Our Mission
Search empowers individuals with intellectual disabilities to achieve their full potential, accept a valued role in their community and lead rich, rewarding lives. Search provides a wide range of flexible, personalized services and supports for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These include supported living arrangements, adult learning and employment programs, as well as medical, behavioral, therapy and home-based services.
Outstanding Services, Life-Changing Experiences
Search makes a promise to each person we serve to provide exceptional services and truly memorable experiences that inspire and empower. This is reflected by our vision of a world where all people live, learn, work and play alongside one another, bringing their unique abilities to the community.
Search is a community-based nonprofit. Our programs serve more than 600 people and their families annually at locations stretching from the southwest side of Chicago to the northern suburbs of Waukegan and Mount Prospect. Search has provided high-quality services and supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities for 45 years.
Experienced and Certified 
Search, Inc. is licensed by the Illinois Department of Human Services and is accredited by the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL).
When Search partnered with CQL to pursue accreditation, we undertook a rigorous process to review and improve services and supports. Our efforts were focused on empowering the people we serve to make choices in how they live their lives.
Search was awarded CQL accreditation as a result of demonstrating proficiency in the following areas:
- Shared Values® (ensuring that organizational mission/vision/values promote person-centered excellence)
- Basic Assurances® (ensuring fundamental safeguards related to health, safety and human security)
- Personal Outcome Measures® (supporting and empowering people to achieve their goals and dreams)
Search’s participation in the CQL international accreditation program demonstrates our commitment to excellence in person-centered services and supports that lead to increased quality of life. Our term of accreditation will extend for three years from November 11, 2016 to November 11, 2019.
Read more about our CQL Accreditation here.
Leadership
Our board of directors is a dedicated group of some of Illinois’ finest business, community and civic leaders. Through their dedication and service we are able to provide people with intellectual disabilities the quality of life they so truly deserve.
| CEO Executive Director |
John Lipscomb Beth Valukas |
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| BOARD OF DIRECTORS | ||
| Chairman Vice Chairman Treasurer Secretary |
Alan Nadolna Ray Covyeau Brett Johnson LaVon Green |
Associates Group, Inc. International Real Estate Brokerage Pantheon Purdue University Calumet |
| DIRECTORS AT LARGE | ||
| Suzanne Averill Leo Durkacz John Friedland Ken Jenero Thomas Nathan Paul Pappageorge Pete Petersen |
Associates Group, Inc. Federal Bureau of Investigation - Retired Family Focus, Inc.- Retired Holland & Knight Munday & Nathan Ashland Capital Advisors Rogers Benefit Group |
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