Resource Center for Autism and Developmental Delays (RCADD)
No-cost resources, referrals, trainings and advocacy related to Autism and Developmental Delays.
Resource Center for Autism & Developmental Delays South
4314 South Cottage Grove, Room 103
Chicago, IL 60653
P - 312.747.8571 F - 312-747-8991
Mon, Tue, Thur & Fri 9:00 - 5:00
Wed 11:00 - 5:00
Resource Center for Autism & Developmental Delays West
10 South Kedzie, Room 202
Chicago, IL 60612
P - 312.746.5447 F - 312.743.0391
Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 9-5
Wed 11:00 - 5:00
10/31/2025
We Got You ILLINOIS
Use our mapping tool to find grocery and meal programs that are close to you and match your schedule.
Search the map to find free groceries or a hot meal at community organizations throughout Illinois. Use the map filters to find a location that is open today or on the day that works best for you to visit.
Study Title: Evaluating Technology Designed to Assist in Special Education Advocacy:
IRB #24-2309
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
PI: Professor Karrie Karahalios, Department of Computer Sciences
The purpose of this survey is for individuals to indicate their interest in participating in a study. If you are a parent of a child with special needs (who may or may not receive accommodations from schools or the government to assist them) based in Illinois, have attended an Individualized Education Program/ Individualized Family Service Plan (IEP/IFSP) meeting before, and are fluent in English, you are eligible to participate in this study.
This survey will take approximately 2 minutes to complete. You will be asked to provide your email, so that the research team can contact you to schedule an interview for this study.
For questions, comments, or concerns, please email Ali Zaidi (aliz2@illinois.edu) and Professor Karrie Karahalios (kkarahal@illinois.edu). This is a study organized by the University of Illinois Computer Science Department.
💙💙💙 Families we are back to offer you the support you need. Please join us for our virtual parent support meeting. Where we will discuss the following topics : How to deal with parent burnout and You have the diagnosis what's now what's next.
- Aprender 12 estrategias prácticas de comportamiento para apoyar el desarrollo de su hijo/a
- Practicar habilidades de Entrenamiento en AceptaciĂłn y Compromiso (ACT) para aumentar la flexibilidad como padre/madre/cuidador
- Fortalecer las interacciones entre padres e hijos
- Aprender estrategias semanales de autocuidado
- Conectar con otras familias locales
- Acceder a recursos en lĂnea gratuitos para apoyo a largo plazo
About the program:
Through weekly live Zoom meetings, participants will:
Learn 12 practical behavioral strategies to support their child’s growth
Practice Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) skills to increase flexibility as a parent/caregiver
Build stronger parent–child interactions
Learn weekly self-care strategies
Connect with other local families
Access free online resources for long-term support
Who can participate:
Parents or caregivers age 18+
English or Spanish speaking
Have a child with a developmental, learning, or cognitive disability (as reported by caregiver)
Able to attend 8 weekly Zoom sessions (60–90 minutes each)
Have internet access and a device for Zoom
Families who are interested can fill out this short form:
"A federal judge temporarily halted a U.S. Department of Education plan to gut its special education office, but advocates say that the future of services for students with disabilities remains uncertain".
A federal judge temporarily halted a U.S. Department of Education plan to gut its special education office, but advocates say that the future of services for students with disabilities remains uncertain.
10/17/2025
"New research finds that kids on the spectrum experienced more GI symptoms at every age, they often had multiple symptoms at once and the issues frequently persisted across childhood. In many cases there was not a medical cause identified for the symptoms".
Children with autism are far more likely than others to have ongoing gastrointestinal issues and these tummy troubles are often linked to other challenges ranging from sleep to behavior.
10/15/2025
Join our disability services team on Tuesday, October 28th, from 3-4 pm CDT for a free Community Education Workshop: How to Support People with Disabilities When Interacting with Law Enforcement.
This training is for people with autism and/or Intellectual-Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and their families, focused on how to interact successfully with law enforcement. The presentation will introduce the Wallet Card Project, which helps people who have difficulties communicating or expressing themselves in an emergency, and assist first responders in identifying an individual’s disability-related needs. Join guest speaker Deborah Diet, Executive Director of Disability Independence Group, as she presents on this important topic.
This event begins tomorrow (10/15) but there's still time to register!
🌟 The 2025 Family Matters PTIC Virtual Special Education Parent Summit is almost here! 🌟
📅 October 15–17, 2025
đź’» Free online event
Join us for three powerful days of expert-led sessions on conflict resolution, assistive technology, behavioral supports, transition planning, and much more!
đź“Ś Please note: Day 3 will be delivered in Spanish only.
Join us Oct 15–17 for the FREE Family Matters PTIC Virtual Special Education Parent Summit! Expert-led sessions on conflict resolution, guardianship, assistive tech, behavioral supports, transition planning & more. Day 1 focuses on Special Education issues for families, Day 2 focuses on Secondary Transition, and Day 3 is in Spanish.
Understanding and Supporting Puberty in Autistic Girls and Boys
Blythe A. Corbett, Ph.D., discusses her lab’s research on puberty, adolescence, and mental health in autistic individuals. She emphasizes puberty as a period of significant biological maturation involving several physical, biological, hormonal, and social factors. The speaker details her lab’s latest research on pubertal onset, mental health, hormonal changes, and gender identity in autistic young people compared to allistic (non-autistic) groups. Corbett repeatedly emphasizes how puberty can be particularly complex for autistic youth (especially those assigned female at birth), who are already vulnerable to change and stress. She summarizes the presentation and underscores the importance of exploring how puberty’s hormonal, psychological, and social changes interact with the autism phenotype before the Q&A.
Free certificates of participation are available upon successful completion of a brief knowledge quiz AFTER the webinar at https://autism.org/understanding-a...
10/13/2025
The Intersection of Race and Disability
Dr. Amber Davis discusses the intersection of race, disability, and autism as it pertains to diagnosis, care, and oppression. She notes autism-related disparities in access to care within the Black or African-American population and highlights the importance and potential impact of adopting an intersectional lens to autism understanding and care. Davis outlines her recent research on resilience factors, oppressive experiences, intersectionality, and culturally appropriate interventions. She asserts the need for more research specific to Black autistic children and adults and considers research implications before the Q&A.
The Center for Literacy is excited to announce our Giveaway Day events this summer! We are opening our doors to the community and sharing a wide range of resources to support learning, creativity, and organization.
What’s Available:
- Children’s, teen, and adult books
- Art supplies
- Office supplies
- Book binding machines
- Easels
- Whiteboards & bulletin boards
- Die-Cutting machines & blocks
Dates & Times:
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
July 29 – August 14
10:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Location:
Center for Literacy
1640 Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60608
Room 615 – 6th Floor
*Please Note: Unfortunately, parking is not provided.
This is a wonderful opportunity for families, educators, students, and community members to find valuable materials for reading, teaching, and creative projects—all free of charge! Supplies are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
We look forward to seeing you there and helping these items find new homes where they can continue to inspire and support learning.
*Please Note: Unfortunately, parking is not provided.
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to Resource Center for Autism and Developmental Delays (RCADD):
RCADD provides resources, referrals & training's to assist families and providers supporting children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
RCADD patrons have the opportunity to...
Access the lending library
Identify appropriate service providers in your community
Create and adapt functional activities & visual supports
Take part in evidence-based training's
RCADD proporciona recursos , referencias y entrenamientos para ayudar a las familias y los proveedores apoyar a los niños con autismo y otros discapacidades del desarrollo.
