41 W. RAND RD, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL 60004

4725 NORTHWEST HWY, CRYSTAL LAKE, IL 60014

1512 NATIONS DRIVE, GURNEE, IL 60031

7142 CARPENTER FRWY, SKOKIE, IL 60077

Please make sure to call ahead to ensure the location is hosting at this time.

AMC is proud to partner with the Autism Society to offer unique movie showings where we turn the lights up, and turn the sound down, so you can get up, dance, walk, shout or sing!

Please check your local theatre listings for specific showtimes, and don't forget to share your family fun with #AMCSensoryFriendly.

One of our favorite programs is back at Bernard Weinger JCC in Northbrook! Get ready to get messy with shaving cream, paint, kinetic sand, Play-Doh, bubbles, face paint and so much more. This program is geared towards children 3-10 years old and is sensory-friendly. A quiet zone with fidgets and noise cancelling headphones will be available for anyone who needs to take a step away from the mess.

FREE; registration requested.

DATE

February 11, 2024

TIME

1:00pm - 3:00pm

LOCATION

Bernard Weinger JCC

300 Revere Drive, Northbrook, Illinois, 60062, United States

CONTACT

Rena Rosen

rrosen@jccchicago.org

Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month continues with a virtual adaptive yoga class. Join instructor Melanie Waldman to find your center from the comfort of your own home! Free; registration required.

*Live captioning will be available for this program.

Melanie has been practicing yoga for the past 15+ years, but after her arm was amputated & she was diagnosed with musculoskeletal disease (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) and had to make a serious shift to her “standard” power yoga practice. Her goal is to make classes as equitable, easeful, and accessible.

DATE

February 11, 2024

TIME

10:00am - 11:00am

REGISTER

FREE

Strategy for Access and Fun4theDisable are thrilled to invite you to a FREE screening party launching our groundbreaking docuseries, #AccessibleChicago.

#AccessibleChicago showcases 16 iconic Chicago attractions as experienced by persons with disabilities. From museums are parks to cultural landmarks and natural wonders, #AccessibleChicago takes viewers on an inclusive journey through destinations that accessible and enjoyable for all.

Please join us for a FREE screening.

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

5:30 - 7:30 pm

Date(s) - February 15, 2024
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Sponsored by: Protected Tomorrows’ 2024 Parent University™
Speaker: Mary Anne Ehlert, President & Founder, Protected Tomorrows, Inc.

Description:

Protected Tomorrows’ 2024 Parent University™ brings you our second in a series of educational webinars…

“BACK TO BASICS AND WHAT’S NEW”

This is for our new participants as well as those who have been with us before. We will review the basics and hear about what’s new. What do you have to pay attention to and how will it change your plan? Government Benefits, Special Needs Trusts, ABLE accounts, Secure Act 2.0, Tax Changes, and more.

Mary Anne Ehlert will host this online Zoom class on:

February 15th, 2024

12:00pm – 1:00 pm CST

Speakers: Teresa Parks, Director of Programs, Illinois Guardianship & Advocacy Commission; Diane Compton, Parent Advocate; Erin Compton, Self-Advocate

Supported Decision-Making (SDM) is an alternative to guardianship for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities who need some assistance in making decisions. It allows the individual to make choices about their own life with help from a chosen team of friends, family members, or professionals who serve as supporters. Dignity of Risk is a concept that dovetails perfectly with SDM as it encourages caregivers to respect the right of an individual to take reasonable risks, and perhaps make mistakes, on their path to self-determination and self-esteem.

Teresa will provide an overview of what Supported Decision-Making looks like in Illinois while Diane and Erin will share the perspective of a parent and self-advocate.

A Zoom link for the presentation will be sent out a day before the event using the email address that you supply. If you do not receive the link, please email us at ConnectToCommunityInc@gmail.com.

Join us for the upcoming Parent University Series featuring presentations designed to help our families thrive. Learn more about the education series and find other helpful resources at www.district31.net/parenteducation.

Understanding Assessment in the Framework of Talent Development

Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 6 p.m. at

Winkelman. Presented by Melissa Hinshaw

Location:

Winkelman Elementary School

1919 Landwehr Road, Glenview IL 60026

New Trier High School

385 Winnetka Ave.

Winnetka, IL

Room E231/233 from 6:00-7:00 PM

Enter through N19

Presentation 1: Wednesday February 21, 2024

Government Benefits - SSI/Medicaid/SNAP

Please join us for an informational hour with Founder and President of Oak Wealth Advisors, Mike Walther. Parents and guardians will receive an introduction to governmental benefits. Who is eligible for benefits? How do you access them? Accessing governmental benefits for food, shelter, health care is financially valuable throughout your loved one’s lifetime. We will discuss Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which are the primary means-tested benefits the government provides. Handouts and a takeaway checklist will be provided to help you with the next steps. This presentation is beneficial for families who are interested in understanding their benefit options and is essential for families with loved ones who are around the magic age of 18.

