CST Academy and Chicago ABA Therapy are offering a monthly night out for parents to enjoy themselves.

CST Academy, a Chicago therapeutic preschool program, and Chicago ABA Therapy are sponsoring an initiative to provide free child care for children with autism or other developmental delays so their parents can enjoy a night out.

The program aims to offer parents a monthly, scheduled “date night” or “parent(s’) night out.” Children can be dropped off at the program’s play space, where team members watch, engage and entertain them while parents have time to themselves.

Their team is a group of therapists and aspiring therapists with extensive expertise in speech and language development, occupational therapy, feeding therapy and ABA therapy.

The program is free to parents. A small donation to offset their costs would be appreciated but is not required.

Interested parents should click here to request more information.

 

 

Online learning tools for parents and their transition age teens who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The transition from high school to the workforce or postsecondary education can be difficult to understand and navigate. Hands & Voices has announced the release of its online learning tool specifically for parents and their transition-age teens who are deaf or hard of hearing to support them as they begin this new journey.

Topics covered include:

1. Laws and Key Information Parents Need to Know about the Transition Process
2. From Parent Advocacy to Student Advocacy
3. Technology Transitions
4. The Parenting Aspects of Transition
5. Strategies to Assist with the Process of Transition

Goals of the learning module are:

1. To have a resource for parents and their transition-age teens that will support their exploration of life after high school.
2. Parents will report knowledge and confidence in understanding postsecondary transition.
3. Transition-age teens will report feeling more knowledgeable and prepared for the transition process.

Intended audience:

1. Parents and their transition-age children.
2. Teachers and support staff working with transition age students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

For more information and to register, click here.

Click here to read an interview with Lisa Kovcas about the transition tool.

State Board shares resources for children, families and educators.

In response to the mass shooting in Las Vegas, the Illinois State Board of Education has compiled a list of resources for parents and educators to help children and youth handle traumatic events. The list was shared in a recent Weekly Message from State Superintendent Tony Smith, Ph.D.:

• Coping with Traumatic Events: Resources for Children, Parents, Educators, and Other Professionals from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Parents Can Do from the National Institute of Mental Health
• Helping Kids After a Shooting from the American School Counselor Association
• Resources from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network
• Talking to Children About Tragedies & Other News Events from the American Academy of Pediatrics

Additional resources from the State Board on a variety of topics are available at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Climate-and-Culture.aspx.

Grant from the Autism Society of Central Illinois aims to improve the life of an individual or child with autism.

The Blake Penner Memorial Grant was established by the Autism Society of Central Illinois in 2005 in honor of one special child. The grant program is designed to help families purchase items or services that will improve the life of an individual or child with autism. Examples of  grant uses include adaptive bicycles, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, educational consultant fees and social skills training.

Grant beneficiaries must be a person with autism spectrum disorder who lives within the central Illinois area (must live in Sangamon or Menard county or other qualifying zip codes listed on the Autism Society of Central Illinois’ website at http://autismcil.org/).

Applications are available here and must be mailed in by Nov. 3. Funds are limited, so apply early.

“Next Steps to Adulthood: Planning for Transition” includes a free webinar series and in-person workshop.

The University of Illinois at Chicago Institute on Disability and Human Development (IDHD) Developmental Disability Family Clinics present “Next Steps to Adulthood: Planning for Transition,” a free webinar series and workshop. Families and professionals may register for all or select individual webinars to attend.

WEBINAR SERIES:

• Healthcare Transition of Young Adults with Autism and other Developmental Disabilities to Adult Systems of Care
  Date: Wednesday, Oct. 4, 10 to 11 a.m.
  Presenter: Kruti Acharya, MD, UIC Department of Disability and Human Development
  Dr. Acharya will review the most recent data about healthcare transition for adolescents and young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, describe standard of care for health care transition and highlight strategies to support the transition to adult-centered health care.
• Understanding the Components of Transition Planning for Youth with Autism
  Date: Wednesday, Oct. 18, 10 to 11 a.m.
  Presenter: Meghan Burke, Ph.D., BCBA-D, UIUC Department of Special Education
  In this presentation, Dr. Burke will outline the components of transition planning for your child with autism. Specifically, she will discuss transition assessments and goals, student involvement and transition outcomes including post-secondary training and education, independent living and employment.
• Employment Policy and Services for Transition-Aged Youth with Disability
  Date: Wednesday, Nov. 1, 10 to 11 a.m.
  Presenter: Kate Caldwell, PhD, UIC Department of Disability and Human Development
  This presentation will give an overview of current policy affecting transition-aged youth with disabilities in the workforce. It will also discuss trends in the field, as well as strategies and best practices in disability employment services and supports. Finally, it will provide resources for those wishing to learn more.
• What Happens Next? Exploring the World of Adult Services
  Date: Thursday, Nov. 9, 10  to 11 a.m.
  Presenter: Kathy Carmody, MSW, Institute on Public Policy for People with Disabilities
  This presentation will discuss the community service system for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities in Illinois, including eligibility requirements, funding options, service models and strategies to promote maximum effectiveness and satisfaction with services.  Kathy brings over 30 years of experience in Illinois and an extensive background in helping families understand and navigate the adult I/DD community system.

