Chicago Guide: Special Needs Planning

Have you been looking for advice on special needs planning or just financial advice about special needs? I am hoping this guide will help you seek the answers you are looking for. The places below are ones I heard of through word of mouth and in different Facebook groups. Of course, there are more firms and practices than these in the Chicago area that specialize in this. If you know of one, please make a comment. I will update this post if I hear of more!

Brooks, Tarulis & Tibble, LLC
Address: 1733 Park Street, Suite 100, Naperville, IL 60563
Phone: (630) 355-2101
Email: info@napervillelaw.com

Cahill & Associates
Address: 1155 S. Washington Street Suite 106, Naperville, IL 60540
Phone: (630) 778-6500
Email: Message them here

Peck Ritchey, LLC
Address: 105 W Adams St 31st Floor, Chicago, IL 60603
*Additional location in Northbrook
Phone: (312) 201-0900
Email: info@peckritchey.com or Message them here

Rubin Law
Address: 1110 West Lake Cook Road, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
*Additional locations in the city area and by Old Orchard Mall
Phone: (847) 279-7999
Email: email@rubinlaw.com or Message them here

Which pediatric providers take my insurance?

As I’ve been looking and searching for providers (not for myself but in general), I’ve been realizing more and more how difficult it is to find one who accepts your insurance. Every time I visit a provider’s website, I always navigate towards what insurance plans are accepted. It’s sad when yours isn’t, taking more time to search for a provider.

I decided to do some research into what plans are accepted by certain providers. Disclaimer that I haven’t called these providers but gathered information from their website. I broke down all of them by insurance. You might see the same provider listed under other insurance companies.

The providers included below are those who provide ABA therapy, PT, OT, speech, or evaluations. There are definitely more than this list right here. A part 2 of this post will come soon, with hopefully more providers for Tricare and Medicaid (crossing fingers on medicaid).

See who accepts Medicaid, BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, United Healthcare, and Tricare.

Medicaid (contact these places to ask which medicaid state plans they accept)
Lumiere Children’s Therapy
811 W Evergreen Ave #404, Chicago, IL 60642
Phone: (312) 242-1665

Communication is the Key
2109 East 87th Street, Chicago, IL 60617
Phone: (773) 517-7669

Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center – Pediatric Developmental Center
The Autism Program
3040 N Wilton Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
Phone: (773) 296-7340
*also takes private insurance

Aetna
Arlington Pediatric Therapy Management Services, Ltd.
3105 N. Wilke Road, Suite H, Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Phone: (847) 255-8690

By Your Side Autism Therapy Services
8145 River Drive Suite 101, Morton Grove, IL 60053
*Additional locations in Tinley Park, Schaumburg, Burr Ridge 
Phone: (224) 470-1111
*Accepted for ABA, Speech, OT

Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center
1739 N. Elston Avenue, Chicago, IL 60642
Phone: (773) 672-7775

Communication is the Key
2109 East 87th Street, Chicago, IL 60617
Phone: (773) 517-7669

Orange Pediatric Therapy
5225 Old Orchard Rd #15, Skokie, IL 60077
Phone: (847) 779-3278

Westside Children’s Therapy
21000 Frankfort Square Rd Unit D, Frankfort, IL 
60423
*Additional locations in Wheaton, Shorewood/Joliet, Plainfield/Naperville 
Phone: (815) 469-1500
*Accepted for PT/OT/ST/Feeding

Blue Cross Blue Shield
Arlington Pediatric Therapy Management Services, Ltd.
3105 N. Wilke Road, Suite H, Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Phone: (847) 255-8690

Autism Learning Partners
5250 Old Orchard Rd, Suite 300, Skokie, IL 60077
Phone: (888) 805-0759

By Your Side Autism Therapy Services
8145 River Drive Suite 101, Morton Grove, IL 60053
*Additional locations in Tinley Park, Schaumburg, Burr Ridge 
Phone: (224) 470-1111
*Accepted for ABA, Speech, OT

Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center
1739 N. Elston Avenue, Chicago, IL 60642
Phone: (773) 672-7775

Communication Clubhouse
2630 W. Bradley Place Suite A, Chicago, IL 60618
*Additional locations in Jefferson Park and Downers Grove
Phone: 312-955-0089

Communication is the Key
2109 East 87th Street, Chicago, IL 60617
Phone: (773) 517-7669

Eyas Landing
1409 W. Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: (312) 733-0883

Lumiere Children’s Therapy
811 W Evergreen Ave #404, Chicago, IL 60642
Phone: (312) 242-1665

North Shore Pediatric Therapy
1657 West Cortland Street, Chicago, IL 60622
*Additional locations in Des Plaines, Glenview, Deerfield, Lincolnwood, Evanston, Lake Bluff 
Phone: (866) 815.6592

Orange Pediatric Therapy
5225 Old Orchard Rd #15, Skokie, IL 60077
Phone: (847) 779-3278

Playworks Therapy
2500 W Bradley Pl #109, Chicago, IL 60618
Phone: 773-332-9439

Westside Children’s Therapy
21000 Frankfort Square Rd Unit D, Frankfort, IL 
60423
*Additional locations in Wheaton, Shorewood/Joliet, Plainfield/Naperville 
Phone: (815) 469-1500
*Accepted for PT/OT/ST/Feeding, ABA

Cigna
Arlington Pediatric Therapy Management Services, Ltd.
3105 N. Wilke Road, Suite H, Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Phone: (847) 255-8690

