Michele profiles a gallery and studio in the Chicago Cultural Center for artists suffering from mental illness and disabilities. more ›

The alleged assault of a 16-year-old autistic teenager at his family’s fast-food restaurant in Pilsen Friday sheds light on the need for specialized police training on how to deal with special needs citizens in the city, family members said. Oscar Guzman, 16, suffered a gash to his head that required eight stitches, his family said. Police refused to provide details of the incident but the family shared their account of the confrontation, according to Chicago Breaking News. Guzman’s family worries the teen, who has the mental capacity of a 5th-grader, will be emotionally scarred from the incident, the news report said. more ›