Across Illinois, the intellectual and developmental disabilities sector operates under sustained structural strain. Families pursue specialized education, behavioral therapy, residential stability, and competitive employment opportunities for children and adults whose needs require coordinated, long term support. Providers must respond while managing workforce shortages, reimbursement pressure tied to Medicaid, and increasing compliance expectations. Demand continues to outpace capacity, and the margin for operational error grows thinner each year. 

Meeting that level of complexity requires more than compassionate intent. It demands disciplined execution, financial stewardship, and leadership that understands both systems and people. Little Friends has positioned itself within that space, delivering a comprehensive continuum of care across nine counties and more than 50 school districts. Under the leadership of Mike Briggs, the President and CEO of Little Friends, the organization strengthened its operational infrastructure, embedded continual improvement across teams, and expanded programs in direct response to community need. His tenure reflects a deliberate effort to align mission driven service with measurable performance and long term sustainability. 

Meeting the Needs of Children with Special Needs 
 
Founded in 1965 by teachers, parents, and advocates, Little Friends began with a clear purpose: provide school resources for children with special needs, primarily children with Down syndrome. At the time, the Chicagoland area offered very few services for these families. When families learned about the support available, they traveled from across the region to enroll their children. Demand did not just fill classrooms. It confirmed the urgency of the mission and strengthened the organization’s resolve. 

One constant has shaped Little Friends from the beginning: a strong desire to serve as a resource for individuals whose needs are more significant than most systems accommodate. The organization did not frame itself around strategy or scale in those early years. It focused on helping others. That focus guided every major decision and supported the steady expansion from a single private therapeutic day school into a comprehensive human services agency. 

Little Friends built programs that match the complexity of the people it supports. Today, its services rank among the most comprehensive in the state. 

What started as one school now provides a full continuum of care. Little Friends supports children as young as three and continues services through adulthood and end of life. Each milestone reflects deliberate growth, not rapid expansion for its own sake. The organization identified unmet needs, built the right programs, and strengthened partnerships across communities. Through each phase, Little Friends remained committed to serving families with consistency, dignity, and purpose. This foundation of steady, mission driven growth set the stage for a comprehensive portfolio of services designed to meet evolving needs across every stage of life. 

A Comprehensive Continuum of Care  

Little Friends delivers a comprehensive range of services that support children, adolescents, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Illinois. Its programs address education, therapy, employment, residential stability, and family support, creating a continuum of care that extends from early childhood through adulthood and reflects the depth of its long standing mission. 

At the center of its clinical services, the Center for Autism provides therapy and structured support for children and adolescents on the Autism Spectrum. Through this division, Little Friends operates a Wellness Center that offers counseling services and plans to expand these resources into a full Behavioral Health Center to meet growing mental health needs within the community. 

In education, Little Friends operates two private therapeutic day schools. Krejci Academy, named after founder Dottee Krejci, focuses primarily on students on the Autism Spectrum, many of whom also manage behavioral disorders or additional challenges. The Mansion High School provides adolescents with intensive social and emotional support, with a strong emphasis on counseling. Across both schools, students range in age from 5 to 22. 

For adults, Community Day Services offers structured day programming beginning at age 18 and continuing through adulthood for as long as individuals choose to participate. From this foundation, Little Friends developed a robust Employment Services division that helps individuals prepare for and secure Community Integrated Employment. The organization delivers supported employment in partnership with the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation, serves as the Illinois representative for Ken’s Krew to assist individuals in obtaining customer service roles, and strengthens soft skills through the Connecting Adults with Communities program. 

Residential stability remains central to its mission. Little Friends owns or operates 48 homes, including three dedicated to children and 45 for adults. The children’s homes provide round the clock care. Approximately half of the adult homes provide 24 hour support, while others offer more independent living arrangements. Every resident has a private bedroom, reinforcing privacy, dignity, and personal space. 

Across all programs, Little Friends supports approximately 1,100 individuals directly and guides roughly 1,400 families each year, reaching more than 2,500 children, adults, and families annually. Alongside its services, Little Friends faces rising demand, staff shortages, and funding challenges, tackling them with focus and commitment to its mission. 

