About Autism Assessment, Research, Treatment & Services Center · Chicago
The Autism Assessment, Research, Treatment & Services (AARTS) Center is a multidisciplinary specialty clinic housed within Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by psychiatrist Louis J. Kraus, MD, the AARTS Center provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and evidence-based treatment for children, adolescents, and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while also running clinical research studies. The clinical team is composed of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and nurse practitioners, complemented by a large research staff and a trainee program for post-doctoral fellows, PhD candidates, and MSW candidates.
The AARTS Center operates from the Westgate Building at 1645 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 603, in Chicago's Illinois Medical District, with some providers also seeing patients at 2150 W. Harrison St. It was founded by Louis J. Kraus, MD, DFAPA, FAACAP — Rush's Woman's Board Professor and Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry — to integrate clinical care, training, and research around autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The center is one of the few programs in Illinois that routinely diagnoses and treats teenagers and adults with autism, not just children. The clinical team is led by Director Latha V. Soorya, PhD, BCBA (a clinical psychologist and behavior analyst with over two decades of ASD experience and gold-standard diagnostic expertise on ADOS-2 and ADI-R), Associate Clinical Director Jennifer Moriuchi, PhD (trained at Emory/Marcus Autism Center and Oregon Health & Science University), Research Director Allie Wainer, PhD (Michigan State PhD, NIH/PCORI/Autism Speaks funded), and Outreach Director Holly Wiese, LCSW. The multidisciplinary team provides diagnostic evaluation and re-evaluation, individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, parent training, couples therapy, medication evaluation and management, and school consultation. The AARTS Center is also an active research hub, contributing to large multi-site studies including the SPARK DNA research project, the PEERS social-skills program (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills), and trials studying novel social-skills group models and digital health tools. Research has contributed to new findings about genes that cause autism. Care is delivered by the leadership and clinical team alongside post-doctoral fellows, PhD and MSW trainees, and a separate research team of research assistants, data managers, and project coordinators. The center serves the Chicagoland area and beyond, with referrals accepted from school districts and self-referrals.
- Owner
- Louis J. Kraus, MD, DFAPA, FAACAP (founder of the AARTS Center at Rush; also Woman's Board Professor and Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Rush)
- Serves
- Chicago metropolitan area and broader Chicagoland; referrals and consultations offered to community providers in the United States and internationally (through outreach and training programs)
- Rating
- 2.0 (25 Google reviews via Birdeye)
About the AARTS Center
The Autism Assessment, Research, Treatment & Services (AARTS) Center, located within Rush University Medical Center, was founded to bring comprehensive, evidence-based care to people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across the lifespan. The center integrates clinical care, research, and training under one roof, providing a seamless continuum of services for children, adolescents, and adults. AARTS is one of the few programs in Illinois — and one of even fewer in the Midwest — that routinely evaluates and treats teens and adults with autism, not just young children. The team's multidisciplinary approach brings together psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and nurse practitioners, supported by a research staff and a training program for the next generation of autism clinicians and scientists.
- Founded by Louis J. Kraus, MD, DFAPA, FAACAP
- Part of Rush University Medical Center, an academic medical center with more than 180 years of history
- Clinical care, research, and training integrated under one program
- Treats children, adolescents, and adults with ASD
Locations and How to Reach the Center
The AARTS Center's primary clinic is on the 6th floor of Rush's Westgate Building at 1645 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 603, in Chicago's Illinois Medical District. Some AARTS Center providers also see patients at the nearby Rush Pediatric Psychiatry location at 2150 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60612. Patients reach the office at (312) 942-0819 and appointments through the Rush scheduling line at (888) 352-7874. Public parking is available directly across the street from the Westgate Building at $6 with validation, good up to four hours.
- Main clinic: 1645 W. Jackson Blvd., Westgate Building, Suite 603, Chicago, IL 60612
- Secondary clinical location: 2150 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60612 (selected providers)
- Office phone: (312) 942-0819
- Appointments: (888) 352-7874
- Fax: (312) 942-2410
- Public parking across from Westgate Building: $6 with validation, up to 4 hours
Hours of Operation
Clinical services are by appointment only. Birdeye business listings show weekday hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with the center closed on weekends. Patients are encouraged to call ahead or request appointments through MyChart or the online appointment form on Rush's website.
