Parent Resources and Groups

District 202 Supplementary Documents

Parent Guides

Parent Resources

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities:  AAIDD is the oldest, largest, and most influential membership organization concerned with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Arc of Illinois:  The Arc of Illinois is committed to empowering persons with disabilities to achieve full participation in community life through informed choices.  Arc can help with education and training, advocacy, linkages to support groups and services, and more.  

Autism Home Support Services:  At Autism Home Support Services, we utilize the evidence-based practices of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, a treatment scientifically proven to have the most effective results for helping children with Autism achieve success.

The Autism Society:  The Autism Society connects people to the resources they need through education, advocacy, support, information and referral, and community programming.

Center for Parent Information and Resources:  Your central “Hub” of information and products created for the network of Parent Centers serving families of children with disabilities.  All the materials found on the CPIR Hub have been created and archived for Parent Centers around the country to help them provide support and services to the families they serve. 

Cornerstone Services, Inc. - Provides progressive, comprehensive services to people with disabilities promoting choice, dignity, and the opportunity to live and work in the community.


Easter Seals Joliet Region:  Easterseals Joliet Region provides exceptional services, education, outreach, and advocacy so that veterans, people living with autism and other disabilities can live, learn, work and play in our communities.

Family Matters - Parent Training & Information Center:  The mission of the Family Matters Parent Training and Information Center is to build upon families' strengths, empower parents and professionals to achieve the strongest possible outcomes for students with disabilities, and to enhance the quality of life for children and young adults with disabilities.

Family Resource Center on Disabilities:  Providing Parents of Children with Disabilities with Information, Training, and Assistance

IL-ABLE - Saving for People with Disabilities:  IL ABLE “Achieving a Better Life Experience” Accounts give people with disabilities and their families greater financial independence while preserving benefits. A high-quality, low-cost IL ABLE savings and investment Account can be opened by an Eligible Individual, or Authorized Individual, at any time, no matter what state they live in.

Illinois Respite Coalition - The Illinois Respite Coalition is dedicated to creating a safety net for caregivers in crisis. The Emergency Respite Care Program offers funding and resources to support caregivers of children and adults with special needs who are not receiving any respite services and have an urgent need for respite care in the absence of any other funding source. 

Individual Advocacy Group, Inc. – A non-profit agency that provides a full array of quality, customized, outcome-focused supports for people with developmental, intellectual, emotional, behavioral, or neurological disabilities.


National PTA:  Special Education Toolkit

The National Resource on ADHD

PACER Center Champions for Children with Disabilities:  PACER helps parents enhance the quality of life and expand opportunities for their children, including those with disabilities.  PACER provides individual assistance, workshops, publications and more to help families make decision about education and other services for their child with disabilities.  

SASS - Screening, Assessment, and Support Services (SASS) for Children and Adolescents and CARES - Crisis and Referral Entry Services.

Trinity Services - nonprofit, nonsectarian organization that provides the highest quality person-directed services and supports to people with disabilities and mental illness.


UIC Division of Specialized Care for Children:  We partner with Illinois families and communities to help children and youth with special healthcare needs connect to services and resources.

IRIS Center:  The IRIS Center is a national center dedicated to improving education outcomes for all children, especially those with disabilities birth through age twenty-one, through the use of effective evidence-based practices and interventions.

Early Childhood Resources

Illinois Early Learning Project:  The Illinois Early Learning Project Web site is a source of evidence-based, reliable information on early care and education for families, caregivers, and teachers of young children in Illinois.

Illinois Early Intervention Clearinghouse:  The Illinois Early Intervention (EI) Clearinghouse identifies and collects research-based and best-practice early intervention information to share with families.

Early Intervention - Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) 

Post Secondary/Transition 18-22 resources

The Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders:  The Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (CSESA) is a research and development project funded by the U.S. Department of Education that focuses on developing, adapting, and studying a comprehensive school and community-based education program for high school students on the autism spectrum.

DRC - Disability Resource Center - As people with disabilities and their advocates, the Disability Resource Center strives for equality and empowerment of persons with disabilities in the Will and Grundy County areas. We inform persons with disabilities of their rights, educate them about their responsibilities, provide support services, promote advocacy, and raise community awareness about disability issues.

Guardianship Guidelines

Illinois Assistive Technology Program:  IATP provides free information, assistance, and training on assistive technology and other related disability and aging topics.

Illinois Arc Transition Services:  Advocacy Toolbox section with some current models to use in transition and tools to help facilitate transition from high school to the world of adult services

The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition:  The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C) is a Technical Assistance Center co-funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).  NTACT:C provides information, tools, and supports to assist multiple stakeholders in delivering effective services and instruction for secondary students and out of school youth with disabilities. 

PUNS:  PUNS is a statewide database that records information about individuals with developmental disabilities who are planning for or seeking services.  The State uses the data to select individuals for services as funding becomes available, to develop proposals and materials for budgeting, and to plan for future needs.

Services Inc.  Dedicated to helping people with developmental delays and disabilities find the services and supports they need to live a better life.  

Think College:  Think College is a national organization dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disability. With a commitment to equity and excellence, Think College supports evidence-based and student-centered research and practice by generating and sharing knowledge, guiding institutional change, informing public policy, and engaging with students, professionals and families.  Think College Fact Sheet

Trinity Services:  Trinity Services, Inc. provides the highest quality person-directed services and supports to people with developmental disabilities and mental illness so that they may flourish and live full and abundant lives.   Trinity serves more than 5,800 adults and children who have intellectual/developmental disabilities or mental health needs. Trinity’s mission to help people, including residential services, numerous community day services, employment services, a school, therapeutic horseback riding, respite services, a recreation center, a range of therapeutic services, and more.

Transition Planning Committee (TPC):  A consortium of schools, agencies and not-for-profit organizations banded together to improve vocational transition from education to jobs for all learners, but particularly for individuals with disabilities. 

College Resources