Florissa

09/01/2026

Join our Young Adult Group at Florissa!

When: Tuesdays, Sept 22 - Nov 10th
Where: Florissa, 144 N Court, Dixon, IL
Cost: Free of charge (Space is limited!)

To sign up or learn more, contact Janet O'Donnell at 815-288-1905 or [email protected].

Supported by The Autism Program of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Human Services.

08/24/2026

School is back in full swing … and we’re already dreaming about those long, summer days! ☀️

We had such a great time training in June with Reuter Counseling and Roots & Wings Therapy LLC on building an FASD-Informed System of Care here in Northern Illinois. We love getting together with other local professionals, learning from each other, and finding better ways to support kids and families. 💜

Interested in bringing this 1-hour CE training to your organization? Let us know - we’d love to connect!

08/18/2026

From the ever so helpful Child Mind Institute:

A lot of kids with ADHD, autism, or a learning disorder tend to think that to make friends they have to “mask” who they actually are — so they study everyone else, try to blend in, and hope it works. They conceal the fidgeting, agree with opinions they don't hold, or over-apologize for awkward moments. But as ADHD and executive function coach Caroline Maguire explains, the children who work hardest to hide their true selves are often the loneliest.

The problem, Maguire argues, is that this kind of masking — hiding who you are to seem more typical — doesn’t actually build authentic friendships. True connection comes from shared interests, a shared sense of humor, or shared experiences. But finding common ground is next to impossible when a child has buried the real version of themselves. Read on or listen to the Thriving Kids podcast for advice from Dr. Dave Anderson about developing a more workable approach, helping kids stay true to themselves while also learning the concrete skills that friendship requires.

08/17/2026

Free Webinar 8/19!

Communicating with teens can feel tough, especially when there is mood changes, pushback, or withdrawal. Learn how to reduce power struggles and increase openness in a Free Parenting Webinar on "Communicating With Teens: Evidence-Based Strategies That Work" on Wednesday, August 19th from 7:00-8:00 PM.

Communicating with teens can feel confusing, especially when mood changes, pushback, or withdrawal leave parents wondering what’s typical and what signals something more serious. Virgdant Breton, LCSW, will share concrete, research-informed communication strategies parents can use at home, along w...

08/13/2026

Is your child struggling with back to school worries? Following are tips for a successful school year:

How to help kids manage anxiety at the start of a new school year, and make sure anxiety doesn't cause disruptive behavior in the classroom

08/11/2026

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BINGO!

If you’ve already checked off several of our bingo squares, congratulations—you’re officially getting back in the school-year routine. 😁

The first few weeks of school can be a BIG adjustment for kids (and, honestly, grown-ups too). New teachers, new schedules, earlier mornings, more demands, and lots of transitions can make everyone a little more tired, emotional, or disorganized than usual. 😴

Give it time. Keep routines simple. Build in extra patience. And remember: you don’t have to have the whole school year figured out during the first week. 💜

One morning at a time. One backpack search at a time. 🎒

08/06/2026

Our very own Clinic Coordinator, Danielle Lawson. She’s exactly the kind of leader we need!

2026-2027 Cohort

08/05/2026

What a great morning with Lutheran Social Services of Illinois-Foster Care! Community is stronger when we work together. 🌟

08/03/2026

Join the National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities for a conversation by and for disabled parents about building systems of support through mutual aid. Mutual aid can take many forms, including sharing resources, providing food, offering financial support, and caring for one another in times of need.



Disabled parents Judith Brown, Dom Kelly, and Dom Evans will share their experiences with mutual aid efforts and discuss how community care helps strengthen families, foster connection, and create more accessible and supportive communities.

Upcoming Webinar 💻 Disabled Parents Building Mutual Aid Networks

🗓️ Thursday, August 27, 2026
⏰ 1 PM ET
📍 Zoom – Register today: tinyurl.com/BuildingMutualAid
♿️ ASL interpretation and Zoom automated captions will be available.

About the webinar 💬
Join the National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities for a conversation by and for disabled parents about building systems of support through mutual aid. Mutual aid can take many forms, including sharing resources, providing food, offering financial support, and caring for one another in times of need.
Disabled parents Judith Brown, Dom Kelly, and Dom Evans will share their experiences with mutual aid efforts and discuss how community care helps strengthen families, foster connection, and create more accessible and supportive communities.
The webinar will be recorded and available for later viewing.

Image description:
A promotional webinar flyer with a dark green background. At the top, a purple banner reads "Webinar" beside the National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities logo. Large white text announces the title, "Disabled Parents Building Mutual Aid Networks." Below, icons indicate the event details: August 27, 2026, at 1:00 PM ET, held on Zoom, with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and closed captions (CC) available. Across the bottom are cutout photos of the three featured speakers, each with a name label above their image: Dom Kelly on the left, Dom Evans in the center, and Judith Brown on the right. Each speaker is outlined with a purple shadow effect behind them.

New Disabled South Project 70Forward FilmDis