door" for entry into the developmental disabilities system.
- Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS)
Choices
College fair for Students with Disabilities who are college bound. Also has other resources for college planning. Check out the website daily for updates and other info on the fair.
Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD)
This site was created to make it easier for families to explore and understand the wide range of supports available for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Illinois.
Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission
Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission’s mission is to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities by providing public guardianship services, legal representation in mental health proceedings, a process to investigate disability rights violations, and a resource for special education inquiries.
Medicaid
Medicaid provides affordable health coverage to residents of Illinois. The term “Medicaid” is used to describe the health coverage programs managed by the State of Illinois. Medicaid is sometimes referred to as “All Kids” or the “medical card.”
Social Security
- View social security website
- Benefits for Children with Disabilities
- Supplemental Security Income
- The Work Site: for all things Ticket to Work (TTW) Information
- Registration for Work Incentive Seminar Events (WISE): You can register for one of the monthly, national Work Incentives webinars.
State of Illinois Department of Developmental Disabilities
The Illinois Division of Developmental Disabilities provides services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.