Pacesetter

What Pacesetter does

Pacesetters Inc. is a private, non-profit organization chartered in Tennessee that delivers a comprehensive suite of services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) across the 14-county Upper Cumberland region. Founded in 1971 as a volunteer-led adult activities program in Cookeville, the organization has grown into one of the largest I/DD day and residential service providers in Tennessee, serving 360 individuals in 2025. Its five core service lines are Residential Support (97 individuals across 34 sites in Putnam, Overton, White, Warren, and Macon counties, including Residential Habilitation, Supported Living, Medical Supported Living, Semi-Independent Living, Respite, and Personal Assistance), Community Participation / Day Services (~130 individuals), Employment Services (exploration, discovery, supported employment, and stabilization/monitoring), Health Support (county-level Health Services Coordinators plus RN oversight), and the Family Support Program (a grant-funded, state-administered resource covering all 14 counties).

The underlying technology footprint is modest and operations-oriented: Pacesetters adopted electronic health records system-wide in 2012 through its acquisition of Practical Health Systems (PHS), and runs on standard nonprofit/web infrastructure (Wix-hosted website, Facebook, LinkedIn, monthly email newsletter). No proprietary platform, mobile app, or API surface is exposed. Underlying service delivery is delivered through 34 small (1-3 person) agency-owned homes — a deliberate clinical and community-integration model — supported by four physical offices: an Administrative Office on Hwy 111 in Cookeville/Algood, a Putnam/Overton office at 421 Universal Drive in Cookeville, a Macon office in Lafayette, and a White/Warren/DeKalb office in Sparta.

Pacesetters' business model is government-funded managed services. Revenue is derived almost entirely from three Tennessee Medicaid waiver programs — the 1915c Waiver, CHOICES (TennCare's long-term care program, added 2012), and Employment and Community First Choices (ECF, added 2015) — plus the Family Support Program grant administered by the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) and supplemental donations/fundraising (e.g., the annual golf tournament). Pricing is not consumer-facing; services are reimbursed under state contracts and rates are not publicly disclosed. DSP starting pay is disclosed at $16.25-$17.25/hour for employment purposes. The go-to-market motion is sales-led via state-agency referrals and community outreach, with no advertising-driven acquisition. The organization is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors and led since 2022 by Executive Director Larry Rector.

Name

Pacesetter

Legal name

Pacesetters Inc.

Website

https://pacesetterstn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Pacesetters Inc. is a private Tennessee nonprofit providing residential, day, employment, health, and family support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 14 counties in the Upper Cumberland region, funded through state Medicaid waivers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parent & Caregiver Training for IEP Navigation (EDAKACAJ), Benefits Counseling & Financial Literacy for Transition-Age Youth (EDAKANAJ)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Residential habilitation services
• Community participation services
• Developmental disability care
• Family support program

Headquarters

HQ city

Sylmar

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Medicaid Waiver Programs: Day and residential services funded through 1915c Waiver, CHOICES, and Employment and Community First Choices (ECF) Waiver programs administered by TennCare for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
2. Family Support Program: State-funded grant program administered under agreement with Tennessee's Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, providing financial assistance and support to individuals with severe disabilities and their families.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Golf tournament fundraiser and general donations supporting individuals served and their families for items not covered by insurance or government programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pacesetters Inc. is a private nonprofit organization that provides day, residential, employment, health, and family support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 14 Tennessee counties. Services are funded primarily through the state's 1915c Waiver, CHOICES, and Employment and Community First Choices (ECF) Waiver programs, and are delivered through a network of small residential settings (1–3 persons per home) and community-based day programs.

