Local resources in Waukegan
Ordered by review count, then name. Providers cannot pay to be listed, ranked, or edited.
6 resources in Waukegan
1. Autism Family Cares
Family support groups (monthly, drop-in), events for autistic children and their families (including holiday parties and movie nights), and community education. Developed free classroom lesson plans for teaching autism awareness to elementary students.
Ages Families and caregivers of autistic children
2. Green Meadows Dental
Comprehensive pediatric dental services including cleanings and prevention, restorations, orthodontics, oral surgery, periodontics, endodontics, and prosthodontics.
Ages Children
3. Growing Minds ABA Therapy Center, NFP
In-home ABA therapy for ages 1–12, school-based support, and parent training.
Ages Ages 1 to 12
4. North Shore Pediatric Therapy — Early Autism Testing Clinic
Autism diagnostic evaluation for children aged 4 and under using ADOS-2 assessment, completed in a single three-hour appointment.
Ages Children 4 and under (expedited track)Wait Assessments for children 4 and under can typically be scheduled within two weeks of first contact
5. Special Recreation Services of Northern Lake County (SRSNLC)
Adaptive recreation programmes for disabled individuals aged 6+, including sports, aquatics, fitness classes, arts and crafts, social outings, day camps, and Special Olympics teams.
Ages Ages 6 and older
6. The Place for Children with Autism — Waukegan/Gurnee
Full-day, centre-based ABA therapy in a 9,000 sq ft facility featuring individual and group services: social skills, communication, independent living skills, speech therapy, behaviour management, school readiness, and safety skills.
Ages Children
The short answer for Waukegan
- Under 3: Illinois Early Intervention. Waukegan's Child and Family Connections office, run by the Lake County Health Department, is in the city — call 847-377-8900 (toll-free 888-539-3033). Any adult can refer a child, no diagnosis needed first.
- 3 and up: send a written evaluation request to Waukegan Community Unit School District 60's Diverse Learners office. A district has 14 school days to decide whether to evaluate.
- Warren Township High School District, which serves part of Waukegan, publishes a dedicated Child Find page and a sample parent letter for requesting an evaluation.
- Long-term disability supports run through Illinois' PUNS waitlist, not a Lake County office — enroll with an Independent Service Coordination agency by calling 1-888-DD-PLANS.
- Illinois funds ABA through two separate channels — its private-insurance mandate, or a dedicated ABA benefit under Illinois Medicaid — so check which applies to you.
Waukegan is Lake County's seat, and its Child and Family Connections office for Early Intervention is headquartered right in the city. Most of Waukegan's schools fall under Waukegan Community Unit School District 60, with the high-school-age portion of one edge of the city served by neighboring Warren Township High School District.
This page lists the working contacts behind those systems, 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 Waukegan (Lake County).
Early intervention under 3: Illinois Early Intervention (Part C)
Illinois Early Intervention covers children from birth to age 3; since July 1, 2026, the program has answered to a brand-new agency built for the purpose, the Illinois Department of Early Childhood. Waukegan's own Child and Family Connections office, run by the Lake County Health Department at 3010 Grand Ave., covers all of Lake County. No diagnosis is needed to get started: a parent, relative, or doctor can refer a child directly, and that first evaluation is free.
- Illinois Early Intervention (Part C)
- Referral phone: 847-377-8900 (CFC 2, Lake County) · 1-800-843-6154 (statewide locator)
New to early intervention? Read the plain-language guide first.
School districts and special education
Every district in Illinois has a Child Find obligation: finding and evaluating, at no charge, any child from birth through age 21 who may need special education. Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 serves the majority of the city's students from early childhood through grade 12, while Warren Township High School District covers high schoolers in part of Waukegan. Filing that request in writing sets two deadlines: 14 school days for a decision on whether to evaluate, and up to 60 school days after your written consent to complete it and cover eligibility.
- Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 — Diverse Learners — serves the majority of Waukegan students from early childhood through grade 12
- Warren Township High School District — serves high school-age students in part of Waukegan; Student Services Team 847-662-1400; provides a sample letter for requesting an evaluation
Evaluation and diagnosis pathways in Waukegan
We have not yet verified a hospital or university evaluation program with public intake information in Waukegan. 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.
Disability services and waivers: IDHS Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
Illinois funds long-term disability supports through Medicaid waivers, reached by joining PUNS, a statewide waitlist, rather than through a Lake County office. An Independent Service Coordination agency handles eligibility and the PUNS interview, and a child can be entered starting at age 2.5. Adults sitting 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 Waukegan families
- Family Resource Center on Disabilities (FRCD) — special-education parent training and IEP support across Lake and seven other counties covering the Waukegan area; 312-939-3513
- 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.
- Illinois Early Intervention requires the Lake County Health Department's CFC office to finish evaluating a Waukegan toddler and hold the initial IFSP meeting within 45 days of the referral landing. (source)
- Illinois law limits state-regulated autism coverage to $36,000 annually and exempts self-funded employer plans, which cover a share of Waukegan-area workers through larger employers. (source)
Paying for support in Waukegan
Illinois' insurance mandate (215 ILCS 5/356z.14) requires most state-regulated health plans to cover autism diagnosis and ABA for people under 21, and a separate Illinois Medicaid ABA benefit covers children with a qualifying diagnosis whose plan doesn't fall under that mandate.
Nothing here is a recommendation — we list what exists, note what a provider says about itself, and let parents tell you the rest.
Common questions from Waukegan parents
Sources
- [1]Illinois Department of Early Childhood — Early Intervention Services. Open source
- [2]Child and Family Connections Listing of Illinois (rev. 3-2026). Open source
- [3]Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 — Diverse Learners. Open source
- [4]Warren Township High School District — Child Find. Open source
- [5]ISBE — Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois (Jan. 2026). Open source
- [6]IDHS — Illinois PUNS, Division of Developmental Disabilities. Open source
- [7]Family Resource Center on Disabilities. Open source
- [8]Illinois Autism Insurance Coalition — autism insurance mandate. Open source
- [9]Illinois Autism Insurance Coalition — Medicaid ABA benefit. Open source
Last checked 2026-08-11. Programs and links change — confirm with the agency before relying on any detail. This page is information, not legal or medical advice.