Each state sets eligibility ages for services to children and youth with disabilities. For current information concerning this state, please contact the office listed under Department of Education: Special Education.

State Department of Education: Special Education
Christopher Koch, Ed.D., Director
Department of Special Education
Illinois State Board of Education
100 N. First Street, N-243
Springfield, IL 62777-0001 
(217) 782-4870
E-mail: chris.koch@isbe.net
Web: www.isbe.net/spec-ed/

State Coordinator for NCLB (No Child Left Behind)
Illinois State Board of Education
100 N. 1st Street
Springfield, IL 62777
(217) 782-5053
Web: www.isbe.net

Programs for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth through 2 
Janet D. Gully, Bureau Chief
Bureau of Early Intervention
Department of Human Services
222 S. College, 2nd Floor
Springfield, IL 62704
(217) 782-1981; (800) 323-4769 (in IL only)
E-mail: DHSVR50@dhs.state.il.us
Web: www.state.il.us/agency/dhs/eisnp.html

Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages 3 through 5
Kay Henderson, Division Administrator
Division of Early Childhood Education
100 N. First Street, C-428
Springfield, IL 62777-0001
(217) 524-4835
E-mail: hhenders@isbe.net
Web: www.isbe.net

Technical Support to Schools
On inclusion 
Deb Kunz, Statewide Parent Liaison
Project CHOICES
100 N. First Street, Room N253
Springfield, IL 62777-0001
(217) 782-5589
E-mail: dkunz@isbe.net
Web: www.projectchoices.org

On Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
Lucille Eber, Statewide Coordinator
Illinois State Board of Education
EBD/PBIS Network
West 40 ISC #2
928 Barnsdale Road, Suite 254
LaGrange Park, IL 60526
(708) 482-4860
E-mail: lewrapil@aol.com
Web: www.ebdnetwork-il.org/

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency
Robert F. Kilbury, Ph.D., Director
Division of Rehabilitation Services
Department of Human Services
100 S. Grand Avenue, East
Springfield, IL 62762
(217) 524-7551 (V/TTY); (800) 843-6154 (V/TTY)
E-mail: ilvr@rehabnetwork.org
Web: www.dhs.state.il.us

Coordinator for Transition Services
Susan Walter, Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator 
Transition Outreach Training for Adult Living 
10 Meadowlark Lane
Highland, IL 62249 
(618) 651-9028
E-mail: smwalter@charter.net
Web: www.isbe.net

Illinois State Board of Education
Debra Heckenkamp, Principal Education Consultant
Division of Special Education Services
100 N. First Street
Springfield, IL 62777-0001
(217) 782-5589
E-mail: dheckenk@isbe.net
Web: www.isbe.net/spec-ed

Office of State Coordinator of Vocational Education for Students with Disabilities 
Nancy Harris, Special Populations Coordinator 
Illinois State Board of Education 
100 N. First Street
Springfield, IL 62777-0001
(217) 782-4620
E-mail: nharris@isbe.net
Web: www.isbe.net

State Mental Health Agency 
Christopher Fichtener, M.D., Director
Division of Mental Health 
Department of Human Services
100 S. Grand Avenue, East, Harris II, 2nd Floor
Springfield, IL 62762
(217) 785-6023; (800) 843-6154 (Hotline)
(800) 447-6404 (TTY)
E-mail: dhsc1655@dhs.state.il.us
Web: www.dhs.state.il.us/mhdd/mh

State Mental Health Representative for Children and Youth 
Christopher Fichtener, M.D., Director
Division of Mental Health 
Department of Human Services
100 S. Grand Avenue, East, Harris II, 2nd Floor
Springfield, IL 62762
(217) 785-6023; (800) 843-6154 (Hotline)
(800) 447-6404 (TTY)
E-mail: dhsc1655@dhs.state.il.us
Web: www.dhs.state.il.us/mhdd/mh

State Mental Retardation Program
Jeri Johnson, Director
Division of Developmental Disabilities
Department of Human Services
100 S. Grand Avenue, East, 2nd Floor
Springfield, IL 62762
(217) 524-7065
E-mail: dhs9255@dhs.state.il.us
Web: www.state.il.us/agency/dhs

State Developmental Disabilities Council
Sheila T. Romano, Executive Director
Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities
830 S. Spring Street
Springfield, IL 62704 
(217) 782-9696 (V/TTY)
Web: www.state.il.us/agency/icdd/

