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Lurie Children’s Home Specialties & ConditionsDevelopmental & Behavioral Pediatrics Resources & Family Support

Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics: Resources & Family Support

Below, you'll find information on resources and community organizations related to your child's developmental health. Some of these resources can be utilized both while you're waiting for an appointment with a developmental pediatrician or after your child is seen by one. This page is intended to provide information about community resources and does not serve as official recommendations by Lurie Children's. 

Therapy Resources

Note: The following therapy providers are not affiliated with nor endorsed by Lurie Children’s. It is the responsibility of the individual making the appointment to verify whether their insurance is accepted at a particular facility, as well as determine the quality of the service provider.

(Note: We recommend calling your child's insurance plan to ask the insurance plan what providers are in-network for Applied Behavior Analysis "ABA" Therapy. This kind of therapy is provided by a therapist with a BCBA credential and a support team. It may also be called "adaptive behavior support services" under insurance. If you cannot find a provider close enough to home, or if there is a long wait list for ABA therapy, consider filing an appeal. See this website for further support in filing an appeal with your child's insurance.

ABC Pathways

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community
  • In-home therapy for Cook, Will, McHenry and Kankakee counties Residents
  • Wait time less than 2 months
  • Ages Birth-13 yo
  • 708.510.7122
  • Email: contact@abcpathways.org 
  • Languages Spoken: English, Spanish

Adaptive Steps

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community, Meridian, Molina, and Youthcare
  • In-home therapy for Schaumburg and surroundings
  • Ages 2-21 yo
  • 847.200.5078
  • Email: matt@finnihealth.com 
  • No bilingual staff available

Aspire ABA Services

  • Aurora, IL
  • 630.888.1443
  • No waiting list as of 9/12/2025
  • English Only

Attain ABA Therapy

  • Currently accepting most Medicaid plans
  • In-home therapy for Cook, DuPage, & Will County Residents
  • Ages 2-21 yo
  • 866.625.4740
  • Illinois Website
  • Waiting times between 4-6 weeks
  • Multilingual staff available

Autism Learning Space

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community and Meridian
  • Offers center and home based therapy in Oak Park and Aurora
  • Ages 2-21 yo
  • After School waiting time 4-6 months
  • 708.270.1665 *Oak Park
  • 630.888.1443 *Aurora
  • Website
  • Bilingual staff: English, Spanish, and Arabic

BASES Autism Services

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community plan
  • Offers center-based ABA in Elk Grove Village
  • Ages 2-21
  • 630.999.8227
  • Website

Behavior Care Therapy

  • Currently accepting BCBS MCO, Aetna Better Health MCO, YouthCare, and Meridian
  • In-home based service
  • Long wait time with Medicaid
  • Ages 2-21 y/o
  • 773.945.6826
  • Areas served: Schaumburg, IL and surrounding areas

B.e.t.h. Services

  • Currently accepting BCBS MCO
  • Offers center-based ABA in 12745 Central Ave. Crestwood, Il 60418
  • 1-2 months waiting list
  • Ages 3-18 yo
  • 708.722.BETH
  • English only

Beyond Limits

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community plan, & Meridian. Provider is willing to call other Medicaid plans to verify benefits
  • Providing to Cook county and Bensenville areas
  • Waiting list: Case by case
  • Ages 2-5
  • 773.831.9950
  • Website

BPI

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community, and Meridian
  • Offers center and home based ABA in Aurora, Oswego, Yorkville, West Chicago, and Crystal Lake
  • 312.919.5531
  • Website
  • Languages: English and Spanish

Brighter Care ABA

  • Currently accepting most Medicaid plans (except straight Medicaid)
  • Providing in-home ABA therapy to Chicago and surrounding suburbs
  • 2 weeks wait time (estimated)
  • Ages 0-21
  • No restricted areas at the moment
  • 773.675.1337 ext 104
  • Website
  • Languages: English and Spanish

By Your Side

  • Accepts Blue Cross Community 
  • Center-based but can do some home-based services in Darien, Morton Grove, Crystal Lake, Oak Brook, Plainfield, Schaumburg, St. Charles, and Tinley Park
  • Multi-disciplinary therapies, including OT, Speech, AAC Device Evaluations, also have "academy therapy" School-readiness program
  • Ages 3-19
  • Waiting list depends on desired schedule, several months waiting list for after school therapies and short list for morning therapies
  • 866.326.4295
  • Website
  • No bilingual staff

ChildFirst Behavior Therapy

  • Will be accepting Blue Cross Community, YouthCare and Meridian
  • Center-based but can do some home-based services in Arlington Heights
  • No age limit
  • 224.206.5001
  • Website
  • Spanish, Ukrainian, and Russian translators available

