The Autism Program Central Illinois Regional Training and Service Center at The Hope Institute for Children and Families (HICF)

The Autism Program-Central Illinois Regional Training and Service center is located in the Noll Medical Pavilion at 5220 South Sixth Street in Springfield, IL. The Noll Medical Pavilion is a 50,000 square foot facility that also houses Mental Health Centers of Illinois Children’s Center and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

This is a view of the reception area of The Autism Program-Central Illinois Regional Training and Service Center.

The Family and Community Resource Room (FCRR) is a core outreach program of the Central Illinois Regional Training and Service Center. The FCRR offers free visual supports and learning aids as well as a loan library which includes books, DVD’s, computer software, games and toys. Items in the FCRR were designed specifically for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The Boardmaker program is available for use by parents and service providers through the Family and Community Resource Room. Our Family Resource Librarian is available to assist in designing and creating unique and specific visual supports.

The Autism Program provides many materials that are available for loan from the Family and Community Resource Room.

Free learning aids and visual supports are available in the Family and Community Resource Room.

Informational materials on Autism Spectrum Disorder are available free of charge through the Family and Community Resource Room.

The Communication Clubhouse is a child and family-friendly computer lab that contains a wide range of language-based computer programs designed specifically to help teach children with ASD language and communication skills. Parents and their children are welcome to use the Communications Clubhouse anytime during regular business hours. The Clubhouse is also available for Speech and Language Pathology consultation services.

Occupational Therapy Consultation Services are offered through The Autism Program-Central Illinois Regional Training and Service Center. This is a view of the Occupational Therapy Gym.

The Social Skills Room is a large room used primarily for social skills groups, but is also utilized by Occupational Therapists (OT), Speech and Language Therapists (SLP) and Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) during diagnostic and treatment services. The room is structured, with clearly defined areas for activities and learning and can be modified to meet the specific needs of the group or individuals utilizing the space.

The Diagnostic Suite at The Autism Program consists of a room where the diagnostic evaluations are conducted as well as an observation room from which the evaluation may be viewed via closed circuit television. Evaluations can be recorded for use by clinical staff, review by members of the evaluation team and for training purposes.

Annaelise Morgan, MSW, LSW is a licensed social worker with The Autism Program's Central Illinois Regional Training and Service Center. Ms. Morgan completed her MSW at the University of Illinois - Urbana/Champaign. She currently directs the "Getting Along" social skills group program for the Central Illinois Center. Ms. Morgan also oversees the Sibling Support programs provided by the Center, serves as the clinical supervisor and coordinator of the undergraduate social work internship program and serves as a community liaison for the Central Illinois Center. In addition, Ms. Morgan provides clinical services to families through the Family Focus Consultation program and Comprehensive Diagnostic Clinic. Prior to joining the staff of The Autism Program, Ms. Morgan worked for more than a decade as a social worker and parent educator in the Springfield Public School system. She resides in Springfield with her husband Dave and her two children Zoe age 13 and Max age 3.

Julie Alderman, M.A., LCPC, is a licensed clinical counselor with The Autism Program Central Illinois Regional Training and Service Center (TAP-CIC) at The Hope Institute for Children and Families (HICF). Ms. Alderman earned her master's degree in clinical psychology from the University of Illinois-Springfield. She currently serves as the Site Director for TAP-CIC. She is responsible for the development of The Family and Community Resource Room located at the Central site. In addition to her work with families and providers, Ms. Alderman administers The Assessment for Treatment Planning clinical service for the Center and is currently developing a unique social skill survival program for adolescents with Asperger's Syndrome or High Functioning Autism. Ms. Alderman has nearly 20 years of clinical experience working with persons with developmental disabilities and other neurological disorders. Prior to joining The Autism Program, Ms. Alderman was employed in both private practice and at the Department of Health Care Psychology at Memorial Medical Center.

Kim Pollock, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist, heads the diagnostic clinic. Dr. Pollock earned a master's degree in clinical psychology at Illinois State University and completed a doctoral degree in clinical child psychology at The University of Alabama. She completed a doctoral internship at the Des Moines Child and Adolescent Guidance Center. Her professional experience has focused extensively on assessment and intervention with preschool- and school-aged youth with autism and other developmental disabilities, as well as accompanying behavioral difficulties. Other areas of specialization include parent training and parent-child interaction therapy; intervention in youth with histories of sexual and physical abuse; and assessment and treatment of youth with sexual behavior problems. Dr. Pollock practices at The Autism Program Central Illinois Regional Training Center at The Hope Institute for Children and Families (HICF), where she participates in assessment and intervention with autistic and developmentally disabled youth, and in training and consultation at The Hope Institute for Children and Families (HICF) and within the community.

Craig Humphrey, M.S., BCBA, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who works with families in The Autism Program's ABA Crisis Clinic. His professional experience includes work at The Hope Institute for Children and Families (HICF) as a behavior analyst where he develops and monitors behavior support plans and strategies for youth with autism and developmental disabilities. His overall responsibilities in both of these positions include completing functional analyses, data analysis and interpretation, training on operant learning and behavioral intervention/management techniques. Humphrey also works as a behavioral consultant for families and school districts and routinely presents workshops in applied behavior analysis and discrete trial training. He is an adjunct professor at MacMurray College and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Humphrey earned a master's degree in applied psychology/behavior analysis from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn., and a bachelor's degree in biopsychology from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich.