Catalyst Life Skills

• If you are a current REACH member interested in joining Catalyst, please contact Toni Castillo, Catalyst Supervisor at [email protected] or 847.405.3019
• If you are a current Social Rec/Employment member interested in joining Catalyst, please contact the Community Engagement Team to determine next steps. Cassara May at 847.315.0074 or [email protected] is available to help you get started, or Cassidy Paradise at 315.9907 or [email protected]
• If you are a new member, please contact a Community Engagement Coordinator to schedule a New Member Orientation (NMO) and begin the membership process (contact information listed above: Cassara or Cassidy).

• The trial is for individuals who meet the initial Catalyst criteria. It includes two free trial days in the Catalyst Program, scheduled in coordination with the family. The goal of the trial is to allow the member and their family to experience the program firsthand and determine if it’s a good fit.
• After the two trial days, the Catalyst Supervisor will contact the family to share observations and feedback. If both parties agree to proceed, a 3-week assessment will be scheduled next.

• The 3-week assessment helps us evaluate whether the Catalyst program can meet member needs and provide the appropriate level of support. It also allows us to better understand the member’s strengths and areas of support.

The 3-week long assessment evaluates key areas such as:

• Engagement and participation in activities
• Willingness to learn
• Cooperation in group settings
• Safety and independence during community excursions
• Other relevant life skill indicators

• After the assessment, the Catalyst team will review the data and determine if the program is a good fit. In some cases, an extended assessment may be recommended to gather additional information.
• The family will be contacted for a follow-up conversation to discuss assessment results, strengths, and areas where support is needed, whether the member will move forward with full enrollment, or any additional recommendations or resources.
• If enrollment proceeds, members can choose a 6-month or 12-month agreement. A minimum 6-month commitment is required to receive discounted rates. Families will receive an agreement and billing through the Operations Supervisor, Becky Alban ([email protected]) who also handles all billing questions and agreements.

• Program Hours:
  9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (optional early arrival for $23/day)

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (standard start-end time)

Typical Daily Schedule: (Times are approximate)

10:00 AM: Arrival and welcome.

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Morning Skill Sessions: Icebreaker, followed by hands-on activities based on the session topic (meal planning, housekeeping, budgeting, etc.).

*Note: On Mondays & Tuesday’s, grocery shopping for recipe ingredients of the week occurs at Jewel Osco, usually around 10:00am-11:00am.

11:30 AM: Members plan, prepare, and eat lunch together.

1:00 PM: Everyone helps clean, including washing dishes and wiping tables.

1:30 PM: Members complete relaxing activities like games, social time, or creative projects.

2:30 PM: Recap of the day, gym time, usually unstructured.

2:45 – 3:00 PM: Dismissal.

Early arrival is available from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM for $23/day. It’s an unstructured time with light supervision where members can read or do puzzles, work on worksheets or quiet activities, or socialize with peers. Please contact the Catalyst Supervisor if you’d like to enroll in early drop-off.

Absolutely! While Catalyst focuses on life skills, we also build in time for fun. Fridays are designed to be more relaxed and fun. Activities may include community excursions (parks, events, or fun local spots), team building games and creative projects, reviewing the week’s learning in a low pressure, engaging way.

Catalyst runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, with an 9:00 am early start option for an additional fee. The morning starts with an icebreaker or warm-up activity, followed by a skill-building activity based on the session’s topic. Members will plan, shop for, and prepare their lunch together and assist with the clean-up. In the afternoon, we shift to a more re-energizing phase, which includes fitness sessions in the gym and group games with music. Each week, there is an assignment of “homework” to members, along with a preview of what’s coming up during the next session.

• We offer flexible attendance options:
  • 2-day options: Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday
  • 3-day options: Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday/Friday
  • 4- or 5-day options:
    As of September 2025, members may attend up to 4 or 5 days per week.
    Note: Some repetition may occur, but we personalize instruction and have found that repetition can strengthen learning.

Why this setup?

