Community Partnerships

The UIC Department of Occupational Therapy has partnerships with a number of community agencies, providing consultative services, staff development, and educational activities. These agencies work primarily with underserved populations in the city of Chicago, including people with disabilities, senior citizens, individuals with HIV/AIDS, low-income children, and survivors of domestic violence.

Access Living
www.accessliving.org
UIC Coordinator: Joy Hammel, Associate Professor
Dr. Hammel works closely with Access Living Center for Independent Living, a large urban center located close to UIC. Access Living was created by and is run by and for people with disabilities. They are based upon an independent living rights model, and focus on education, technical assistance, and activism to support choice and control by people with disabilities. Areas of programming include community reintegration with people who want to move out of nursing homes/institutions to live in the community, affordable and accessible housing, and civil rights. UIC faculty and students work closely with Access Living to effect systems change to promote community living and participation-choice and control.

Bonaventure House & Chicago House
www.bonaventurehouse.org
www.chicagohouse.org
UIC Coordinator: Brent Braveman, Clinical Professor
Bonaventure House (on Chicago’s North Side accessible by public transportation) and Chicago House (on Chicago’s near West Side accessible by auto) are two different agencies in Chicago that provide supportive and transitional living services to persons living with HIV/AIDS. The facilities provide persons living with HIV/AIDS (who might otherwise be homeless) food, shelter, case management and other services directed at returning to independent living.

Bethel New Life
www.bethelnewlife.org
UIC Coordinators: Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, Professor; Elizabeth Walker Peterson, Clinical Associate Professor
Bethel New Life is a community-based organization located on Chicago’s westside. Bethel New Life provides a range of services to working class African-American families. Dr. Suarez-Balcazar and her students work in the Molade Child Development Center with children ages three to five in a variety of tasks such as conducting developmental screenings, working with the teachers and running small educational groups.

Chicago Department on Aging - Northeast Levy Center
UIC Coordinator: Kathy Preissner, Clinical Assistant Professor
The Northeast (Levy) Center is one of five senior centers directed by the Chicago Department on Aging. It is located at the intersection of Lawrence and Damen Avenues. The Levy Center serves an ethnically diverse population of Chicago residents ages 60 and over who live in the surrounding neighborhood. A variety of services and activities are available at the Levy Center including a fitness center, Golden Diners (hot lunches), information and assistance, benefits assistance, a drivers safety program, computer classes, support groups, health and wellness programs, and recreational activities such as arts and craft classes.

Chicago Department on Aging - Ogden Center
UIC Coordinator: Elizabeth Walker Peterson, Clinical Associate Professor
Chicago is known for its neighborhood communities that reflect the cultural diversity of the city. The Chicago Department on Aging has built a senior center in each of the five regions of Chicago. The Central West (Ogden) Center primarily serves African American clients who live near UIC on the west side of Chicago. These centers serve as a focal point to Chicago residents who are 60+ and their caregivers as a variety of social, educational and recreational services and activities are available. Each center is tailored to the needs and interests of the communities with every center providing a core of program and services including: information & assistance; caregiver resource; life enrichment activities (classes and workshops, day trips and tours, and special events and parties); fitness centers; wellness programs (nursing, dietitian, and pharmacy services on site & available by appointment); volunteer opportunities; and Golden Diners (hot lunches).

Chicago Lighthouse
www.thechicagolighthouse.org
UIC Coordinator: Renee Taylor, Associate Professor
The Chicago Lighthouse is a community-based organization that is tailored toward empowering individuals with visual impairments and in many cases multiple overlapping disabilities. Dr. Taylor and her students work directly with clients and staff at the Lighthouse.

City Kids Inc.
http://citykidsinc.squarespace.com
UIC Coordinator: Gary Kielhofner, Professor
City Kids Inc. is a therapy center offering physical, occupational, speech & language and developmental therapy to children with special needs. The center is located in Northwest Chicago in an environment that is child and family friendly. City Kids' goal is to optimize each child's function based upon his or her individual needs. The center is also a strong supporter of clinical education and provides continuing education for therapists on a national level. Additionally, City Kids offers small developmental preschool playgroups, and a variety of therapeutic classes and groups for all ages.

El Valor
www.elvalor.org
UIC Coordinator: Gail Fisher, Clinical Associate Professor
El Valor is a comprehensive organization providing numerous services for primarily Hispanic children and adults in Pilsen, a Mexican-American neighborhood on the southwest side of Chicago near UIC, and several other satellite locations in the city. At El Valor, students are involved with programs that serve adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities. This includes the day program, which provides work opportunities as well as a fitness, life skills and creative arts program; as well as several of the five residential homes for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities that are run by El Valor.

Greater Illinois Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
www.nationalmssociety.org/ILD
UIC Coordinator: Marcia Finlayson, Associate Professor
The Greater Illinois Chapter of the National MS Society is located in Chicago. MS is a chronic degenerative neurological disease that is typically diagnosed in young adulthood, and leads to a variety of symptoms and functional limitations. The agency provides a wide variety of informational materials, educational programs, support groups, and independence programs to enable people with MS and their families to manage this disease and its consequences on daily life.

LaGrange Area Department for Special Education (LADSE)
www.ladse.org
UIC Coordinator: Susan M. Cahill, Clinical Assistant Professor
LADSE is a special education cooperative servicing students with special needs from 17 public school districts located in west Cook and east DuPage counties in the near west Chicago suburbs. Students and Ms. Cahill are working to develop and implement a school-wide healthy lifestyles initiative.

Midwest Brain Injury Clubhouse
www.braininjuryclubhouse.org
UIC Coordinator: Kathy Preissner, Clinical Assistant Professor
The Midwest Brain Injury Clubhouse is a community-based organization that provides long term support for individuals with acquired brain injury. The mission of the Clubhouse is for members to work together to develop and grow in order to lead productive and fulfilling lives in their homes and community.

Oak Park Township Seniors' Services
www.oakparktownship.org/seniorservices/services.htm
UIC Coordinator: Marcia Finlayson, Associate Professor
Oak Park Township Seniors' Services (OPTSS) is located in Oak Park. OPTSS is a comprehensive service agency serving older adults in the Oak Park and River Forest communities. It provides congregate meals, case management, elder abuse services, health promotion programs, and a wide variety of other services all of which have the goal of maintaining older adults independently in the community as long as possible.

Pathways Center
www.pathwayscenter.org
UIC Coordinator: Gary Kielhofner, Professor
Pathways Center is a pediatric rehabilitation facility in Glenview, a suburb just north of Chicago. Pathways is an interdisciplinary community based center providing occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and social welfare services to approximately 200 children (3-18)and their families. Dr. Kielhofner is working with the center to create more child and family centered services and service that are theory- and evidence-based.