Workforce Stability Amid Growing Demand 

Little Friends operates in a complex and demanding environment as a service provider supporting individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and other challenges. The organization sees two major issues shaping the sector today, and both require disciplined attention and strategic response. Demand for services continues to grow beyond the capacity currently in place. Families seek structured education, therapeutic support, residential services, and employment pathways, yet available programs cannot keep pace. This gap appears not only in Illinois but across the country. At the same time, workforce shortages intensify the strain. Providers struggle to recruit and retain qualified staff, even as more individuals require support. Little Friends confronts this reality by focusing on workforce stability, strengthening recruitment efforts, and reinforcing a culture that values mission driven work. Leadership understands that without a strong and committed team, expansion alone cannot solve the access problem. 

Changes in governmental funding create significant uncertainty. A portion of Little Friends’ services relies on a combination of federal and state Medicaid funding, and shifts in policy discussions and budget priorities generate anxiety across the sector. While the organization does not expect direct targeting of its programs, leaders remain alert to indirect consequences if other initiatives lose funding. Understanding how broader fiscal decisions could affect operational sustainability requires constant vigilance. Little Friends monitors policy developments closely, engages in ongoing financial planning, and prepares for multiple scenarios. To address these challenges, Little Friends’ leadership emphasized operational stability, strategic planning, and mission-focused growth, which set the stage for Mike’s transformative tenure as President and CEO. 

A Personal Connection Inspiring Leadership 

With more than 30 years of corporate leadership experience, Mike stepped into the top leadership role at Little Friends at a time when the organization needed a leadership change. He believed he had the energy and operational discipline to help and to leverage what he knew how to do best, which was run a company. At that point, he did not fully understand the complexity of the organization’s work. He learned quickly. The cause touched him on a personal level. When he and his wife learned that their oldest son had Cerebral Palsy at the age of two, they faced the uncertainty and emotion that so many parents of children with special needs experience. That moment shaped his perspective and gave real meaning to the opportunity to support families navigating similar circumstances. 

As he immersed himself in the organization, he developed deep respect for the people he describes as doing the heavy lifting. He recognized that demand for services far exceeded supply and saw that strengthening financial stability and operational performance would extend the organization’s reach. In the early phase of his tenure, Little Friends operated in turnaround mode. The leadership team stabilized operations, eliminated nonessential tasks, invested heavily in technology, and improved marketing and communication. These foundational changes shifted the trajectory of Little Friends. The organization moved from reacting to challenges to thinking ahead, embedded Continual Improvement across all levels, and pursued both incremental gains and meaningful step changes in services and supports. 

Milestones That Shaped a Legacy  

Over more than 60 years, Little Friends has shaped its growth around the needs of the people it serves. As demand increased, the organization strengthened its commitment and expanded the resources in place to meet those needs. That steady focus on service created the motivation to grow from a single school into an agency that now serves nine counties and more than 50 school districts across Illinois. 

One of the earliest defining milestones came in the late 1970s, when Little Friends moved from a rented schoolhouse into an old college dormitory that it could call home. That transition marked more than a change in location. It gave the organization stability, a stronger foundation, and the physical space to broaden its programs. 

Another pivotal moment occurred when Little Friends relocated its facility from Naperville to Warrenville. By taking ownership of a 13-acre campus with more than 136,000 square feet under roof, the organization positioned itself for meaningful expansion. That move enabled leaders to grow both children’s and adult services, strengthen program delivery, and build long term capacity to serve individuals and families across the region. These early improvements set the stage for the organization’s long-term growth, laying a foundation for the milestones that would define Little Friends’ six-decade journey. 

Comprehensive Employment Support and Innovation  

At Little Friends, the mission to empower individuals to live, learn, work, and thrive guides daily decisions and daily action. The organization concentrates its work around two clear priorities. 

The first priority centers on independence. Every therapy session, classroom activity, and individualized service plan aims to help each person become as independent as possible. Teams focus on building functional skills, strengthening communication, and developing daily living competencies that increase confidence and self-direction. Independence does not remain an abstract goal. Staff members translate it into measurable progress inside schools, residential programs, and community settings. 

The second priority centers on quality of life. Little Friends works to ensure that each individual experiences opportunities and stability that might not exist without structured support. The organization creates environments where individuals build relationships, engage in meaningful activities, and participate in their communities. When leadership looks at the mission through these two areas of focus, independence and quality of life define daily practice across programs and teams. 

Several factors set Little Friends apart from other developmental disability service providers in Illinois. The breadth of services stands out immediately. The organization serves both children and adults, while many providers focus on one population or the other. This continuum of care allows families to remain connected to one organization across different life stages. 

