Empowering Minds for a Brighter Future

Rush Day School, founded in 1967, is a not-for-profit therapeutic school offering education and treatment for autism spectrum and emotionally disabled children ages six to fourteen. Some of the children may also have another neurologically based disorder, a learning disability or a speech and language disorder that require clinical and educational intervention. The goal for each student is to return to a less restrictive school environment. The majority of our students return to a public or private school in regular education with support.

Some highlights of the Rush Day School include:

• A strong academic program — Curriculum is aligned with the Illinois State Standards and a child’s home school district.
• Certified special education teachers provide individualized and group academic instruction in classrooms of up to eight students. A resource teacher provides additional support for individual students both inside and outside of all classrooms as needed.
• Psychiatric nurses design individualized behavior management plans for each student. They collaborate with child psychiatrists and other physicians regarding diagnosis, medication monitoring and reduction of symptoms.
• Intensive therapeutic services including individual and family therapy, group therapy with an emphasis on social skills development, and parent groups are provided by a professional and experienced clinical team. This includes a licensed clinical psychologist, licensed clinical social workers, and advanced practice nurses.
• A full-time occupational therapist meets individually with children who require services based on their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and consults with the classroom teams. A focus for treatment may include sensory integration.
• We offer art therapy and a wide range of other art programs including music, drama, improvisation and photography as part of a fine arts curriculum.
• A learning disabilities specialist and board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist provide weekly consultations.

Approved by the Illinois State Board of Education and accredited by the North Central Association, Rush Day School is the only therapeutic day school in the Chicago metropolitan area affiliated with an academic medical center. Our mission aligns with the mission of Rush University Medical Center and incorporates the core “I CARE” values: Innovation, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect and Excellence.

We are committed to providing the very best individualized treatment and academic training for autism spectrum and emotionally disabled children who come from over twenty school districts.

To obtain further information, please call (312) 942-6627.

Download a copy of the Rush Day School brochure.

Jean L. Heideman, MPP, MS, is director of the Rush Day School.

Providing the most effective education and best experience for its students takes a team approach. The team at Rush Day School includes a number of specialists:

• Teachers certified in emotional and behavior disorders, learning disabilities and autism
• Clinical social workers and psychologists
• Child psychiatric nurses
• A consulting psychiatrist
• Occupational and speech therapists
• Art and music therapists

Planning for the Future

Our ultimate goal is to return students to the setting that is appropriate for them, be it a mainstream school, an alternative self-contained program or a unique combination of educational and resource services. Planning for that return starts early in a student’s tenure at Rush Day School. Each child’s academic and therapeutic plan includes important benchmarks — and strategies for reaching those benchmarks — that will empower him or her to achieve success.