Presentation 2: Wednesday April 3, 2024

Optimizing the Use of ABLE Accounts and Special Needs Trusts

Please join us for an informational hour with Founder and President of Oak Wealth Advisors, Mike Walther. Parents and guardians will receive an introduction to ABLE Accounts and Special Needs Trusts. Learn about the benefits of an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account, how to apply for this tax-advantaged savings program, and how to evaluate the various account options. There will also be a discussion of Special Needs Trusts. Both account types allow individuals with disabilities to accumulate assets without reducing their eligibility for means-tested disability benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid. Handouts and a takeaway checklist will be provided to help you with the next steps. This presentation is beneficial for families whose loved one has a diagnosis and who want to put the essential elements of a special needs plan in place to allow them to maximize their family’s financial resources.

Presentation 3: Wednesday April 24th

Planning for Adulthood and Continuity of Care

Please join us for an informational hour with Founder and President of Oak Wealth Advisors, Mike Walther. This presentation will focus on planning and decision-making for individuals entering adulthood. Parents and guardians will learn about Guardianship, Powers of Attorney, Supported Decision Making. Housing, employment, transportation, other planning challenges will also be discussed. We’ll review the essential need for a care guide or letter of intent that will document your loved one’s wishes, routines, health care needs, strengths, and challenges so that future care givers can be effective at retaining their quality of life. Handouts and a takeaway checklist will be provided to help you with the next steps. This presentation is beneficial for families with a loved one who is in high school or has recently entered adulthood.

During this webinar attendees will lear about:

- The current situation regarding college options for students with intellectual disability.

- New resources from the Think Higher. Think College. campaign.

- Options that exist for students with intellectual disability, how to guide students to pursue college, and what the college experience is like for a student with intellectual disability.

Dear Adults, Families, & Supports,

Please join us to learn more about TotalLink's Social and Educational Programs, Employment Services, intake process, and more. We will have both virtual and in-person opportunities to share and discuss.

If your time allows, we invite both participants and families to attend.

Facilitators:

The Information Sessions will be facilitated by Madison McGinty (Program Director) and Greg Spigelman (Employment Manager).

Information Session Dates & Times:

Option 1 - In-Person

Friday, February 23 from 10:00 - 11:00 am
Location: TotalLink to Community Annex (1200 Shermer Rd., Northbrook)

Option 2 - Virtual (Zoom)

Date: Thursday, March 7 from 5:00 - 6:00 pm
Location: Zoom

If you have any questions, please reach out to Madison McGinty at mmcginty@totallink2.org.

Mark your calendars for a new series geared towards teens and young adults (ages 16-35). Please feel free forward this email to your children or grandchildren, ages 16-35, that may be interested in participating. This 3 part series will include the following classes:

• Class #2 Investment Choices - "What are the Differences?" to be held on 02/13/2024 from 7:00pm - 8:00pm.

• Class #3 Powers of Attorney - to be held on 05/14/2024 from 7:00pm - 8:00pm.

Full class description provided here.

Registration is required. Click here to register for the first class. Each webinar will be recorded and sent to the registrants.

Looking for a warm and cozy place to hang out on a Monday morning, either by yourself or with friends? Come by to enjoy a hot cup of coffee and fresh scone while you support TrueNorth Transition students demonstrate their amazing job readiness skills at this job training site. We're open for business every Monday that school is in session, from 9-11 am. Curt's Cafe is located at 1766 2nd Street in Highland Park.

Click here for brochure

What is our purpose?

We are interested in learning from students with disabilities

and/or families of students with disabilities about their

experiences with Section 504 in schools.

Who can participate?

You must either be: a student (aged 12 or older) who

applied for or currently receives Section 504 supports

from your school OR the family caregiver of a student

who applied for or currently receives Section 504

supports from school.

What will you do?

You will complete a short demographic survey. Then, you will

participate in a zoom interview for 1-1.5 hours. After the

interview, you will be asked to check your interview

summary for accuracy.

How can you enroll?

Complete the consent form here:

https://redcap.link/kfrm7u39 or contact Meghan Burke (meghan.burke@vanderbilt.edu; 615-585-1420)

Are you worried about what will happen to your loved one as you get older? Do you find the process of planning for the future overwhelming?

If yes, you might be eligible to join the VFIN research study, which is testing the effectiveness of an online future planning training at the University of Illinois Chicago for adults with IDD & their families in Illinois.

The VFIN research study will randomly assign families to be part of the intervention or control group. All family caregivers and adults with IDD will complete pre- and post- tests.

Families assigned to the intervention group will receive a 6-week training with weekly 1.5 hour Zoom classes from February 20-March 26, 2024 on Tuesdays and two Wednesdays from 7-8:30 pm CT.

Families assigned to the control group will receive access to the self-paced materials after the post-test is completed.

