New Horizon Center offers programs for all ages with developmental disabilities

CHICAGO (WLS) -- New Horizon Center is a private therapeutic day school for children with severe developmental disabilities. They also have an adult program.

The organization has been on Chicago's northwest side on West Forest Preserve Drive for eight years.

"The one thing that we have difficulty with in accessing our community is our location doesn't have a sidewalk, so we have to always transport our students rather than walk in the community," said Patricia Palmer, the managing director of New Horizon Center.

"The program has been in operation since 1967," she said. "We do have 1-1 support for them to keep them engaged in their educational process throughout the day and we have a lot of support staff as well therapists who work together, and of course classroom teachers and teacher assistants all work hands-on with our students."

Students are referred to the year-round New Horizon Center by their home school district.

For the adult program, there is an application process with the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Palmer says students favor the recreational part of the program.

"They enjoy the large and small motor activities, they also enjoy fine motor hands-on kinds of sensory activities," she said.

"Everyone is always so pleasantly surprised at how beautiful our facility is and how warm and welcoming it is for the students who are here and our staff is the same way. They are always involved," she said. "What we do here makes a difference every single day in the lives of these children and I know it does, I see it and I feel it."

For more information, visit newhorizoncenter.org.