This list of resources was compiled by Ann Garcia and Grace O'Connor, patient advocates at the Adult Down Syndrome Center. Some of these resources are specific to Illinois residents - they are listed under the Resources for Illinois Residents heading. Resources with general information are listed under the General Transition Resources heading. If you are looking for additional resources for a specific state, we recommend reaching out to a local Down syndrome parent organization.
Resources for Illinois Residents
The Arc of Illinois
You can search for resources by county or statewide. There is also a link to Advocacy Toolboxes which contain information about adult services, government benefit programs, recreation and leisure programs, and more.
UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago
This project was started by a coalition of nonprofit agencies. Transition Outreach Specialists assist families by developing and maintaining linkages between families, Special Education staff, and adult service providers and by sharing information.
University of Illinois at Chicago's Division of Specialized Care for Children
The toolkit has assessments, tips, and tools for a variety of areas including health care, guardianship and alternatives to guardianship, post-secondary education, employment, and more.
General Transition Resources
Autism Speaks
This website has a link to download a Transition Toolkit as well as state-specific timelines for the transition process. Much of the information applies to other intellectual and developmental disabilities in addition to autism.
PACER Center
This website has information and resources about postsecondary education, employment, and life in the community. Resources include articles, videos, and tips from other parents, among others.