Colorful Minds ABA

  • Currently accepting Aetna Better Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield Community, Meridian, Molina, YouthCare
  • Providing in-home ABA therapy and Center-based ABA services children in Chicago and surrounding suburbs
  • Ages 2-8
  • 312.584.0559
  • Contact Email: info@abacolorfulminds.com 
  • Limited bilingual staff

Creative Communications, LLC

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community Plan, Aetna, Cigna and other major networks
  • Small private practice ABA provider on northside of city of Chicago
  • Contact Email: daniel@ccaba.net 
  • Website
  • Has interpreters for Spanish-speaking families

Early Ascent Pediatric Therapy

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community Plan, Aetna, Molina, Meridian, and YouthCare
  • Small private practice ABA provider, home-based therapy serving Will and DuPage Counties
  • No waiting list at the moment
  • Email: admin@earlyascentaba.com
  • 312.728.7192
  • Website
  • Has interpreters for Spanish-speaking families

Early Autism Services

Emergeny Learning Centers

Functional Skills Group

  • Accepts Blue Cross Community and Meridian
  • Center-based and home-based ABA on southwest side of Chicago (91st and Cicero, soon to be 148th and Cicero)
  • 773.449.0859
  • Email: Tinesha@TheFSGroup.org 
  • Website
  • Servicing the south side of Chicago and its surrounding areas and southern suburbs

Gazelle ABA

  • Currently accepting Meridian, BCBS Community, YouthCare, and Aetna
  • Home based ABA servicing the south side of Chicago and its surrounding areas, NW suburbs & southern suburbs
  • Ages 2-22
  • 773.969.6362
  • Website
  • Languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, and Hindi

Genesis ABA Therapy

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community Plan, no waiting list
  • Providing in-center ABA therapy to Will County Residents
  • 779.324.0635
  • Website
  • Bilingual (English/ Spanish) provider available

Infinite Behavioral Interventions

  • Currently accepting Aetna. Soon will be accepting Blue Cross Community Plan, no waiting list
  • Providing in-home ABA therapy to DuPage and Will County Residents
  • Bilingual (English/ Spanish) provider available
  • 779.875.0067
  • Contact: Armandoj@ibitherapies.com 
  • Website

Instructional ABA Consultants (IABA) 

  • IABA offers center and home-based ABA support in multiple Chicagoland locations - Glenview, Naperville, and Oak Lawn
  • Center based programming is targeted for children 18mos - 6 years of age
  • Home based programming is offered for children 6-21 years of age
  • Wait List of approximately 1 year (as of 11/2023)
  • Website
  • Bilingual Services available

Joyful ABA

Key Autism Services

  • Accepts Blue Cross Community, Meridian, Youthcare, AllKids and Molina
  • Has home-based and center-based ABA therapy for children / Center-based therapy also has options for Speech and OT
  • Ages 1-18
  • 888.329.4535
  • Website
  • Center locations in Norwood Park and Palos Heights

Launch Better ABA

  • Accepts Blue Cross Community, County Care, Meridian, Youthcare, AllKids and Molina
  • Has home-based therapy for children ages 1-18
  • No waiting list as of 01/09/2025
  • 248.376.6738
  • Website
  • Bilingual providers available: Russian, Hebrew, and Spanish speakers on the team 

Oak Park Autism Clinic INC

  • Accepts Blue Cross Community and Meridian
  • Has home-based and center-based ABA therapy for children ages 2-18
  • No waiting list as of 9/12/25
  • 331.269.2932
  • English only

Orion ABA

  • Currently Accepting Meridian, Youthcare, Blue Cross Community
  • Offers Home and Center-based ABA support
  • All ages (children + Adults)
  • 630.303.6825
  • Contact Email: info@orionabainc.com 
  • Website
  • Services available in Spanish and Urdu

Owl Light Therapy Inc

  • Accepts Aetna Better Health, Blue Cross Community, Meridian, and Molina
  • Center-based, therapeutic preschool program at this time
  • For children ages 1-5 (discharged when child enters kindergarten)
  • 866.695.2221
  • Website
  • Services available in Spanish and Arabic

Playful Minds Therapy

  • Currently accepting all MCOs for home and center based ABA therapy
  • Center in Bensenville, Illinois / Serves across the Chicagoland area (NW of city)
  • Patients under 12 yo only
  • 312.600.5599
  • Website
  • Bilingual staff English/Spanish

Positive Behavior Supports, Corp.