- Monday – Friday: By appointment only (commonly 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.)
- Saturday – Sunday: Closed
Autism Diagnostic Evaluations
Experts at the AARTS Center offer comprehensive evaluations for children, teens, and adults who may have autism spectrum disorder. The diagnostic process typically involves three to four appointments and includes interviews with the patient and their loved ones, tests of decision-making and processing abilities, evaluation of social interaction and communication skills, and screening for other conditions that can mimic or accompany autism. After testing is complete, the team meets with the family to review findings and recommendations and provides a written summary. The evaluation process is tailored to each patient's age and needs, accounting for the way symptoms can change over a lifetime.
- Comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for children, teens, and adults
- Diagnostic re-evaluations
- Interviews with patients and family members
- Cognitive and processing ability testing
- Evaluation for co-occurring conditions
- Written summary of findings and recommendations
Diagnosing Autism in Teens and Adults
Rush is one of the few health systems in Illinois that specializes in diagnosing autism after childhood. Because ASD symptoms can change as people age, the AARTS evaluation process is specifically designed to capture the complexity of teen and adult presentations.
- Tailored evaluation for adolescent and adult presentations of ASD
- Considers how symptoms evolve across the lifespan
- Helps adults seeking a first-time diagnosis as well as re-evaluation
Autism Treatment and Therapy Services
Treatment at the AARTS Center is built around cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and individualized care plans that reflect each patient's strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Care plans may include one or more services, ranging from individual therapy to family work, medication management, and group-based skills training. The clinical team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers providing diagnostic evaluation, individual and family therapy, parent training, group therapy, and medication evaluation/management.
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Child and family therapy
- Parent training
- Couples therapy
- Medication evaluation and management
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) tailored for ASD
Social Skills Groups
The AARTS Center offers social skills groups for children, teens, and young adults. Parent and guardian groups often meet at the same time so families can help their child practice new skills at home. New groups begin regularly.
- Friendship skills groups for middle school students
- PEERS — Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (research-proven friendship skills for teens)
- Sex and relationship education for teens and adults with autism
Couples and Family Therapy
Rush provides couples therapy for couples in which one or both partners have autism, as well as therapy for couples co-parenting a child with autism. Child and family therapy draws parents and other family members directly into the CBT process, since they often play a significant role in the child's progress.
- Couples therapy for ASD-affected partners
- Couples therapy for parents raising a child with ASD
- Whole-family CBT involvement
Medication Management
There are no medications that cure autism or treat its primary symptoms, but medications can help with co-occurring conditions such as anxiety. AARTS Center psychiatrists evaluate patients for medication and carefully monitor how it is working over time.
- Psychiatric evaluation for medication
- Monitoring of medication effectiveness
- Targeted treatment of co-occurring conditions such as anxiety
School Consultation
The AARTS Center partners with school districts to help teachers and other staff support students with autism. Consultations cover classroom techniques that are particularly effective for students with ASD and require a referral from the school.
- Inclusion of visual supports and sensory integration
- Environmental and learning-environment modifications
- Teaching self-help skills and independence
- Requires a referral from the school
Research and Clinical Trials
Research is a core part of the AARTS Center's identity, alongside clinical care and training. The center seeks to improve care for individuals with ASD through multi-disciplinary, collaborative research projects covering diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Many AARTS providers are also active researchers, and study participation is offered at no cost to participants. AARTS is part of the SPARK DNA research project, which has contributed to discoveries about new classes of genes that cause autism. The center also studies novel social-skills group models and digital health tools to advance diagnostics and therapy monitoring, and contributes to research on Phelan-McDermid Syndrome and other neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Participation in research is free of charge
- Member of the SPARK autism genetics research consortium
- Studies of novel social-skills group models
- Digital health tools for diagnostics and therapy monitoring
- Research on Phelan-McDermid Syndrome and related syndromic conditions
- NIH (ITM KL2 Scholars Program), PCORI, Autism Speaks, Fulbright, and Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation-funded projects
- Midwest Autism Consortium co-direction
Leadership Team
The AARTS Center is led by clinicians and researchers with deep experience in autism care and academic medicine. The leadership team integrates clinical, research, training, and community outreach.