Little Friends also operates as one of only five providers of Children’s Residential Services in the state. That distinction reflects both capability and commitment in a highly specialized area of care. 

The Employment Services initiative represents another differentiator. The organization offers one of the most comprehensive employment supports in Illinois and stands as the only provider in the state that delivers support using Ken’s Krew resources. These programs highlight Little Friends’ dedication and set the foundation for the values that guide its leadership. 

Grounded in Shared Values 

Supporting approximately 1,100 clients and families each year carries significant responsibility. Mike grounds his leadership in a clear and shared value framework. When he assumed the role nine years ago, Little Friends did not have an organizational Value Statement. The Senior Leadership Team developed one and communicated it throughout the organization. 

At its core, the Value Statement begins with Respect for the Individual at every level of interaction. That principal guides how team members treat clients, families, colleagues, and community partners. The statement also emphasizes credibility and accountability. People commit to doing what they say they will do. 

The philosophy extends beyond compliance or adequacy. It calls for continual improvement and for doing the right things, even when that requires more than the minimum. The Value Statement serves as a shared reference point. It allows team members to hold one another to the same standard and to expect consistent treatment across the organization. 

Through this approach, Mike aligns operational discipline with mission driven purpose. He combines financial stewardship, strategic focus, and human commitment to ensure that Little Friends continues to expand its capacity while honoring the dignity of every individual it serves. Mike’s leadership ensures that Little Friends’ programs maintain high standards, including the nationally recognized Center for Autism. 

National Recognition for Autism Expertise  

The Little Friends Center for Autism has earned national recognition for the rigor and structure of its clinical model. The program applies site-based ABA, Speech, and Occupational therapy and integrates ADOS, widely regarded as the gold standard in ABA evaluation. This structured, evidence driven framework guides assessment, treatment planning, and measurable progress. Experience in the field since the late 1980s strengthens this approach. Local school districts will seek guidance from Little Friends to educate staff about autism and to implement effective strategies for working with children on the Autism Spectrum. That ongoing collaboration reflects both credibility and practical impact in educational settings. 

Across the broader organization, Little Friends continues to advance a whole person care model that connects educational, clinical, residential, and vocational services. Leadership recognizes that true whole person care requires more than program delivery. The organization continues to align services around long term health and stability. Teams implement practices that promote mobility, physical health, and overall wellness. That focus supports greater independence and expands opportunities for improved quality of life over time. The strategy reflects a deliberate shift toward integrating care in ways that strengthen outcomes across every stage of life. 

Accreditation from The Council on Quality and Leadership underscores this commitment to operational and person centered excellence. State regulations required review by an external accrediting body, and Little Friends previously used CARF standards to guide evaluation. More than six years ago, the organization made a clear business decision to pursue recognition as a premier provider. Leadership conducted research and determined that CQL criteria offered a more comprehensive and demanding evaluation framework aligned with its goals. The organization strives to operate at a premier level and invited independent validation to confirm that standard. CQL accreditation now affirms how Little Friends executes quality benchmarks and reinforces its commitment to person centered outcomes. 

For the individuals and families served, outcomes remain grounded in individualized planning and measurable documentation. Each person has a personal plan or an IEP within school-based programs. Detailed records track goals, progress, and adjustments over time. That documentation supports accountability and allows the organization to demonstrate impact with clarity and specificity. Building on these standards, Mike and the Senior Leadership Team embed continuous improvement into daily operations, ensuring that every program evolves to meet the needs of those served. 

Continuous Improvement as a Core Practice 

Mike believes that no single initiative creates a compassionate and mission driven organization. He anchors culture in a clearly defined mission and values that leadership understands, models, and reinforces every day. He insists that commitment must start at the very top. Leaders must live the principles they promote. The organization must align its decisions, investments, and behaviors with the words it claims as priorities. In his view, the team must walk the talk and do what it says it will do. 

He also draws a firm boundary around expectations. Every team member must act in ways that support the mission and treat people with dignity and respect. When someone fails to meet that standard, leadership addresses the gap directly. If alignment cannot be restored, he helps that individual make a career decision and find another organization where they can share their talents. He does not allow conduct that undermines culture to remain in place, because that harms both colleagues and the people they serve. 

When he considers sustainability and continued growth, Mike rejects complacency. He believes the organization must constantly improve how it delivers care and how it supports employees. He asks practical questions. How can the team make services better for those they serve? How can leaders make employees’ jobs easier so they can focus on the human touch of care rather than administrative tasks? He views operational refinement as essential to excellence. 