Protection and Advocacy Agency
Zena Naiditch, CEO/President 
Equip for Equality, Inc. 
20 N. Michigan, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 341-0022; (800) 537-2632 (V) 
(800) 610-2779 (TTY)
E-mail: contactus@equipforequality.org
Web: www.equipforequality.org

Client Assistance Program
Cathy Meadows, Manager 
Illinois Client Assistance Program
100 N. First Street, 1st Floor West
Springfield, IL 62702-5197 
(217) 782-5374 (V/TTY); (800) 641-3929 (in IL)
E-mail: dhscap@dhs.state.il.us
Web: www.dhs.state.il.us/ors/cap

Programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs 
Charles N. Onufer, M.D., Director
Division of Specialized Care for Children 
University of Illinois at Chicago
P.O. Box 19481 
2815 W. Washington, Suite 300
Springfield, IL 62794-9481 
(217) 793-2340; (800) 322-3722
E-mail: cnonufer@uic.edu
Web: www.uic.edu/hsc/dscc/

State CHIP Program
(health care for low-income uninsured children)
Illinois KidCare
Illinois Department of Public Aid
201 S. Grand Avenue East
Springfield, IL 62753-0002
(866) 468-7543; (877) 204-1012 (TTY)
Web: www.kidcareillinois.com/

Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, or Deaf-Blind
Joseph Parvis, Specialist 
Services for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Division of Rehabilitation Services
Department of Human Services
100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 8-100
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 814-2939; (312) 814-3040 (TTY)
Web: www.dhs.state.il.us/ors/sdhh/

Barb Sims, Principal Education Consultant
Illinois State Board of Education
Division of Special Education Services
100 N. First Street
Springfield, IL 62777-0001
(217) 782-5589
E-mail: bsims@isbe.net
Web: www.isbe.net/spec-ed

Telecommunications Relay Services for Individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or with Speech Impairments
(800) 526-0857 (V)
(800) 526-0844 (TTY); 711 (TTY)
(877) 526-6690 (Speech to Speech)

Programs for Children and Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired
Bettye Odem-Davis, Bureau Chief
Bureau of the Blind
Office of Rehabilitation Services
Department of Human Services
100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 8-100
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 814-3323
Web: www.dhs.state.il.us/ors/bbs/

Paula Stadeker, Principal Education Consultant
Illinois State Board of Education
Division of Special Education Services
100 N. First Street
Springfield, IL 62777-0001
(217) 782-5589
E-mail: pstadeke@isbe.net
Web: www.isbe.net/spec-ed

State Education Agency Rural Representative 
Leah Covey, Principle Performance Consultant
Department of Rural Education
Southern Illinois Regional Office
Illinois State Board of Education 
123 S. Tenth Street, Suite 200 
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864 
(618) 244-8383
Web: www.isbe.state.il.us

Regional ADA & IT Technical Assistance Center
Robin Jones, Project Director
Great Lakes ADA and Accessible IT Center
University of Illinois/Chicago
Institute on Disability and Human Development
1640 W. Roosevelt Road (MC/626)
Chicago, IL 60608-6902
(312) 413-1407 (V/TTY); (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY)
E-mail: gldbtac@uic.edu
Web: www.adagreatlakes.org

University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Tamar Heller, Director
Institute on Disability and Human Development
Department of Disability and Human Development
University of Illinois at Chicago
1640 W. Roosevelt Road
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 413-1647 (V); (312) 413-0453 (TTY)
Web: www.ahs.uic.edu/dhd

Technology-Related Assistance 
Wilhelmina Gunther, Executive Director
Illinois Assistive Technology Project
1 W. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 100
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 522-7985(V/TTY)
(800) 852-5110 (V/TTY, in IL only)
E-mail: wgunther@iltech.org
Web: www.iltech.org

State Mediation System 
Sherry Colegrove, Coordinator
Illinois State Board of Education
Division of Special Education Services
100 N. First Street, N-253
Springfield, IL 62777
(217) 782-5589
E-mail: scolegro@isbe.net
Web: www.isbe.net/spec-ed