- Founder: Louis J. Kraus, MD, DFAPA, FAACAP — Woman's Board Professor and Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Rush; federal court monitor for mental health services in Illinois juvenile justice facilities under an ACLU consent decree
- Director: Latha V. Soorya, PhD, BCBA — clinical psychologist and behavior analyst with over 20 years of ASD experience; faculty at Rush, UIC LEND program, and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; trainer on ADOS-2 and ADI-R; board member of Chicagoland Autism Speaks
- Research Director: Allie Wainer, PhD — PhD from Michigan State University; clinical internship at JFK Partners / University of Colorado School of Medicine; funding from NIH, PCORI, Autism Speaks, Fulbright, and Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation
- Associate Clinical Director: Jennifer Moriuchi, PhD — PhD from Emory University; graduate clinical training at the Marcus Autism Center; pre-doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University
- Outreach Director: Holly Wiese, LCSW — Assistant Professor in Rush's Department of Social Work; nearly 20 years of clinical ASD experience; leads the SPARK study at Rush and co-directs the Midwest Autism Consortium
Clinical Team
The clinical team is composed of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and a nurse practitioner. They provide diagnostic evaluation and re-evaluation, individual and family therapy, parent training, group therapy, and medication evaluation and management within the AARTS Center.
- Maria Aguilar, MSW
- Lindsey Bacher, LCSW
- Jared J. Banaszak, NP – Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Natalie Berger, PhD – Clinical Neuropsychology
- Heather Lacey, PhD – Clinical Psychology
- Cynthia Pierre, PhD
- Alyssa Stram, MD – Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatry
- Kiana Suhling, LCSW
- Ashlee Taylor, LCSW
- Emily Wolodiger, PhD – Clinical Psychology
Research Team
The AARTS research team consists of research assistants, data managers, and project coordinators who support the center's clinical trials and research grants.
- Nick Brown
- Camille Brune, PhD
- Jason Cano, BA
- Michelle Carchi, BA
- Elizabeth Fitts, BA
- Dulce Flores, BS
- Edith Ocampo, MS
- Niramay Patel, BA
- Madison Printen, BS
- Dennis Sotelo Martinez, BA
- Noah Torres, BS
- Haley Zeri, BA, BS
Trainee Team
Trainees at AARTS include post-doctoral fellows, PhD candidates, and MSW candidates who provide clinical intervention, research support, and outreach support under faculty supervision. The center also hosts an MSW clinical training program led by Outreach Director Holly Wiese, LCSW.
- Julianna Adornetti, BA
- Maureen Butler, BA
- Idalis Cardenas, BA
- Krista Ekberg, MA
- Rachel Gordon, MA
- Joshua Graff, MA
- Camilla Kiessel, BA
- Nicolina O'Sullivan, BS
- Suvetha Ravichandran, BA
- Alex Rodriguez, BS
- Kellye Winbush Fairley, MA, BCBA, LBA
Outreach and Community Education
Outreach is led by Holly Wiese, LCSW, and is woven into the AARTS Center's mission. The team provides professional development training and autism consultation for students, educators, and programs throughout the Chicagoland area, and works with community providers in the United States and internationally. AARTS co-directs the Midwest Autism Consortium and is represented on advisory councils for the Illinois Act Early Task Force, UIC's Center for Literacy, and Autism Speaks' Adult Training and Education Hub Coalition.
- Professional development training for educators
- Autism consultation for schools and community programs
- International training and consultation on ASD Early Intervention and Parent Coaching
- Advisory roles with Illinois Act Early Task Force, UIC Center for Literacy, and Autism Speaks Adult Training and Education Hub Coalition
Nearby Rush Care Locations
Patients at the AARTS Center can easily connect with related Rush services in the same building and medical campus.
- Rush Pediatric Psychiatry – Chicago: 2150 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60612; (312) 942-5375
- Rush Behavioral Medicine – Westgate Building: 1645 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60612; (312) 942-5932
- Rush Psychiatry – Chicago Jackson: 1645 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60612; (312) 563-6637
Making an Appointment
New patients and families can request an appointment through the Rush website or by calling the appointment line. Office staff can be reached at (312) 942-0819 during weekday business hours. After intake, communication typically continues through MyChart, where referrals and records can be shared securely.
- Appointment line: (888) 352-7874
- Office line: (312) 942-0819
- Online request form available via rush.edu
- Secure communication through MyChart