The Senior Leadership Team embraces this mindset of continual improvement. They pursue better systems, clearer processes, and stronger outcomes even when the work feels ongoing and unfinished. Mike acknowledges that continual improvement can feel like a path without an endpoint. Yet when the team reflects on its progress and the growth it has achieved together, it recognizes tangible gains. The leadership group values the discipline of getting better and the confidence that comes from meeting complex challenges head on. 

Little Friends builds a strong operational foundation while advancing its mission. Compassion shapes its culture, and discipline ensures high performance. Under proactive leadership, the organization continually develops new approaches to enhance programs and maximize impact. 

Innovation Driven by Leadership 

Little Friends continues to strengthen its programs through deliberate innovation and thoughtful expansion. Leadership takes particular pride in the way the organization has implemented technology over time to reduce nonvalue added activities. Rather than adding complexity, these tools streamline workflows, support staff in their daily responsibilities, and improve operational discipline. Staff embraced these changes, and the efficiencies gained have strengthened the organization’s overall financial health. 

In recent years, Little Friends has introduced several program enhancements and service additions that have significantly expanded its reach. The organization has more than doubled in size, responding directly to service gaps across the communities it serves. It has added support services in areas where families previously faced limited options, ensuring that individuals receive comprehensive care close to home. 

One of the most meaningful expansions includes the addition of resources for people with physical disabilities. For many years, Little Friends focused primarily on supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The broadened scope reflects both community need and the organization’s commitment to inclusive, responsive care. 

The move to a new campus with room for growth marks another defining step forward. The expanded space allows Little Friends to scale programs strategically, invest in infrastructure, and plan for long term sustainability. This transition positions the organization to serve its communities well into the future, building capacity that will endure for generations to come. 

Stories of Impact and Transformation 

Little Friends builds strong outcomes through consistent collaboration with families, school districts, and community partners. The organization treats families as an essential part of every service it delivers. Individuals spend only a portion of their day with Little Friends, and real progress depends on reinforcement at home. When families understand the strategies, goals, and expectations that guide each program, they extend that work beyond the classroom or service setting. Without that shared understanding, progress slows. With it, growth accelerates. This alignment remains central to the organization’s approach. 

Little Friends also maintains an intentional presence in the communities it serves. It participates in local events and community activities to strengthen visibility and build trust. That visibility often leads to personal referrals. A neighbor, friend, or colleague who understands the mission can guide a family toward the right support. Many families begin their journey because someone in their community points them in the right direction. Through these connections, Little Friends expands access and ensures families do not navigate uncertainty alone. 

The impact of this collaborative model becomes clear in individual stories. During his first year, Mike attended a graduation at Krejci Academy. One graduate, who entered at age five without speech and with significant behavioral challenges, stood before her peers and sang the national anthem acapella. She delivered the keynote address and shared plans to attend community college. Her journey demonstrated what focused intervention, family partnership, and community support can achieve. 

Sustaining Quality for the Future 

At its core, Little Friends exists to provide the resources and support people need. Under the leadership of Mike and the Senior Leadership Team, the organization delivers a clear message to families: you can count on us. The team stands beside those it serves and commits to supporting the community not just today, but for years to come. As a trusted institution, Little Friends strives to be the best at what it does. Trust grows from consistency, accountability, and strong outcomes. Leadership also embraces innovation and forward thinking, knowing that stagnation leads to loss of relevance, and loss of relevance weakens trust. Continuous improvement protects both impact and longevity. 

Being recognized as one of the “Most Inspiring Developmental Disabilities Providers to Watch in 2026” holds deep meaning for the team. Leadership views this acknowledgment as a direct reflection of the staff’s hard work, diligence, passion, and unwavering commitment. The recognition does not center on one person. It highlights the collective effort of professionals who show up with purpose and deliver meaningful support across programs and communities. 

Looking ahead, Little Friends has set an ambitious but achievable growth trajectory. The organization operates as a $30 million enterprise and aims to reach $50 million in revenue within three years through strategic internal program growth and mission aligned expansion. Beyond revenue, the long-term vision centers on financial strength and expanded impact. Demand continues to rise, and Little Friends intends to stand ready with the staff, infrastructure, and resources required to meet that need while sustaining quality, access, and opportunity.