Autism Learning Partners
5250 Old Orchard Rd, Suite 300, Skokie, IL 60077
Phone: (888) 805-0759

By Your Side Autism Therapy Services
8145 River Drive Suite 101, Morton Grove, IL 60053
*Additional locations in Tinley Park, Schaumburg, Burr Ridge 
Phone: (224) 470-1111
*Accepted for Speech, OT

EB Pediatric Resources
633 W. Addison Chicago, IL 60613
Phone: (312) 458-9865

Humana
Arlington Pediatric Therapy Management Services, Ltd.
3105 N. Wilke Road, Suite H, Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Phone: (847) 255-8690
*(Choice Care)

By Your Side Autism Therapy Services
8145 River Drive Suite 101, Morton Grove, IL 60053
*Additional locations in Tinley Park, Schaumburg, Burr Ridge 
Phone: (224) 470-1111
*Accepted for Speech, OT

Communication is the Key
2109 East 87th Street, Chicago, IL 60617
Phone: (773) 517-7669

Westside Children’s Therapy
21000 Frankfort Square Rd Unit D, Frankfort, IL 
60423
*Additional locations in Wheaton, Shorewood/Joliet, Plainfield/Naperville 
Phone: (815) 469-1500
*Accepted for PT/OT/ST/Feeding, ABA

Tricare
Westside Children’s Therapy
21000 Frankfort Square Rd Unit D, Frankfort, IL 
60423
*Additional locations in Wheaton, Shorewood/Joliet, Plainfield/Naperville 
Phone: (815) 469-1500
*Accepted ABA

United Healthcare
Arlington Pediatric Therapy Management Services, Ltd.
3105 N. Wilke Road, Suite H, Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Phone: (847) 255-8690

By Your Side Autism Therapy Services
8145 River Drive Suite 101, Morton Grove, IL 60053
*Additional locations in Tinley Park, Schaumburg, Burr Ridge 
Phone: (224) 470-1111
*Accepted for ABA, Speech, OT

Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center
1739 N. Elston Avenue, Chicago, IL 60642
Phone: (773) 672-7775
Orange Pediatric Therapy
5225 Old Orchard Rd #15, Skokie, IL 60077
Phone: (847) 779-3278

Communication is the Key
2109 East 87th Street, Chicago, IL 60617
Phone: (773) 517-7669

North Shore Pediatric Therapy
1657 West Cortland Street, Chicago, IL 60622
*Additional locations in Des Plaines, Glenview, Deerfield, Lincolnwood, Evanston, Lake Bluff 
Phone: (866) 815.6592

Organizing resources and service providers

Are you a parent or caregiver and find searching for providers overwhelming? I have an idea that might alleviate that.

I was helping someone recently find service providers for their kiddo. After doing some searches, I decided to organize everything into an excel spreadsheet. This may help to see everything visually.

Below is a screenshot of what I did:

With something like this, you can adjust and edit to your liking. If you think this spreadsheet would be helpful for you, download it below!

Resource Organizer TemplateDownload

Chicago Guide: where to seek an ASD diagnosis

One day, I overheard a mom tell another mom, who was suspecting her child had autism, “Get on as many wait lists as you can”. The mom who offered the advice had placed herself on many wait lists to get an ASD diagnosis for her son.

In this post, you’ll see a list of a few places you can go to seek an ASD diagnosis. Their phone numbers are listed.

NOTE: I don’t have knowledge on what their waiting list looks like, so make sure when you call, you get that information. You may also want to ask about insurance or cost of the evaluation. From this post, my hope is that you’ll be pointed in the right direction to get the answers you need.

1. Rush NeuroBehavioral Center
Phone: 847-933-9339

2. AARTS Center at Rush
Phone: 312-942-0819

3. Caravel Autism Health
Phone: 844-583-5437

4. UIC Developmental Disabilities Family Clinic
Phone: 312-413-1490

5. AMITA Health Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Phone: 855-692-6482
(Check out AMITA’s The Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disorders Resource Center)

6. Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley
Phone: 630-261-6287

7. North Shore Pediatric Therapy
Phone: 877-486-4140

Chicago Guide: where to find resources

Looking for resources is hard work. Sometimes you might be looking for service providers and other times you might be in search for materials to support your son or daughter.

I listed a few organizations and websites below that may help you navigate the services and support you’re looking for. Keep each of these in mind or bookmark their pages.

1. AARTS Center at Rush – they have an amazing resource directory! It consists of 3 different directories: Child & Adolescent, Adult, and Caregiver. The providers listed on there are from multiple disciplines (PT, OT, speech, adult vocational services, you name it) in the Chicago area. Their directory is one I refer friends and families to when they’re in search for services.

2. Resource Center on Autism and Developmental Delays – this center offers support to caregivers, teachers, and professionals who care for or teach children on the autism spectrum and other developmental delays. What’s great about them is that they have a lending library with materials (books, software, visuals) you can use at home or at school.

3. The Autism Program of Illinois – the resource section of their website offers printed resources, such as doctor’s visits, dentist visits, transportation, brushing teeth, to name a few. They also list out helpful websites, plus state and national resources.

4. One Place for Special Needs – they’re not exactly Chicago focused, but you have the ability to search for services close to home on their website. On their home page, if you click on “resources” then on “services” you can search for providers by category, zip code, and diagnosis. They also have the option to search for online resources and products.