Therapeutic
Services

​​New Connections Academy (NCA) is a therapeutic day school serving children, adolescents, and young adults ages 6–22 from public school districts throughout the Chicagoland area. NCA provides an alternative educational setting for students whose emotional, behavioral, academic, developmental, and/or social needs significantly impact their ability to access and benefit from a traditional school environment. ​Our program integrates specialized academic instruction with comprehensive therapeutic and related services within a highly structured, supportive, and individualized setting. The goal of the program is to address the whole student while providing the academic, therapeutic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports necessary for students to develop skills, increase independence, and experience meaningful educational success.

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Based on individual student needs, NCA offers a comprehensive continuum of related and therapeutic services throughout the school day. These services may include Individual and Group Counseling, Speech & Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Transition Services, and Psychiatric and Psychological Consultation. Services are coordinated with the student's educational and therapeutic programming to promote consistency and maximize student progress.​ Each student is assigned a Primary Therapist who serves as an integral member of the student's educational and treatment team. Primary Therapists provide weekly individual therapy and are available throughout the school day to provide case management, crisis intervention, therapeutic support, and consultation as student needs arise.

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Primary Therapists also maintain ongoing communication with parents and caregivers regarding student progress, emerging concerns, treatment needs, and strategies for supporting the student across settings. Family involvement is an essential component of the therapeutic process. Families are encouraged to participate in regular communication and family therapy with the NCA therapist as appropriate to the student's treatment plan.

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Students also participate in weekly group therapy within their classroom environment alongside similarly aged peers. Group therapy provides students with opportunities to strengthen social-emotional skills, develop effective communication and problem-solving strategies, increase self-awareness, practice perspective-taking, and apply therapeutic skills within the context of their daily school experience.

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NCA's therapeutic team engages in ongoing consultation, professional development, and collaboration to support students presenting with a wide range of emotional, behavioral, developmental, and mental health needs. Treatment and intervention are individualized to the student and emphasize collaboration among the student, family, educational team, and therapeutic providers.