Lurie Children’s Expands Inpatient Psychiatric Capacity to Better Serve Illinois Youth with Complex Autism and Developmental Disabilities

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago announced today the expansion of its Inpatient Psychiatric Unit (IPU) with four newly constructed pediatric psychiatric beds in a specialized treatment environment designed to meet the acute behavioral health needs of youth with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (ASD/IDD). The project is supported through $4.5 million in capital funding from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), which will fund the new beds.  

This expansion is part of Lurie Children’s leadership role in supporting the Illinois Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative, led by Dr. Dana Weiner under Governor JB Pritzker.

“Every child in DCFS care deserves access to safe, compassionate, and specialized mental health treatment. With our $4.5 million investment, DCFS is proud to partner with Lurie Children’s to ensure children with complex autism and developmental challenges receive the care they need, at the right time. This expansion reflects our state’s commitment to ensuring our young people and their families have the resources and support they need to thrive,” said Heidi E. Mueller, Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

Lurie Children’s developed the plan for this new service in response to a critical lack of programming across the behavioral health continuum of care for children and adolescents. The lack of resources is particularly acute for children and adolescents with ASD/IDD and significant mental health needs. 

As a result, affected children have often experienced extended stays in emergency departments and medical inpatient beds due to the lack of appropriate, less restrictive resources statewide. The most vulnerable children and adolescents in our state – those with ASD/IDD and in the care of DCFS face the most critical shortage of resources. Lurie Children’s has a long-standing commitment to work with the state to provide medical and psychiatric care to the most vulnerable children and adolescents. Since 2022, Lurie Children’s has provided medical and psychiatric care for more than 4,200 DCFS youth—accounting for over 11,300 inpatient days of care. 

A Purpose-Built Space for High-Acuity Behavioral Health Needs 

The 4-bed expansion will provide safety-focused, sensory-supportive design elements to meet the unique needs of young people with ASD/IDD.  

New features include: 

• Soft flooring, padded surfaces, and sound-dampening materials
• A sensory gym and dedicated sensory room
• Respite spaces
• Specialized patient rooms, communal areas and secured spaces designed for youth at risk for agitation, aggression or self-injury

The program will add 20 highly trained staff and establish a specialized treatment track focused on ASD/IDD. This model will include: 

• Board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrists
• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) specialists
• Nurses, psychologists, social workers, and case managers
• Speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists
• Pediatricians and subspecialists
• Teachers and pharmacists

Treatment will follow a coordinated plan built on ABA, psychopharmacology, medical management, communication support, and developmental therapies. 

Improving Outcomes and Strengthening the Continuum of Care

The expanded unit will implement measurement-based care to track outcomes and guide treatment decisions. As part of the program staff will also provide extensive training to families and guardians to ensure those children living at home will be able to thrive in their current environment.  For children who need additional care in residential services the team will work with DCFS staff, residential facilities, and school teams to ensure safe transitions and maintain treatment fidelity after discharge—services that are essential for continuity of care but currently unreimbursed. 

“This expansion is a vital step toward ensuring that Illinois youth with complex autism and developmental disabilities receive the right care at the right time,” said John Walkup, MD, Chair, Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Lurie Children’s. “We are grateful to the State of Illinois and to DCFS for their partnership and investment in our children.” 

About Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago 

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to exceptional care for every child. It is the only independent, research-driven children’s hospital in Illinois and one of less than 35 nationally. This is where the top doctors go to train, practice pediatric medicine, teach, advocate, research and stay up to date on the latest treatments. Exclusively focused on children, all Lurie Children’s resources are devoted to serving their needs. Research at Lurie Children’s is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, which is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children’s is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. 

About the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) 

Our vision is for every child and youth in Illinois to grow and thrive in a loving family. To achieve this goal, DCFS promotes the safety and well-being of children, youth, and families by responding to reports of suspected child abuse and neglect and providing family-centered care and connection to resources to strengthen families and keep children safely at home. Our values – family focused, integrity, respect, empathy and equity – are at the forefront of every decision we make to ensure children are safe and families have the resources they need to succeed. To make an anonymous report of suspected child abuse or neglect, visit childabuse.illinois.gov.