Product overview

Pacesetters Inc. is a private not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive suite of disability services across 14 Tennessee counties. The organization operates through five core service offerings: Residential Support (providing living arrangements for 97 individuals across 34 sites in 5 counties), Community Participation (day services for 130 individuals focusing on community integration), Employment Services (job exploration, discovery, and supported employment), Health Support (coordinated healthcare management), and the Family Support Program (grant-funded assistance covering 14 counties). These services are delivered through multiple Medicaid waiver programs including the 1915c Waiver, CHOICES, and Employment and Community First Choices (ECF) Waiver. The organization also runs an annual golf tournament as a major fundraiser.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Support Provides residential support to approximately 97 individuals across 34 sites in Putnam, Overton, White, Warren, and Macon counties in Tennessee. Includes Residential Habilitation in agency-owned homes, Supported Living, Medical Supported Living, Semi-Independent Living, Respite, and Personal Assistance — typically delivered in small 1–3 person settings that promote community integration.
• Community Participation Services Day support services for approximately 130 individuals, focused on community integration, volunteer activities, job opportunity exploration, and other community-based participation. For 1915c Waiver recipients these are called Community Participation (CP); for CHOICES or ECF Waivers they are called Community-Integrated Support Services (CISS).
• Employment Services Comprehensive employment support for individuals with I/DD, including Exploration (career interest assessment), Discovery (job search and application), Supported Employment (on-the-job training and support), and Stabilization and Monitoring (ongoing support for employed individuals).
• Health Support Services Manages healthcare needs of service recipients through Health Services Coordinators (HSC) in each county who schedule appointments, accompany recipients to medical visits, and coordinate with physicians and family members. Includes RN oversight for individuals with serious or chronic health conditions.
• Family Support Program Grant-funded program covering all 14 Upper Cumberland counties, providing financial assistance and community resource information to individuals with severe disabilities and their families. Covers respite care, daycare, home modifications, equipment, supplies, transportation, housing costs, health-related needs, nursing, and counseling so family members can remain together in their homes and community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 360 individuals across 14 counties in Upper Cumberland region
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CavendersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf tournament sponsor for the annual Pacesetters fundraiser event.
• BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf tournament sponsor for the annual Pacesetters fundraiser event.
• CookevilleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf tournament sponsor for the annual Pacesetters fundraiser event.
• AveryTraceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf tournament sponsor for the annual Pacesetters fundraiser event.
• Tennessee Knights of ColumbusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssisted Pacesetters with purchasing six new wheelchair-accessible vans in 2012.
• Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency contracted with Pacesetters to oversee the Family Support Program and provide waiver-funded services. Pacesetters has held this Family Support Program contract since its inception in 1993.
• Tennessee Tech University (TTU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with TTU's Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) for the 1st Annual Speak Up Rally. Also partnered with TTU for You Can Do It I Can Do It grant program.
• Cookeville Arts CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Collaboration art project started in 2008 through a Cookeville Arts Council grant.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Volunteer Behavioral Health Care System: Tennessee-based behavioral health and developmental services provider with overlapping service geography in the Upper Cumberland region. Comparable as a Tennessee human-services nonprofit with state contracts, though more focused on behavioral health than I/DD specifically.
• Mid-South Care Services: Tennessee-based provider of home- and community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable in service model and waiver-funded funding approach, operating in adjacent Tennessee counties.

Direct peers

• Keystone Mental Health (Tennessee): Tennessee-based human services organization delivering community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Operates in the same state regulatory framework as Pacesetters and serves similar populations.
• BrightStone: Tennessee nonprofit providing residential, day, and employment services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with a focus on supported employment and community participation. Operates under similar waiver funding and serves a comparable I/DD population.
• Omni Visions: Tennessee-headquartered nonprofit providing residential, day, and behavioral services for individuals with I/DD and behavioral health needs. Competes for the same DIDD contracts and serves overlapping waiver populations in Middle and East Tennessee.
• High Hopes Development Center: Tennessee-based nonprofit serving children and adults with developmental disabilities through educational, residential, and community programs. Comparable in mission, I/DD focus, and Tennessee regulatory environment, though more concentrated in the greater Nashville area.
• D&S Community Services: Tennessee-based provider of residential and community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, operating under the same 1915c, CHOICES, and ECF waiver programs. Directly comparable in mission, funding model, and customer base to Pacesetters.

Broad incumbents

• Evergreen Life Services: Multi-state nonprofit providing residential, day, and employment supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Operates as a broader incumbent than Pacesetters, but delivers essentially the same suite of waiver-funded services in overlapping states.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PacesettersInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacesetterstn
• Xx.com/PacesettersTN

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacesetter