Resource Center for Autism and Developmental Delays (RCADD)

11/21/2025

Unlock Your Child’s Full Potential with the IEP Process
Monday, November 24, 2025
10:00 am11:00 am
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tVs3PIBoS_-TA5l_mNaSOA #/registration
Is your child in need of specialized support to thrive in school? The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a powerful tool designed to ensure your child gets the personalized education they deserve. Through a comprehensive evaluation, a dedicated team of experts will create an IEP that targets your child's unique learning needs. This plan includes tailored goals, specific accommodations, and ongoing support, helping them succeed at their own pace. Don’t navigate this journey alone, join us in this session to learn about IEP's and partner with Family Matters PTIC who can help to understand the process and can guide you every step of the way to maximize your child’s educational experience.

11/11/2025

S*xuality and the Spectrum: Lessons on S*x, Dating, and Love, Autism Style

Date & Time
Dec 11, 2025 03:00 PM in Central Time (US and Canada)

Description
Individuals on the autism spectrum are s*xual beings, yet teachers and clinicians across disciplines have struggled to rise to the challenge of helping autistic people learn skills related to dating and s*xuality. This presentation, which features an autistic woman sharing her firsthand perspective, will discuss how and why clinicians and teachers have fallen short in addressing dating skills, and the development and implementation of AASK, a s*x education curriculum that can be used to teach these skills to autistic college students and young adults. Strategies and resources will also be offered to help professionals and parents begin conversations about relationships and s*xuality with their children and clients.

REGISTER HERE:
https://illinoisstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LXuvcS9zQR2ZlcJjxX6Law #/registration

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.

https://wegotyouillinois.org/find-food/ (en%7Cen)

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.

https://wegotyouillinois.org/find-food/ (en%7Cen)

10/27/2025

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.

https://illinois.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1SvApSVvKE1cKNM

10/22/2025

💙💙💙 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.

Topic: Chicagoland Autism Connection Zoom Meeting
Time: Oct 25, 2025 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/97537767102?pwd=xM0VCGZ0Jl3mlbNudLjEKxVmM02Ikk.1

Meeting ID: 975 3776 7102
Passcode: 766198

10/21/2025

Acerca del programa:
A través de reuniones semanales en vivo por Zoom, los
participantes podrán:

- Aprender 12 estrategias prácticas de comportamiento para apoyar el desarrollo de su hijo/a
- Practicar habilidades de Entrenamiento en Aceptación 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 línea gratuitos para apoyo a largo plazo

Quiénes pueden participar:

- Padres o cuidadores mayores de 18 años
- Que hablen inglés o español
- Que tengan un hijo/a con una discapacidad del desarrollo, de aprendizaje o cognitiva (según lo informado por el cuidador)
- Que puedan asistir a 8 sesiones semanales por Zoom (de 60 a 90 minutos cada una)
- Que tengan acceso a internet y a un dispositivo para Zoom

Las familias interesadas pueden completar este breve formulario: https://uic.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cus2c2dajLFRNwW

10/21/2025

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:

https://uic.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cus2c2dajLFRNwW

10/17/2025

"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.

Registration is required: https://ow.ly/5jif50X9Zr5
For help with registration, and for any accommodations, email KathrynDougherty@JCFS.org

10/14/2025

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
💻 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!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Perfect for families, self-advocates, and professionals looking for tools, resources, and strategies to navigate special education with confidence.

📌 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.

Register (separate RSVP per day):
Day 1: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lT1yCCXeSwyx5LCiJNSA0A

Day 2: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VL4NoGaySR6-Gk1RxjBK0g

Day 3 (Spanish): https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_q4zyBABuSNOrcxHDPHLsBw