  • Currently accepting all MCOs for home based ABA therapy
  • 855.832.6727
  • Website
  • No age restriction and provides services in English/Spanish
  • Serves across the Chicagoland area, up to Wisconsin and West to Rockford, Kankakee and as South as Springfield

Progressive Behavior Solutions

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community 
  • Home and center based ABA therapy in the Chicago area and North Suburbs
  • Waiting list depends on requested scheduled
  • Ages 2 y/o and up
  • 773.780.1448
  • Email: abaservices@pbsmidwest.com
  • Bilingual staff available: Spanish, Polish and Hindi

Project Org

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community 
  • For children ages birth-13 yo
  • 773.783.0001
  • Website

PYRAMID Behavioral Health

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community , Aetna Better Health, and Meridian
  • Currently, there is no waiting list for ABA, OT or Speech  therapy services
  • For children ages 2-12 yo 
  • 630.701.2825
  • Website

Rimya Services

  • Accepts Meridian, County Care, Molina, Straight Medicaid, and Aetna
  • Home and Center Based (Cook and DuPage counties residents only)
  • For children ages 2-19 yo
  • 800.206.8136
  • Website
  • Services available in English & Spanish

Silveira Behavior Consultants

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community and Meridian
  • Home and Center Based Cook County
  • For children ages 2-14 yo
  • No waiting list as of 1/10/2025
  • 312.414.8000
  • Website
  • Bilingual staff available: Spanish, Urdu, Hindi, and Farsi

Spectrum of Smiles

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community , Aetna, Meridian, Molina, County Care, YouthCare & straight Medicaid
  • Home and Center Based
  • For children ages 2-21 yo
  • Southside Chicago locations as well as Highland, IN
  • No waiting list
  • 773.322.1909
  • Website
  • English only

Starlight ABA Services

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community , Meridian, and straight Medicaid
  • Home and Center Based in both DuPage County and Will County, Illinois
  • For children ages 2-22 yo
  • No waiting list as of 6/23/25
  • 815.656.7827
  • Contact: info@starlightautismtherapy.com
  • Bilingual staff available: Spanish and Arabic

The Clubhouse

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community (straight Medicaid in progress).
  • For children ages 2-16 yo
  • Two months waiting list for after school hours
  • Downers Grove - 630.495.6800
  • Chicago, IL (Albany Park) - 773.205.8505
  • Chicago, IL (Irving Park) - 312.955.0089
  • Website
  • Bilingual staff available: Spanish

TherapyWorks

  • Currently accepting Blue Cross Community, CountyCare, Molina and Meridian
  • Offer center-based ABA therapy for children ages 2-16 years old; Also has Speech, OT, PT, Feeding Therapy, Summer Camps
  • 312.780.0820
  • Website
  • Current openings/ no wait time for in-clinic ABA, speech, and PT. OT has short wait.

Total Spectrum

  • Accepting all IL Medicaid MCOs
  • Offer both center-based, and home-based ABA therapy
  • Ages 2-16 years old
  • Website
  • Locations in Lombard, IL, Aurora, IL, and Arlington Heights, IL 

Have Medicaid and encountering wait lists or limited providers?

If you want to learn more about accessing ABA by purchasing a supplemental insurance plan through the Affordable Care Act, we recommend you attend one of the virtual workshops held by The Place for Children with Autism around October/ November (ACA plan enrollment is usually in December for the following calendar year):

You can learn more about the Affordable Care Act here

And more about the HIPP Grant for covering monthly private insurance premiums when you also have Medicaid here

View a list of Therapy Resources

Additional Resources

Free workshops and recordings on your child’s special education rights

What is an IEP?

Parent guide on the Illinois State Board of Education's website

If you feel like your child's needs are not being properly met by the school

  • Contact the school (in person AND via email is best, as it shows date and time of your communication).  Ask for a meeting with the appropriate school professional. This could be the case manager, the school social worker, the teacher and/ or the principal.
    • Ask for a copy and review your child's Individual Education Plan (IEP). This is the document that outlines what kind of support the school must provide to your child. If you would like to change the IEP, state that in the communication (email is best) with the school.
  • If the school is not responsive, you can also call your district's Office of Special Education to discuss your child's case.
    • For Chicago Public Schools the office is:
      Chicago Public Schools-Office of Diverse Learners
      42 West Madison
      Chicago, Illinois 60602
      Phone: 773.553.1800
  • You can also refer to this advocating guidance: https://www.cps.edu/services-and-supports/special-education/understanding-special-education/know-your-rights/ 

For more guidance as to appropriate next steps, you can also call into one of the parent resource helplines created to support parents of children in special education. Additionally, some families consider hiring a special education advocate.

Visual supports can be very helpful with children who are visual learners, who have communication problems or who become anxious about what is happening around them. These tools help a child to know what to expect and can help prevent challenging behavior.

There are many resources on the internet that can help you create visual support systems for your child. While many of the internet resources mention “autism,” it is important to note that a child does not have to have autism to benefit from these supports. 

Visual supports are particularly helpful for any child with communication delays and for young children experiencing challenging behaviors.

Want to learn more about how you can start using visual supports with your child?