• Mondays and Tuesdays follow the same lesson plan, and Wednesdays and Thursdays follow the same lesson plan. Fridays are dedicated to review and fun.
• Members should attend at least one core learning pair (M/W or T/Th) to get the most from the program, Fridays are a great add on.
• Please note: Enrollment is subject to availability. If your preferred days are full, you may be placed on a waitlist.

Catalyst is a tuition-based model with scheduled program closures factored into the monthly rate.

There are multiple ways to schedule your Catalyst week. All options require a 6-month commitment.

Schedule 1: Monday, Wednesday, Friday – 10am – 3pm $1,605/month
Schedule 2: Tuesday, Thursday – 10am – 3pm $1,070/month
Schedule 3: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10am-3pm $1,605/month
Schedule 4: Monday, Wednesday 10am-3pm $1,070/month

Financial aid is available. CEL does not directly accept waiver funding. 

If you are running late to drop off in the morning or pick up in the afternoon, please contact the Catalyst Program Supervisor. You can call, text, or email. The contact information will be shared with you when you register for the program. If you are later than 15 minutes when picking up the member, you will be charged $25 for the first 15 minutes and then an additional $25 for each 15-minute increment that you are late. This will go into effect after the 3rd time in a month that there is a late pickup past 15 minutes, for the member.

• Lunch is part of the learning experience at Catalyst. Each week, the Catalyst Supervisor sends out a weekly menu to the family’s email. Members are served a full portion of lunch and water as the default beverage. If a member doesn’t like the menu item or has special preferences, they can bring their own lunch or beverage. Even if bringing their own lunch, members are encouraged to participate in cooking and meal prep.

Note: Program fees cannot be adjusted for those who bring their own food.

We do our best to accommodate dietary needs and allergies. Please inform us of any allergies or restrictions during the intake or NMO process. Lunch is typically served family-style, so full customization may not always be possible. Members are welcome to bring gluten-free, dairy-free, or allergy-friendly snacks or meals when needed.

• If your member will be arriving late or leaving early, please contact the Catalyst Supervisor as soon as possible.

Note: After the third late pick-up or early arrival (15+ minutes early/late) in a calendar month, a fee of $10 per 15-minute increment will apply.

• Catalyst values consistent and open communication between members, families, and staff. To support this:
  • Each day, members complete a “Catalyst Daily News” reflection sheet, noting what they did, how they felt, and any highlights from their day. Catalyst Instructors assist members with this and may add additional notes as needed to keep families informed.
  • Families receive a weekly email from the Catalyst Supervisor that includes:
    • Homework assignments (if applicable) – we will also send physical handouts of homework assignments home with members.
    • The upcoming weekly schedule
    • The lunch recipe of the week
    • Any other important information to communicate.

Additional communication (via individual/group emails, phone calls, etc.) will occur as needed to support each member’s participation and progress. Families are strongly encouraged to share any relevant information (changes in routine, behavior, health, or emotional wellbeing) that may affect a member’s ability to participate as soon as possible. This helps us provide the appropriate support, especially during unexpected or challenging situations.

We believe that open, two-way communication is key to a successful and supportive experience for all.

• The main focus of Catalyst is to work on enhancing a member’s independence in life skills-budgeting, housekeeping, meal planning and preparation, problem solving, community resources, etc. This will prepare members to meet their goals and live more independently in their environments: at CEL, in the community, and at home.

• While our other day program, REACH, incorporates some life skill building activities, it provides more of a variety of activities/topics including hobbies, arts, fitness, etc. Most of the members in REACH are out in the community about 70% of the time they are in the program. They go to museums, volunteer, dine at restaurants, etc. Catalyst will go into the community, but the focus will be on introducing the members to the available resources that one might use when living in the community, such as the bank, library, grocery store, etc.

We are asking that members commit to a minimum of a six-month agreement when enrolling in the Catalyst program. Unfortunately, we are unable to hold a REACH spot open for that period of time. However, should a member want to return to reach after a six-month period, they will be put on the REACH wait list and will be the first person eligible to fill any available spot(s).

Any fees paid for REACH will be transferred over to pay for Catalyst fees. When you receive the Catalyst agreement, it will indicate as such. Should you have further questions pertaining to this issue, we can discuss upon enrollment.