Learn more by visiting our website: go.uic.edu/VFINIllinois

To participate, please fill out the form: go.uic.edu/IL3 or contact Katie at: 312-996-1002 or kkeiling@uic.edu

The Illinois Autism Task Force (IATF) Transition sub-committee is seeking parents/guardians’ feedback on their understanding of the high school (Secondary) transition process. The survey is designed for parents/guardians of children with autism (all ages-young adults) who have an IEP.

The Autism Transition Subcommittee is conducting this survey to assess parent/family knowledge when it comes to understanding services available for the autism population leading up to and during their high school transition years. By gaining understanding of this, the IATF as well as autism-based service entities and schools can target their messaging and parent education to better guide parents, students, and families with the goal of improving student success after high school.

The survey will be available beginning September 1, 2023, ending April 30, 2024:

https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?module=17&item=144748&surveyid=1639

If you are a parent/guardian of a child with Autism, please follow the above link and complete the survey. The survey should take 15 minutes and your responses are completely anonymous. We genuinely appreciate your participation and hope our results will help us in our work to prepare families and improve services in Illinois as students transition from school to adulthood.

For example, dentists or doctors available to families.

Several times each month, our mobile pantry visits 6 locations to distribute free diapers (babies, toddlers and adults) and period supplies to families who are struggling to afford them. ONLINE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED 24 HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR FIRST VISIT TO A DISTRIBUTION DAY and must be completed using the form below.

Identification for the parent/guardian and child(ren) is required.

Diapers are provided for children up to age 3. Pull-ups are provided for children up to age 4.

Incontinence products are provided for seniors and disabled adults (65 years old and up). Individuals from 4 - 64 years old can receive products with a doctor's note/diagnosis.

WAUKEGAN (10am - 12pm)

Lake County Health Department

2400 Belvidere Rd. Waukegan, IL 60085

January 17, February 21, March 20, April 17, May 15, June 19, July 24, August 21, September 18, October 16, November 20, December 18

HIGHWOOD (3:30pm - 5:00pm)

Fort Sheridan Metra Station

461 W. Old Elm, Highwood, IL 60040

February 2 & 16, ADDITIONAL DATES TO BE ADDED

Winnetka Voices is a podcast hosted by The Winnetka Public Schools, featuring candid conversations on issues relevant to education and shared resources to support our students and families.

Listen Here

Haven Youth and Family Services is offering a virtual group for parents of school-age kids beginning January 9th.

More info

Questions?

Email: ali@havenforyouth.org

Register

This month's hang-out will be at 7:00pm at Spears in Wheeling.

Email: hello@cityofsupport.org with any questions or to sign up for email alerts. No RSVP required.

Are your child's mental health struggles impacting you and your family? Are you wondering how to start finding help?

We recommend seeking support for yourself first with a CATCH Conversation.

Sign up and a CATCH volunteer will reach out to schedule a time to talk, meet for a cup of coffee, or go for a walk to give you a chance to share what's going on and learn how CATCH can support you.

Sign Up Here

Join us for information, resources, tips and strategies on a variety of topics to empower you in your parenting or caregiving journey with your child with autism. Come to connect and interact with others navigating a similar journey! Parents of newly diagnosed children are strongly encouraged to attend.

Lurie Children's Sound Experience is a social experience for families of children with hearing loss. We offer Sound Experience four Saturday afternoons throughout the school year at our Outpatient Center in Westchester.

The program aims to provide:

• A network of parents of children with hearing loss who are going through or have gone through similar situations and to share experiences and information
• Information for families about hearing loss and how it affects our children
• An opportunity for children with hearing loss to meet other children with hearing loss

What to Expect at Sound Experience

• Parents informally share information and stories before the formal breakout sessions
• Children and siblings of all ages are entertained with a dedicated staff of volunteers
• Parents meet in an adjoining room to discuss the meeting’s topic

How to Get Involved

To learn more about Sound Experience, ask your audiologist or contact Cara Donahue at 312.227.3061 or cdonahue@luriechildrens.org.

APH FamilyConnect and The Chicago Lighthouse are pleased to offer this virtual support group for parents and families of children who are blind or visually impaired. These monthly sessions are for families to connect with and learn from each other about the joys, challenges, and adventures of raising children with visual impairments and blindness. These sessions are open to families. You only need to register once for this ongoing series. The No ACVREP or professional development credits will not be available.

Register Here

The Association of Parents and Staff (APS) is an organization of parents who have children in any of TrueNorth's 18 member school districts, and the staff who serve them. Our mission is to make a difference in the lives of our children with disabilities through advocacy, partnership and support. Together with our staff partners, we hope to heighten awareness and understanding of learning differences, provide ongoing training and education, and offer support and connections to all.

Whether children are enrolled in a TrueNorth instructional classroom or receive services through their local school district, all parents of children with learning differences are welcome.

If you would like to connect with your district representative or have questions for our Parent Engagement Facilitator, Nicole Magesis, please email us at apsnewsletter@truenorth804.org