Nearly two decades of service. Thousands of lives touched.
SIP Arts Foundation formally incorporated in April 2026 as the successor organization to PTL Childcare, carrying forward community work in the Metro East that began in 2007. Since 2019, this work has supported more than 7,000 unduplicated individuals and families navigating disability, special education, and mental health systems.
Madison & St. Clair
The gap between what families need and what the system provides is widening.
Families of children with disabilities in Illinois face long waits, fragmented services, and a shortage of qualified support. The Metro East region, across Madison and St. Clair Counties, is particularly under-resourced.
Sources: Illinois Department of Human Services, National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, National Center for Education Statistics.
Growing reach. Deepening impact.
Our work expanded rapidly in response to pandemic-era family need and has sustained into regional service delivery across education, advocacy, and family support.
2020 – 2021 reflects pandemic crisis response supporting families navigating school closures, distance learning, and disruption to essential services.
Meaningful relationships. Real footprint.
Our impact extends through schools, community partners, and direct family engagement across Madison and St. Clair Counties.
Collaboration over competition.
Our work is strengthened by long-standing relationships with regional and national partners. These collaborations have helped expand access to advocacy, education, and inclusive opportunities for the families we serve.
Four program pillars. One integrated approach.
Every service we deliver reflects work the team has refined over nearly two decades of direct engagement with Metro East families.
Support for the whole family, not just the child
When one child has a disability, the whole family carries it. Our programs support parents, siblings, and caregivers in recognizing that family stability is a core determinant of child outcomes.
- Parent counseling and family therapy
- Parent support groups and peer resources
- Sibling support groups for children ages 8+
- Respite care for parents of children with disabilities
Equipping communities to advocate for themselves
Workshops and training that demystify special education law and build advocacy capacity in families, educators, and community members.
- Special education advocacy workshops
- IEP rights and IDEA law training
- Training for adults in special needs caregiving
- Community education on disability rights
Building skills, confidence, and voice
Programs that support young people with disabilities as they develop communication, self-advocacy, and life skills for independent living and healthy relationships.
- Relationship health and wellness training for teens 13 – 17
- Communication and decision-making skills
- Internet safety, identity, and healthy relationships
- Transition planning and employment readiness
Creative voice as a tool for advocacy
Arts-based programs that celebrate expression for individuals of all abilities. Art is a tool for advocacy, healing, identity, and belonging — for everyone, regardless of diagnosis.
- Pathways of the Metroeast community art book
- Quarterly community workshops with creative response
- Visual art, writing, and recorded testimony
- Community visibility platforms
Moments that define the work.
Selected milestones from recent years illustrating the range and depth of community engagement.
Evidence-based methods. Family-centered delivery.
Our program design is grounded in established research and international best practice. We do not experiment with our families. We bring them methods that have been studied, validated, and refined.
WHO-Informed Caregiver Training
Program staff complete caregiver skills training developed by the World Health Organization for families of children with developmental delays and disabilities.
Neuroplasticity-Based Methods
Individualized support plans are built on the science of how the developing brain forms new pathways, tailored to each child's cognitive and developmental profile.
Family-Centered Delivery
Programs are designed to work alongside existing health and social services, with families as active partners rather than passive recipients.
Families the system too often overlooks.
Our work focuses on children, young adults, and families whose needs do not fit neatly into standard educational, therapeutic, or community settings.
Credentialed professionals. Real expertise.
Our leadership brings formal education, clinical licensure, and decades of direct practice. Every program reflects real expertise in special education, behavioral analysis, nursing, and clinical social work.
Special Education & Behavioral Analysis
Master's in Educational Technology, Bachelor's in Special Education, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and Registered Behavior Technician.
Licensed Clinical Social Work
Board-level clinical expertise ensuring our therapeutic programs meet professional standards of practice.
Registered Nursing
RN-level oversight of programming for medically fragile children and families managing complex health needs.
The work continues.
The community deserves more.
We welcome partnership with grantmakers, foundations, community investors, and organizations who share our commitment to families navigating disability and special education systems. Every dollar extends real programs to real families in the Metro East.