Every Step of the Way Resource Center for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities NFP

Our mission is to provide comprehensive resources &/or referrals in regard to recreation, education, health (mental & physical), social & daily living skills, & behavioral intervention to adults with mild to profound, intellectual disabilities ages 20 & up by focusing on their individualized areas of need through a parent & client-centered approach.

Services: When parents or caregivers contact ESW to retain resource/referral services, ESW will complete a FREE intake to gather information about their adult child’s areas of needs, strengths, interests, & the family’s location. After the intake process, ESW will gather individualized resources &/or referrals for their adult child in the following requested areas: recreation, education, mental/physical health, social & daily living skills, behavioral intervention, & respite care, etc. If ESW is unable to find existing resources for the adult child’s areas of need, ESW will offer to collaborate with the parent by advocating for the creation of a nonexistent resource, requesting an existing resource be modified, or making an inaccessible resource accessible to accommodate their child. These services are of no cost to the parent & client & are rendered to parents & their intellectually disabled adult children who reside in the state of Illinois.

The founder & board president of ESW is a parent who has lived experience in providing care & support for a daughter with autism who is now an adult & professional experience as a certified regular & special educator in the state of Illinois.

ESW’s vision is to cultivate a community of practice in which parents of adults with any disability take a hands-on approach in providing &/or creating nonexistent resources & programming through the process of brainstorming, collaborating, advocating, & networking to accommodate the areas of need of their adult child & the adult children in the ESW community.