IN-PERSON WORKSHOP:

• Transition Perspectives
  Date: Friday, Dec. 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  Location: First Floor Auditorium, 1640 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago, IL 60608 (UIC’s Disability, Health and Social Policy Building)
  This in-person interactive workshop combines insights from all three webinars to discuss how transition planning impacts daily life, healthcare and employment opportunities. This is your opportunity to learn from three experts on transition best practices. Bring your questions!

REGISTER HERE: https://tinyurl.com/TransitionReg

Questions? Contact Susan Kahan  at skahan@uic.edu or (312) 413-2652.

Continuing education credits are available with a $10 fee for professionals in the following disciplines: Advanced Practice Nurses, Registered Nurses, LPNs, Clinical Psychologists, Illinois Teachers Professional Development, LCSW, LSW, LPC, and LCPC, Licensed Dietitian Nutritionists (RD), Nursing Home Administrators, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professionals and Speech Language Pathologists.

Click here for more information.

Open-captioned performances, touch tours, audio-described performances and autism/sensory-friendly performances available for upcoming theater productions.

Chicago’s Lifeline Theatre offers a number of accessible shows this fall and winter for individuals with disabilities. A full list of the theater’s accessibility services and upcoming special performances is at www.lifelinetheatre.com/accessibility/.

For people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, Lifeline has several open captioned performances of productions for children and adults that feature a text display of the words and sounds heard during a production.

For people who are blind or have low vision, the theater offers pre-show touch tours that let audience members visit the set, feel the props and costumes and meet the characters before the performance. Audio-described performances provide a live commentary by trained describers, interspersed with the actors’ dialogue.

Autism/sensory-friendly performances for children are also scheduled and provide a relaxed experience for individuals on the autism spectrum and others with cognitive and developmental disabilities.

Anyone interested in more information can contact Accessibility Coordinator Erica Foster directly at (773) 761-4477, ext. 703, or  access@lifelinetheatre.com, or in person at the Lifeline Box Office (6912 N. Glenwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60626) Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

 

The American Red Cross is installing free smoke alarms as part of its Home Fire Campaign.

The American Red Cross and its partners have launched the Home Fire Campaign to reduce deaths and injuries caused by home fires by 25 percent over five years. The American Red Cross asks every household in America to take two simple steps to help save lives: check or install smoke alarms and practice fire drills at home.

As part of this effort, the Red Cross will provide and install smoke alarms in your home at no charge. To request a free installation, you can fill out this form and return to Jamie Beaver, Disaster Program Manager, at 2674 N. Main St. in Decatur or Jamie.Beaver@redcross.org.

You can also request a free smoke alarm installation at https://getasmokealarm.org/. After submitting your request, an American Red Cross representative will be in touch with information on installation availability in your area.

 

 

Family partners will provide a firsthand perspective on how children and their families live with a disability.

The Illinois Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities Program (IL LEND)  prepares graduate students, working professionals, family members and others to serve as a leader in improving the quality of life of children and families with neurodevelopmental disabilities. The program focuses on leadership development, advocacy, research, community engagement and clinical skills for those who plan to work with people with disabilities. LEND’s ultimate goal is to improve the health and well-being of people with disabilities.

LEND is looking for families to participate in its “Family Visit Assignment,” which gives the program’s trainees a firsthand perspective of the many ways that children and their families live with a disability.

Participating families will host LEND family visits. During these visits, a small group (two to three people) will go to the family’s home for one to one-and-half hours and ask questions about their needs, services and supports they have accessed on behalf of their family member with a disability.

Families who complete the family visit are offered an honorarium payment of $50 from the University of Illinois.

To be eligible to receive the honorarium, families must:

•  Be able to provide a Social Security Number, Federal Employer ID Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
•  Not be employed by the University of Illinois (salaried or unsalaried)
•  If previously employed by the University of Illinois, be off payroll for 12 months

If you are interested in participating, please contact Regina Meza, Project Coordinator, at (312) 996-8905 or rmeza3@uic.edu.

Program open to all youth age 18 and under to fill the nutritional gap during the summer months.

Many families across the state depend on their children’s schools to provide regular, healthy meals. The Illinois State Board of Education manages the Summer Meals program to ensure children have continued access to free and nutritious meals and snacks during the summer months when school is out.

The program serves children and teens age 18 and younger.

To find a meal site near you, call (800) 359-2163, text “FoodIL” or “ComidasIL” to 877-877, or visit SummerMealsIllinois.org. The days and times of operation vary by site.

To learn more about this year’s Summer Meals program, click here.

Initiative aims to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Equip for Equality’s Employment Rights Helpline is a new service that provides free advice for employees and job seekers in Illinois. This initiative, made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust, aims to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Illinois.

The helpline staff can:

• Discuss your rights under the ADA
• Answer your employment rights questions
• Assist with reasonable accommodation requests
• Help you understand your options
• Share fact sheets, sample letters and forms
• Provide referrals
• Offer other assistance as needed

Contact information for the helpline:
Voice/Relay: (844) RIGHTS-9 (toll-free) or (844) 744-4879 (toll-free)
TTY: (800) 610-2779 (tty)
Email: employment@equipforequality.org
Web: http://www.equipforequality.org/employment