My Items

Every  week residents engage in activities that encourage and develop  independence, socialization, learning and community involvement. Unique  schedules are created for each resident according to their specific  needs and abilities. A sample day may include a part-time job,  internship, school, or volunteer work.

We  also offer voluntary participation in scheduled program activities such  as cooking, budgeting, or completion of home maintenance care and  chores. Social programs are offered and include meet-ups, movie nights,  festivals and all of the other things that young adults living in  Chicago like to do in their spare time. 

Your  participation in this journey is always welcome in whatever form is  best for you and your child. Our program is designed for residents to  become as fully independent of their parents as possible. To better  assess how we may help you, please fill out our preliminary residency program questionnaire.

An  important element of the program is developing socialization skills and  a desire to be a part of the community. Our residential spaces are  thoughtfully designed with a mix of public and private space. However,  social activities take place within residential spaces and within the  immediate neighborhood. While there will certainly be circumstances when  a resident will choose not to participate, the goal and expectation is  participation in social activities.

Yes.  One goal in setting up your young adult's customized program is  developing skills and interests as part of the path to greater  independence. To that end and within reason, we anticipate accommodating  a wide variety of vocational, educational and social interests.  Individual support and activities outside of our planned activities can  be arranged for additional fees.

The  AARTS Center at Rush offers unparalleled expertise in diagnosing and  treating children, adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder  (ASD). A distinct advantage UAS offers is our relationship with, and  proximity to, Rush University Medical Center's AARTS program.

All residents will need some form of assessment and medical clearance from our partners at the Rush AARTS program. At the very least, we require one visit with a psychiatrist  from the AARTS program to establish a medical baseline and for admission  approval. In order to provide the safest and most appropriate  environment, we cannot admit any residents without this step. Depending on the nature of your family’s needs, we also recommend a  records review and visit with UAS Clinical Director to determine if  further psychological assessment is needed.

​

We feel that we can most effectively help your family if you make the best use of these resources at the start. Developing individualized programs begins with accurate assessment  data. Full disclosure of psychiatric and independent-living challenges  by families is needed in order to appropriately serve all residents  safely and effectively.

Learn more about the AARTS Center.

Individual  choice in discernment is at the heart of our programming development  and all residents are offered the same opportunities to make these  determinations. An initial appointment and medical review with the Rush  AARTS Medical Director is needed for all residents to ensure an  appropriate medical program is in place regardless of the provider.

Program  fees vary by each client but typically cost approximately $6,000 per  month. We work with each family individually to determine the most  affordable approach based on the individual needs of the client.

Our  1212 Residence can house a maximum of five young adults in private bedrooms. The home  has private, 2nd-floor bedrooms, an adjoining shared bathroom for two  and a private bath for one, as well as two small sitting/activity spaces  for the residents. An additional bedroom with private bathroom is  located on the lower level. Our second residence located nearby on Ada  Street can house two young adults and offers private bedrooms and a  shared bath.

Both residences feature a main floor, with living, kitchen, dining and activity spaces which are  available for both public and private use to accommodate the variety of  activities available. Our residences are home to clients who have funding from the home and community-based waiver as well as clients who pay privately.

UAS  is not a licensed DHS provider and cannot take the HCBW for CILA.  However, we can work with your provider to create programs and services  for your family member.  A+ Autism Solutions is a licensed CILA provider  that has assisted clients who chose to live either in our Ada or 1212  Residence. A+ Autism Solutions is licensed to accept the home and  community-based waiver. Other providers are welcome to contact us as  well. Disclosure: Julie Tracy is President of A+ Autism Solutions.

We are glad you feel Urban Autism Solutions is a good fit! Please complete the application with as much detailed information as possible.

A  thorough review is necessary to get to know any program. To start, we  suggest you have an open dialog with others that will be affected by a  decision to participate in Urban Autism Solutions.  From the candidate,  immediate and extended family to trusted friends, other caregivers, and  your medical team, what thoughts and questions can they contribute to  your list?  Try prioritizing the list based on the importance of the  answer. While we have put together a great residential program, it is likely  that ours, like others, won’t offer everything you are looking for.

We  know that the application process can be stressful and we promise to  minimize as much anxiety as we can as well as make ourselves available  to answer your questions. Simply put, we view your first steps as the  beginning of our relationship with you and your young adult. If, after  our initial conversation, you want to proceed, and we believe we can  offer the services you need, we will schedule a second conversation.

​

Throughout  this time, we may also invite your young adult to join us at our 1212  Residence so we can get to know each other.  This gradual process of  integration into our community will involve a number of steps over time  with an increasing schedule of community involvement in our program.

At this stage, you have completed the assessment process, cleared the medical assessment, and have decided/been invited to join our community. For CILA  clients, we will manage the process through A+ Autism Solutions as well as in partnership with designated members of the Rush AARTS team to begin developing the structure around which your young adult will begin their life with us. We anticipate that some residents will have very clear-cut schedules involving school, work, and volunteer opportunities while others will need additional assistance in exploring these and other options.

UAS  may be able to help your child become job-ready through customized  programming that includes a skills assessment, resume assistance,  developing transferable job skills and other customized services. This  process does not guarantee a job but we strive to help your young adult  get one step closer to obtaining employment. Please fill out this questionnaire so we can learn more about your young adult.

Our clients are young adults, typically between the ages of 17-35.

Thank you for your interest in Urban Autism Solutions.  We ask that anyone who is interested in our residential, or customized vocational day programs, please take a few minutes to fill out the UAS preliminary questionnaire so we can understand your loved one a bit better.  Once we review your confidential questionnaire, we will follow up with you. 

Please note at this time the UAS West Side Transition Academy is only for select West Side Chicago Public high schools who are able to join us with their teachers. If you are an administrator or educator from CPS, interested in learning about our clinical, community, and vocational programs, please email us at Info@UrbanAutismSolutions.com.