Our Mission
Our College Academic Support Services (CASS) team members use a holistic approach while working with high school, college, and post college individuals with disabilities. We are here to help students and families prepare for the transition to college and beyond by providing one-on-one services to identify strengths, needs, and transferable skills for use throughout their academic and future career. Our team is made up of experienced, clinically certified professionals in the fields of education, disabilities and mental health.
We strive to provide exceptional and successful experiences for:
- Identifying and overcoming barriers that impede academic success
- Developing study skills and habits necessary to be a successful college student
- Strengthening self-discipline, self-motivation, and self-advocacy skills
- Improving stress management and time management know-how
- Developing long and short-term goals for success
- Providing support with college applications and financial opportunities
- Helping navigate the college environment, understand academic expectations, and locate resources
- Advocating for students and families in high school and college
- Creating a personalized success plan for transitioning from high school to college, during college, and transitioning after college
After completing a thorough intake, the student, parents (if applicable) and our clinicians collaborate to determine the right level of service for each student.
Level 1 College Services:
- Developing an academic plan or consulting about a current academic plan
- Reviewing or setting up mandated accommodations through the college’s disabilities services
- Emailing professors at midterm to find out academic status; communicating information back to student/parent
- Working on self-advocacy skills;
- Helping navigate college resources
- Emailing with students/parents for update on students’ academic status
Level 2 College Services:
All services from the Level 1 package plus:
- Emailing professors monthly to assess academic status
- Monthly in-person meeting at office
- Supporting student virtually to improve self-advocacy skills
- Attending to academic coaching needs
Level 3 College Services:
All services from the Level 1 and 2 packages plus:
- Bi-monthly meetings in office
- Working on executive functioning, time management and organizational skills
- Addressing mental health concerns
High School/Summer Transition Services
- Attending Transition/IEP meeting at the high school and/or attending initial intake meeting at local college
- Helping the family plan for adult independent living skills (paying bills, grocery shopping, laundry, etc.)
- Navigating college experience with local colleges
- Career/Major counseling
- Providing support with college applications and accessing resources
- Collaborating with case manager at the high school for academic feedback and status
- Setting up and implementing goals in high school to prepare for the post high school transition
- Finding referrals for outside academic resources if needed
- Bi-monthly meetings in office
Additional Services (High School and College)
- IEP representation
- Records review
- Document preparation
- Counseling/career/coaching sessions
- Search majors/application session
For a list of costs associated with each level of service, click here
Meet our clinicians!
Stacey Watson, MA, LCPC
Stacey has spent her entire career working with and advocating for students with disabilities. After earning her bachelor’s degree in special education from Indiana University, Stacey worked as the coordinator and educator for a high school alternative program. She then completed her master’s degree in clinical counseling at Adler School of Professional Psychology. For the past 13 years, Ms. Watson has served as a counselor in the access and disabilities department at a local community college as well as an adjunct faculty instructor in the Human Services department. Stacey co-founded the Transition Autism Program in 2013, which has supported over 100 students toward their goal of completing an associates degree. Her focus in private practice is helping students make a successful transition to post secondary education.
Katie Beerman, MS, LPC
Katie is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master’s of Science Degree in Counseling from Eastern Illinois University. She has over 14 years of experience working with college age and adult students with learning disabilities, mental health issues, and other conditions requiring the need for academic accommodations. She has taught first year experience/college introduction courses as an adjunct professor and has vast knowledge of programs and accommodations for college students. Katie specializes in working with client’s and their families to transition from high school to college, insure accommodation needs are being met at the college level, and to teach clients to be self-advocates.
If you would like to inquire about our services, please email us at [email protected]
Prior to your intake appointment, please print and complete these documents: