Arkansas Support Network

What Arkansas Support Network does

Arkansas Support Network (ASN), founded in May 1988 as Family Support Services, Inc., is a Springdale, Arkansas-based nonprofit organization that delivers community-based support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families across the state of Arkansas. ASN operates eight core program lines — Community Living Services, Shared Living Services (including Therapeutic Foster Care), Children & Family Services, Vocational Services, Center for Enrichment, Solutions & Opportunities Supports (SOS crisis response), FlexSupport, and the Charting the LifeCourse framework — covering the full lifespan from childhood through adulthood.

ASN's service delivery relies on a Direct Support Professional (DSP) workforce embedded in homes, workplaces, and community settings, supported by case management and referral systems and intake forms (Service Inquiry, DCFS Placement Request, Flex Support Request). Specialized Shared Living Providers (adult) and Therapeutic Foster Parents (children) deliver home-based care, while the SOS department provides 24/7 emergency response. The organization integrates the Charting the LifeCourse framework and Sins Invalid's 10 Principles into its person-centered planning approach.

The business model is primarily funded through Arkansas Medicaid Waiver reimbursements paid via PASSEs (the state's Medicaid managed care organizations), supplemented by philanthropic donations via events such as Winter Bash and Funk Fest. ASN does not publish consumer pricing because reimbursement is set by the state; the 2025 Arkansas Act 1023 rate study found community living supports were reimbursed 23% below actual cost of delivery. ASN holds the 2022 CQL Award of Excellence and ANCOR Arkansas DSP Award, and partners with NADSP, CQL, and the Arkansas Coalition for Stronger Families. Five statewide offices (Springdale Main, East Springdale, Camden, Fort Smith, and Jonesboro mailing) deliver services throughout Arkansas, led by CEO Syard Evans and a C-suite including CRO Ginnie Trammell and CBO Harold Watts, governed by an independent Board of Directors.

Name

Arkansas Support Network

Legal name

Arkansas Support Network, Inc.

Website

https://supports.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Arkansas Support Network is a Springdale-based nonprofit founded in 1988 that delivers statewide Medicaid-funded community, shared living, vocational, crisis, and family support services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families across Arkansas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Springdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Medicaid Waiver Services: ASN is a Medicaid Waiver provider offering community living supports, shared living services, vocational services, and other developmental disability services funded through Medicaid waiver programs. The organization has advocated for rate increases noting that current reimbursement rates are 23% below actual cost of delivering services.
2. Donations and Philanthropic Support: The organization accepts donations through its website and has events like Winter Bash and Funk Fest that serve as fundraising activities. Donations support the mission of creating inclusive communities.
3. Therapeutic Foster Care / Child Shared Living: Child Shared Living Providers (Therapeutic Foster Parents) deliver intensive therapeutic support for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. ASN coordinates these TFC homes as the placement agency, funded through child welfare systems.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Arkansas Support Network is a nonprofit Medicaid Waiver provider delivering community-based supports to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Services span community living, shared living (including therapeutic foster care), vocational employment support, children and family services, crisis response, and flexible hourly assistance.