For a listing of resource centers that provide legal or advocacy services at no or low cost, visit: www.isbe.net/spec-ed/parent%20advocates.htm
For due process information:
Beth Hanselman, Supervisor
Illinois State Board of Education
Division of Special Education Services
100 N. First Street
Springfield, IL 62777-0001
(217) 782-5589
Web: www.isbe.net/spec-ed

Special Format Library
Sharon Ruda, Associate Director
Illinois State Library 
Talking Book and Braille Service 
401 E. Washington 
Springfield, IL 62701 
(217) 782-9435; (800) 665-5576 ext. 5 (in IL)
(888) 261-5280 (TTY)
E-mail: sruda@ilsos.net 
Web: http://ilbph.sls.lib.il.us/klasweb/

Disability-Specific Organizations

Attention Deficit Disorder
To identify an ADD group in your state or locality, contact either:

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CH.A.D.D)
8181 Professional Place, Suite 150
Landover, MD 20785
(301) 306-7070
(800) 233-4050 (Voice mail to request information packet)
Web: www.chadd.org

Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)
P.O. Box 543
Pottstown, PA 19464
(484) 945-2101
Web: www.add.org

Autism
To identify an autism group in your state, contact:
Autism Society of America
7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 300
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 657-0881; (800) 3-AUTISM
Web: www.autism-society.org

Kathy Gould, Project Director
Illinois Autism/PDD Training and Technical Assistance Project
1301 W. Cossitt Avenue
La Grange, IL 60525
(708) 354-5730
E-mail: kathygould@illinoisautismproject.org
Web: www.illinoisautismproject.org

Blind/Visual Impairments
Jay Stiteley, Director
American Foundation for the Blind-Midwest
401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 350
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 396-4420
E-mail: chicago@afb.net
Web: www.afb.org

Brain Injury
Philicia L. Deckard, Executive Director
Brain Injury Association of Illinois
P.O. Box 64420
Chicago, IL 60664-0420
(312) 630-4011; (800) 699-6443 (in IL only)
E-mail: info@biail.org
Web: www.BIAUSA.org/illinois/bia.htm 

Cerebral Palsy
Don Moss, Executive Director
United Cerebral Palsy of Illinois 
310 E. Adams
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 528-9681
E-mail: ucpil@sbcglobal.net
Web: www.ucpillinois.com

Epilepsy
Philip M. Gattone, President/CEO
Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago
17 N. State, Suite 1300
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 939-8622; (800) 273-6027
(312) 628-6027 (TTY)
E-mail: info@epilepsychicago.org
Web: www.epilepsychicago.org

Epilepsy Resource Center
(serving central Illinois)
1315 W. Lawrence Avenue
Springfield, IL 62704
(217) 726-1839 (V/TTY); (800) 800-6401
E-mail: epilepsy@spfldsparc.org

Learning Disabilities
Sandy Zamudio, President 
Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois 
10101 S. Roberts Road, Suite 205
Palos Hills, IL 60465 
(708) 430-7532 
E-mail: LDAofIL@ameritech.net
Web: www.ldaamerica.org

Carolyn Swallow, Ph.D., Executive Director
Illinois Branch of the International Dyslexia Association
751 Roosevelt Road, Suite 116
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
(630) 469-6900
E-mail: ilbranch_ida@ameritech.net
Web: www.interdys.org

Mental Health 
Mental Health Association in Illinois 
188 W. Randolph Street, Suite 2225
Chicago, IL 60601 
(312) 368-9070 
Web: www.mhai.org

Lora Thomas, Executive Director
NAMI Illinois
218 W. Lawrence
Springfield, IL 62704 
(217) 522-1403; (800) 346-4572 (In IL only)
E-mail: namiil@sbcglobal.net
Email: thomas.lora@sbcglobal.net
Web: http://il.nami.org

Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities
Tony Paulauski, Executive Director
The Arc of Illinois
18207-A Dixie Highway
Homewood, IL 60430
(708) 206-1930
E-mail: tony@thearcofil.org
Web: www.thearcofil.org

Speech And Hearing
Cynthia Keillor, Executive Director 
Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association 
230 E. Ohio Street, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60611-3265
(312) 644-0828, ext. 2210
E-mail: ckeillor@bostrom.com
Web: www.ishail.org

Jodi Fleck, Principal Education Consultant
Illinois State Department of Education
Division of Special Education Services
100 N. First Street
Springfield, IL 62777-0001
(217) 781-5589
E-mail: jfleck@isbe.net
Web: www.isbe.net/spec-ed

