Champaign's Child and Family Connections office for Early Intervention operates right in the city, and Champaign Unit 4 School District handles the bulk of school-age special education. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, just next door, is also a partner site in the state's autism resource network.

Below are the working phone numbers and web addresses behind each of those, plus the statewide programs that apply the same way anywhere in Illinois: the PUNS disability waiver waitlist, the state's autism insurance mandate, and Medicaid's ABA benefit.

Statewide programs, numbers, and rights are on the Illinois page. This page adds the local entry points that are specific to Champaign (Champaign County).

Early intervention under 3: Illinois Early Intervention (Part C)

Birth-to-3 services in Illinois fall under Early Intervention, which the state's newly created Illinois Department of Early Childhood has led since July 1, 2026. Champaign's own Child and Family Connections office, at 201 W. Springfield Ave., also covers Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, McLean, and Vermilion counties. A parent, relative, or doctor can get the referral moving, and the first evaluation — free of charge — doesn't require a diagnosis first.

• Illinois Early Intervention (Part C)
• Referral phone: 217-693-7958 (CFC 16, Champaign County) · 1-800-843-6154 (statewide locator)

New to early intervention? Read the plain-language guide first.

School districts and special education

Illinois school districts carry what's called a Child Find duty — finding and evaluating, without charge, any child from birth through 21 who may need special education. Champaign Unit 4 School District, which runs Champaign Central and Champaign Centennial high schools, publishes both a general special education page and a page specifically about making a referral. Submitting that request in writing starts the clock: 14 school days for the district to decide whether an evaluation is warranted, then up to 60 school days after your written consent to finish it and meet about eligibility.

• Champaign Unit 4 School District — Special Education — district-wide special education services and eligibility categories
• Champaign Unit 4 School District — Making a Referral for Special Education — the district's specific Child Find referral page for parents starting an evaluation request

IEP or 504 · If you disagree with the school

Evaluation and diagnosis pathways in Champaign

We have not yet verified a hospital or university evaluation program with public intake information in Champaign. That is a gap in our research, not a sign there is nothing here — and it does not stand between you and an evaluation. The school district evaluation above is free, and early intervention under 3 does not need a private diagnosis first.

How assessment works · What to do while you wait

Disability services and waivers: IDHS Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)

Illinois channels long-term disability supports through Medicaid waivers, reached by joining PUNS, a statewide database, rather than through a Champaign County agency. An Independent Service Coordination agency handles eligibility and the PUNS interview, and a child can be entered starting at age 2.5. Adults in the 'Seeking Services' category are, under the state's Ligas Consent Decree commitment, meant to be selected for waiver funding within five years of enrolling.

• IDHS Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
• Phone: 1-888-DD-PLANS (1-888-337-5267) · 1-866-376-8446 (TTY)

Local organizations that help Champaign families

• The Autism Program of Illinois — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign partner site — one of the network's 20 statewide centers is hosted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; contact TAP centrally at 217-953-0894 x30479 to reach it
• The Arc of Illinois — Family Support Network — statewide help with PUNS enrollment and waiver navigation; 708-331-7370
• Equip for Equality — Illinois' Protection & Advocacy agency; statewide helpline 800-537-2632

Documented waits and access notes

Wait times change. Each note below links to the public source it came from — confirm current status directly with the program.

• From the day Champaign's Child and Family Connections office logs a referral, Illinois Early Intervention has 45 days to complete the evaluation and convene the first IFSP meeting, not just make contact. (source)
• The $36,000 annual ceiling in Illinois' autism insurance law binds only state-regulated plans, so a self-funded plan through a Champaign-area employer or the university can skip covering ABA altogether. (source)