Illinois Organizations and Projects

To find national organizations on any of these topics, please visit the organizations page of the National Center for Dissemination for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) at http://www.nichcy.org/babies/.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)

A list of Illinois Chapters of Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders (CHADD) is available at the following Web site: http://www.communityresources.net/childrenadultschadd.html

Autism

• Autism Project
  http://www.theautismprogram.org
• Autism Society of Illinois
  http://www.autismillinois.org
• Autism Speaks
  http://communities.autismspeaks.org/site/c.ihLPK1PDLoF/b.4182989/k.9324/HomeLocal_News.htm
• Autism Spectrum Institute at Illinois State University
  http://autismspectrum.illinoisstate.edu
• Illinois Autism/PDD Training and Technical Assistance Project
  http://www.illinoisautismproject.org
• Illinois Spectrum Connection
  http://www.ilspectrumconnection.com

Blindness/Visual Impairments

• Illinois Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments
  http://www.ipvi.org
• Illinois KidsZone
  http://ilkidszone.info

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Cerebral Palsy

• United Cerebral Palsy of Illinois
  http://www.ucpillinois.org

Deaf-Blindness

• Project Reach: Illinois Deaf-Blind Services
  http://www.project-reach-illinois.org

Deafness/Hearing Impairments

• see Hearing Impairments/Deafness

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Down Syndrome

• Central Illinois Down Syndrome Organization
  http://www.cidso.org
• Heart of Illinois Down Syndrome Association, Inc.
  http://www.hoidsa.org
• Lincoln Land Down Syndrome Society
  http://www.lldss.org/
• National Association for Down Syndrome (serves Chicago)
  http://www.nads.org
• UPS for DownS - United Parent Support for Down Syndrome
  http://www.upsfordowns.org

Early Literacy

• Baby Talk
  http://www.babytalk.org
• Hug-a-Book: An Early Literacy Initiative of Family Focus, Inc.
  http://www.family-focus.org/programs/hug_a_book/

Epilepsy

• Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago
  http://www.epilepsychicago.org
• Epilepsy Resource Center of Central Illinois
  http://www.siumed.edu/neuro/epilepsy

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Family Support and Parenting

• Family Resource Center on Disabilities (FRCD)
  http://www.frcd.org
• Family Matters Parent Training and Information Center
  http://www.fmptic.org
• Family Support Network of Illinois
  http://www.familysupportnetwork.org
• Fussy Baby Network
  http://www.fussybabynetwork.org
• Illinois Fatherhood Initiative
  http://www.4fathers.org
• Illinois Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs, Inc.
  http://www.iomotc.org
• IllinoisParents.org
  http://www.illinoisparents.org
• La Leche League of Illinois
  http://www.lllofil.org
• Parenting 24/7
  http://parenting247.org
• Parents Anonymous in Illinois
  http://www.ucanchicago.org/site/epage/79902_682.htm
• Strengthening Families Illinois
  http://www.strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org
• Urban Programs Resource Network
  http://urbanext.illinois.edu

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General Early Childhood

• Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative
  http://ecap.crc.uiuc.edu
• Illinois Division of Early Childhood
  http://idec.crc.uiuc.edu
• Illinois Early Intervention Clearinghouse
  http://www.eiclearinghouse.org
• Illinois Early Learning Project
  http://www.illinoisearlylearning.org
• Lekotek  (toys and play for children with special needs)
  http://www.lekotek.org/lekotek.asp?selState=Illinois
• Ounce of Prevention Fund
  http://www.ounceofprevention.org
• Project Choices
  http://www.projectchoices.org
• STARNET (Support and Technical Assistance Regionally)
  http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/html/sped_early_child.htm
• Voices for Illinois Children
  http://www.voices4kids.org

General Health and Health Care

• All Kids (formerly Illinois KidCare)
  http://www.allkidscovered.com
• American Academy of Pediatrics, Illinois Chapter
  http://www.illinoisaap.org
• Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition
  http://www.ilmaternal.org

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Hearing Impairments/Deafness

• Illinois Families for Hands & Voices
  http://ilhandsandvoices.wordpress.com/
• Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association
  http://www.ishail.org
• Illinois Sound Beginnings
  http://www.illinoissoundbeginnings.org
• Hearing Loss Association of America: Illinois Chapters
  http://www.hearingloss.org/support_resources/find-local-hlaa-chapter?province=Illinois&=FIND

Intellectual Disability (formerly Mental Retardation)

• The Arc of Illinois
  http://www.thearcofil.org

Learning Disabilities

• Illinois Branch of the International Dyslexia Association
  http://www.readibida.org
• Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois (LDA)
  http://www.ldail.org
• Chicago North LDA
  http://www.chicagonorthlda.org

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Mental Health

• Illinois Association for Infant Mental Health
  http://www.ilaimh.org
• Illinois Children's Mental Health Partnership
  http://www.icmhp.org
• Mental Health America of Illinois
  http://www.mhai.org
• National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Illinois
  http://il.nami.org
• Say It Out Loud
  http://www.mentalhealthillinois.org

Speech and Language Impairments

• Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association
  http://www.ishail.org

Spina Bifida

• Illinois Spina Bifida Association
  http://www.sbail.org

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Spinal Cord Injury

• Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois
  http://www.sci-illinois.org

State Agencies

• Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
  http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/
• Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services
  http://www.hfs.illinois.gov
• Illinois Department of Human Services
  http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx
• Illinois Department of Public Health
  http://www.idph.state.il.us/home.htm
• Illinois State Board of Education
  http://www.isbe.state.il.us
• Illinois State Board of Education Illinois Early Intervention Resources
  http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/html/sped_early_child.htm
• ISBE Division of Early Childhood
  http://www.isbe.state.il.us/earlychi/
• State of Illinois Developmental Disabilities
  http://www2.illinois.gov/dd/Pages/default.aspx

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Traumatic Brain Injury

• Brain Injury Association of Illinois
  http://www.biail.org

Violence Prevention/Child Abuse Prevention

• Chicago Safe Start
  http://www.chicagosafestart.net
• Illinois Violence Prevention Authority
  http://ivpa.org
• Parents Anonymous in Illinois
  http://www.ucanchicago.org/site/epage/79902_682.htm
• Prevent Child Abuse Illinois
  http://www.preventchildabuseillinois.org
• First Signs, Inc.
  http://www.firstsigns.org