Spina Bifida
Adam S. Rappaport, Executive Director
Illinois Spina Bifida Association
3080 Ogden Avenue, Suite 103
Lisle, IL 60532 
(630) 637-1050; (773) 581-2426
(800) 969-4722
E-mail: ILSBA1@aol.com
Web: www.illinoisspinabifidaassociation.com

Spinal Cord Injury
Mercedes Rauen, Executive Director
Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois
1032 S. La Grange Road
LaGrange, IL 60525
(708) 352-6223; (877) 373-0301
E-mail: SCIInjury@aol.com
Web: www.sci-illinois.org

Organizations Especially for Parents and Caregivers

Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) 
Charlotte Des Jardins, Director 
Family Resource Center on Disabilities
20 E. Jackson Boulevard, Room 300 
Chicago, IL 60604 
(312) 939-3513; (312) 939-3519 (TTY) 
(800) 952-4199 (In IL)
E-mail: frcdptiil@ameritech.net
Web: www.frcd.org

Donald Moore, Executive Director 
Designs for Change 
29 E. Madison, Suite 950
Chicago, IL 60602-4404 
(312) 236-7252; (312) 236-7944 (TTY)
(800) 851-8728
E-mail: info@designsforchange.org
Web: www.designsforchange.org

Debbie Einhorn, Program Director
Family Matters
2502 S. Veterans Drive
Effingham, IL 62401
(217) 347-0880; (217) 347-5428 (V/TTY)
(866) 436-7842
E-mail: info@fmptic.org
Web: www.fmptic.org

Partners in Policymaking
Ginny Cooke
Phoenix Perth Institute
P.O. Box 5429
Evanston, Illinois 60401-5429
(847) 425-1967
E-mail: ginnycooke@aol.com

Parent-To-Parent
Charlotte Des Jardins, Executive Director 
Family Resource Center on Disabilities 
20 E. Jackson Boulevard, Suite 300 
Chicago, IL 60604 
(312) 939-3513; (312) 939-3519 (TTY) 
(800) 952-4199 (In IL)
E-mail: frcdptiil@ameritech.net
Web: www.frcd.org

Charlotte Cronin, Executive Director
Family Support Network of Illinois
5739 W. Martindale Lane
Peoria, IL 61615-9669
(309) 693-8981
E-mail: fsn@familysupportnetwork.org
Web: www.familysupportnetwork.org/

Parent Teacher Association (PTA) 
Gayla Boomer, President
Illinois Congress of Parents and Teachers
901 S. Spring Street
Springfield, IL 62704-2790
(217) 528-9617; (800) 877-9617
E-mail: il_office@pta.org

Other Disability Organizations

Kathy O'Brien, Resource Director
Pathways Awareness Foundation
150 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2100
Chicago, IL 60601
(800) 955-2445 (800) 326-8154 (TTY)
E-mail: friends@pathwaysawareness.org
Web: www.pathwaysawareness.org

Jo Holzer, Executive Director
Council for Disability Rights
205 W. Randolph, Suite 1645
Chicago, IL 60606-1892
(312) 444-9484; (312) 444-1967 (TTY)
E-mail: cdrights@interaccess.com
Web: www.disabilityrights.org

State Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities (ISAC)
Christopher Koch, State Director of Special Education
Department of Special Education
Illinois State Board of Education
100 N. First Street, N-243
Springfield, IL 62777-0001 
(217) 782-4870
E-mail: chris.koch@isbe.net
Web: www.isbe.net/spec-ed/isac.htm

Amy J. Serpe, Executive Director
VSA arts of Chicago
Apparel Center
350 N. Orleans, Suite 680
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 527-2620; (800) 526-0844 (TTY)
E-mail: as@vsachicago.org
Web: www.vsachicago.org
 

Independent Living 

To find out the contact information for the Statewide 
Independent Living Council (SILC) in your state, contact:
Independent Living Research Utilization Project
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research
2323 South Sheppard, Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 520-0232 (V); (713) 520-5136 (TTY)
E-mail: ilru@ilru.org
Web: www.ilru.org

To find out the contact information for centers for 
independent living (CILs) in your state, contact:
National Council on Independent Living
1916 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 209
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 525-3406; (703) 525-4153 (TTY)
E-mail: ncil@ncil.org
Web: www.ncil.org