Product overview

Arkansas Support Network offers a comprehensive portfolio of social service programs supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The organization operates as a unified service network rather than a software platform, with interconnected programs including Community Living Services (supported living, companionship homes, personal care), Shared Living Services (adult and therapeutic foster care), Children & Family Services (family support, education advocacy, autism services), Vocational Services (employment preparation and job placement), Center for Enrichment (adult day services, skills development), Solutions & Opportunities Supports (emergency/crisis response), FlexSupport (flexible hourly assistance), and Charting the LifeCourse (life planning framework). Programs are funded through Medicaid waivers and coordinated to provide personalized, flexible support tailored to each person's strengths, goals, and preferences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Living Services Services designed to ensure individuals with developmental disabilities can live within their homes or communities, including supported living, intake and referral support, resource connection, companionship homes, and personal care support.
• Shared Living Services Home-based alternative to group homes for adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, centered on meaningful relationships, family support, and individualized assistance through Adult Shared Living Providers and Child Shared Living Providers (Therapeutic Foster Care).
• Children & Family Services Flexible and individualized system of supports with the family unit as focus, providing assistance to enable children with disabilities to live in their homes and participate in their communities.
• Vocational Services Community Rehabilitation Program empowering individuals with disabilities to thrive in the workforce through transition services, customized supported employment, follow-along services, job placement assistance, trial to work opportunities, and Ticket to Work Program participation.
• Center for Enrichment Person-centered programs offering adults with disabilities enriching experiences while gaining skills in creativity, recreation, nutrition, healthy living, work cooperatives, and literacy.
• Solutions & Opportunities Supports (SOS) Department providing immediate access to trained responders for critical situations including housing emergencies, natural disasters, and urgent intervention, connecting individuals with specialized supports including sign language interpreters, TTY services, translation, housing, and equipment supports.
• FlexSupport Flexible and individualized support service allowing people to choose when and how they receive support, with sessions typically ranging from 1 to 3 hours for goal-oriented assistance in areas such as transportation, meal preparation, financial literacy, vocational support, and social connections.
• Charting the LifeCourse Framework and set of tools helping people with disabilities and their families plan for a good life, developed by families and individuals with disabilities to help articulate a vision and work towards achieving it.
• Discussing Disability Podcast Podcast by Arkansas Support Network focusing on familiarizing the public with the daily lives of people with disabilities, including successes and obstacles they face, featuring advocates, ASN employees, and professionals devoted to disability inclusion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Services help prevent institutionalization of individuals with developmental disabilities
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASN is a partner of NADSP, aligning with their advocacy for Direct Support Professionals. ASN's DSP Advisory Council connects to NADSP's advocacy resources. NADSP works to elevate the DSP profession through advocacy, training standards, and policy work that ASN participates in.
• CQL (Council on Quality and Leadership)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASN partners with CQL, receiving the 2022 CQL Award of Excellence. CQL provides quality standards and accreditation for disability services that ASN incorporates into its service delivery approach.
• Arkansas Coalition for Stronger FamiliesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASN collaborates with the Arkansas Coalition for Stronger Families on advocacy efforts, particularly around the 2023 legislative agenda focused on strengthening the care workforce in Arkansas.
• PASSEs (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Serious Mental Ill)coreOthersASN works with PASSEs (Arkansas's Medicaid managed care organizations) as a Medicaid Waiver provider. PASSEs pay reimbursement rates to ASN for services delivered to individuals with developmental disabilities. The 2025 rate study was mandated to examine rates paid by PASSEs to providers like ASN.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability services, community living support, and family services across the U.S. Directly comparable in mission, Medicaid-funded service portfolio, and community-based delivery model.
• The Arc: National disability advocacy and services organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Comparable as a family-founded, state-chapter-based nonprofit offering community living and advocacy.
• United Cerebral Palsy (UCP): National nonprofit delivering services and advocacy for people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. Comparable in direct service delivery, family support, and Medicaid waiver funding model.
• AHRC New York City: Nonprofit providing services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including residential, day habilitation, vocational, and family support. Comparable mission and Medicaid-funded service mix, though regionally focused in New York.
• LifeBridge Community Services: Nonprofit organization supporting individuals with developmental disabilities through residential, vocational, and community programs. Comparable in mission and service mix; both operate as community-based IDD service providers.

Broad incumbents

• Sevita Health (formerly The MENTOR Network): One of the largest U.S. providers of home and community-based services for individuals with IDD and behavioral health needs. Operates Shared Living, day services, and vocational programs analogous to ASN, but at national scale.
• BrightSpring Health Services: Large public company providing home and community-based services including IDD, behavioral health, and pharmacy. Overlaps with ASN in community living and home-based support, though broader in scope and publicly traded.

Regional players

• REM Iowa: Iowa-based provider of community living, host homes/shared living, and day services for individuals with IDD. Comparable as a Medicaid-waiver funded IDD services nonprofit in a single state, though regional rather than multi-state.

Others

• National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP): National advocacy and credentialing body for the Direct Support Professional workforce. ASN is a partner; relevant as an ecosystem enabler addressing DSP workforce challenges central to ASN's service delivery.
• Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL): Accreditation and quality standards body for disability services. ASN received CQL's 2022 Award of Excellence; relevant as a standards/quality enabler that shapes ASN's service delivery framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ARSupportNet
• Facebookfacebook.com/arsupportnetwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/arsupportnetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Arkansas Support Network