  • Start by reading the tip sheet here from Vanderbilt University.  
  • Watch a helpful video from Autism Speaks on the use of visuals (First/ Then and Visual Schedules). Again, this is not only for children with autism.
  • Find and print off visuals here (daily schedules, managing anger/ frustration, identifying emotions, rewards charts, First/ Then options) from Chicago’s local Resource Center on Autism and Developmental Delay’s resource website. 
  • Other helpful websites for sample visual supports include:
  • Remember- you can always ask the professionals in your child’s life (teachers, therapists, pediatrician) for feedback or help with using visual supports.  You can also contact UIC’s Resource Center on Autism and Developmental Delay (phone: 312.746.5447), and their professionals can help you with creating the right visual supports for your child.  It may take time and practice to figure out which visual supports are most helpful.   
 

Social Stories for Traveling:

 App about Preparing for Airplane Travel:

Resources for the Airport

Tips for traveling

This list of recreation activities is by no means meant to indicate a recommendation by Lurie Children's, but merely lists resources available in the nearby community.  It is the responsibility of the caregiver to verify cost as well as to determine the quality of the service provider.

City of Chicago Resources

How to search activities available in your area/ for your child’s age: 

Scroll down, Click on “Special Recreation” and then search for activities in your area for your child’s age: Programs & Memberships | Chicago Park District

  • KEEN Chicago - many activities for children with developmental differences.
    Check out their website or call for more information https://www.keenchicago.org/ 
  • Adaptive Climbing Chicago

    Brooklyn Boulders Chicago
    100 South Morgan Street, Chicago, IL 60607
    Phone: 312.268.0002
    Email: chicago@adaptiveclimbinggroup.org

    Adaptive recreational activities good for individuals with physical, cognitive, and developmental disabilities.
  • Five Keys Yoga, LLC
    2225 W. Wabansia Ave., Suite 204, Chicago, IL 60647
    Phone: 847.899.0441

    Singing, breathing exercises, yoga poses, and deep relaxation for children with autism and developmental differences to promote regulation of behaviors and emotions.

  • YMCA Chicago
    inclusion@ymcachicago.org

    Membership centers include facilities with pools, fitness centers, sports programming, and traditional day camps. Contact the Inclusion Department for information on programs and supports.

    Locations: Buehler YMCA (Palatine), Camp Duncan (Ingleside), Camp MacLean (Burlington, WI), Camp Nawakwa (Lac du Flambeau, WI), Elmhurst YMCA, Foglia YMCA (Lake Zurich), Fry Family YMCA (Naperville), Greater LaGrange YMCA, Hastings Lake YMCA (Lindenhurst), Indian Boundary YMCA (Downers Grove), Irving Park YMCA, Kelly Hall (Garfield Park Chicago), Lake View YMCA (Chicago), McCormick YMCA (Logan Square, Chicago), Rauner YMCA (Lower West side, Chicago), Sage YMCA (Crystal Lake), South Side YMCA (Chicago).

Suburban Resources  

  • Play Next Generation Kids Klub
    • Offers a variety of inclusive, sensory friendly classes and play experiences designed for children of all abilities.
  • Special Recreation Associations
    • What is a special recreation association (SRA)?
      • A special recreation association (SRA) is a cooperative formed by 2 or more park districts or municipalities to provide recreation for their residents with disabilities. Similar to the park district and village recreation departments, programs are offered year-round in the park district facilities as well as private facilities such as theaters, bowling alleys, churches, etc. (Information from Special Recreation Association Network of Illinois)
      • SRAs often offer swim classes, sports, summer camps, and many other recreation options for children with developmental differences
    • Contact your local SRA for more details. Where to find your special recreation association: https://www.specialrecreation.org/find-my-services.html 

Swim Classes

Swim Classes in the Chicago area for children with Developmental Differences

The Children's Waiver Program provides additional funding for therapy, respite care and other supports for children 3-21 who qualify. In order to apply for this funding; families must register with the PUNS database.

Historically there have been very long waits to receive services, but there are changes the state is making to reduce wait times starting in 2025, so now is a good time to place your child with developmental differences on the PUNS list.

SSI (Supplemental Security Income)

Children can qualify for SSI based on diagnosis and family income. Autism is one diagnosis that qualifies a child to receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income). If a family meets the income requirements, it can be a very helpful resource to receive SSI.  Some families use SSI for therapies not covered by the child's insurance plan and this can be very helpful.

Here is more information about SSI for Children.

Income Requirements 

For overview of income requirements, see section on “DEEMING ELIGIBILITY CHART FOR CHILDREN”

If you would like to start the SSI application, follow these two steps below (call to your local SSI office is needed even after filling the online form):

  1. First fill out the Child Disability Report online. If you have trouble, skip this online step and call your local office as stated below.
     
  2. Then call your local SSI office to get next steps in completing the process. To find your local office information visit the Social Security Office Locator

Wandering Prevention & Home Safety

Car Seat Safety

Firearm Safety

Learn more about other Lurie Children’s Injury Prevention Initiatives