Easter Seals Disability Services

Overview of Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago's
New Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research

Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago (ESMC) has built a new $36,000,000 Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research in the Illinois Medical District (IMD) that will help meet the needs created by the explosive growth in autism.

This unique facility is the only one of its kind to combine on a single campus educational, research, training, early intervention, school-to-work transition and independent living capabilities.  Nowhere else in the country is this “continuum” of services for children with autism so well integrated at a single campus facility.

The new center allows Easter Seals to expand its landmark autism program and custom design a facility to meet the special needs of students with autism, emotional behavior disorders and severe learning disabilities.  Interior plans and features from special acoustic finishes and lighting fixtures to therapy and gross motor skills rooms help reduce distractions and promote more effective learning.

Phase I of the project opened to students in July, 2008.  The new state-of-the-art 87,000 square foot Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research campus through Phase Four will incorporate a therapeutic school, specially-designed research capabilities, ESMC administrative offices as well as independent living facilities in the final phase of the project.   

The importance of this project is evident in that the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, the Illinois Medical District (IMD) and the University of Illinois communities are involved with Easter Seals' project along with private partnerships:

• Speaker of the House Michael Madigan secured a $4 million state grant to initiate construction
• The State of Illinois contributed $1 million through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to build the facility
• The City of Chicago through Mayor Richard M. Daley donated land in the Illinois Medical District valued at $3.5 million
• With the cooperation and support of the IMD Board of Commissioners and Executive Director Samuel Pruett, Easter Seals located the facility on land at 1939 West 13^th Street at the corner of Damen Avenue and 13th Street (Illinois Medical District Block 208)
• CVS/pharmacy donated $500,000 to benefit the facility
• Dominick’s made a commitment of $400,000
• The Chicago White Sox pledged $1,000,000 in support of the one-of-a-kind Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research

The location of the new school in the Illinois Medical District facilitates a natural synergy with world-class autism researchers.  Working in concert with the researchers from the University of Illinois and others will lead to the development of breakthrough interventions and successful strategies for working with individuals with autism.

Dr. Stephen Porges, Director of the Brain-Body Center, Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and other researchers will be working on the causes of and determining successful interventions for autism.  Researchers will be able to unobtrusively observe students at the school in order to assess problems and create successful interventions and research conducted at the school will be available to other research sites around the entire world via the internet.

Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago Has Over Fifteen Years of Experience
Providing Services to Children and Adolescents with Autism

Easter Seals is a premiere agency that currently has Autism Therapeutic Schools in:

• Chicago
• Rockford
• Tinley Park
• Waukegan

which provide educational and therapeutic services to over 200 children with autism.  This new facility has greatly expanded Easter Seals’ Autism Therapeutic School Chicago program and enhanced our outstanding Autism Therapeutic Schools which will continue to serve families in other regions.

School districts from all around the Chicago area and its suburbs as well as in the Rockford region contract with Easter Seals to assist them in providing educational programs for children with autism who need an alternative school placement and helps them grow toward independence.  The services and programs provided in the Easter Seals schools include:

• Small Teacher / Student Ratio
• Education
• Speech, Language and Communications Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Applied Behavior Therapy
• Social Work
• Health Related Services
• Transitional Services from School to Work
• Special Olympics
• Sensory Integration

We still need your help!

Donate to the New Therapeutic School and
Center for Autism Research Online

You can also print the donation form (checks payable to Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago)
and mail your donation to:

Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago
New School Campaign
1939 West 13th Street
Suite 300
Chicago, Illinois  60608-1226

Media Contacts
312-491-4110

	F. Timothy Muri President & CEO Member Easter Seals' Autism Spokesperson Network		Barbara Zawacki Chief Operating Officer
	Biography (*PDF Format)		Biography(*PDF Format)
	Tim Muri, President & CEO, and Joe Mantegna Talk about Autism (MP3 audio File)