Starfish Family Services

What Starfish Family Services does

Starfish Family Services is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit human services agency founded in 1963 and headquartered at 30000 Hiveley in Inkster, Michigan, operating across Wayne County in metropolitan Detroit. The organization delivers an integrated portfolio of early childhood education, behavioral health, and family support services through 18 direct-operated centers in Detroit, Inkster, Dearborn Heights, Dearborn, Plymouth, Livonia, Garden City, Canton, Northville, and Redford, plus a lead-operator role in the Thrive by Five Detroit collaborative and a flagship 28,000-square-foot Marygrove Early Childhood Education Center developed as part of a $50 million Kresge Foundation-backed P-20 cradle-to-career partnership with Detroit Public Schools Community District, the University of Michigan, and Marygrove Conservancy. Core programs include Head Start and Early Head Start (for income-eligible children 0–5 under a five-year, $22 million federal grant), state-funded Great Start Readiness Program preschool, the Nurse-Family Partnership, the Partnering with Parents Center in Dearborn, the Building Resilient Communities trauma initiative built on the Trauma Smart model, and the Pediatric Integrated Health Care program that deploys Behavioral Health Consultants into pediatric, primary care, and OB/GYN practices.

The operating model rests on three proprietary platforms: the Trauma Smart implementation framework and Reflective Supervision methodology for trauma-informed care; the Pediatric Integrated Health Care Manual authored in-house; and a Child and Family Master Record System under development with a $2 million, 3–5 year investment to consolidate data from over 20 disparate systems, projected to yield $2.5 million in cost savings and new revenue. Starfish runs an in-house nutrition operation from its Inkster headquarters that produces 300,000 meals annually across 60 allergy-accommodating menus at an average $6.43 per child per day. The agency employs 251–500 staff supplemented by more than 2,000 volunteers, and is led by CEO Ann Kalass (transitioning leadership to Roxanne Brinkerhoff per current disclosures), with executive team members including Chief Administrative Officer David A. Williams, Chief Development Officer Heather Rindels, and Director of Integrated Healthcare Michelle Duprey.

Revenue mechanics are grant- and philanthropy-driven rather than transactional: services are provided at no cost to income-eligible families (Head Start eligibility at 130% of the federal poverty line), and the operating budget stood at $46 million in fiscal 2019. Funding sources include the federal Office of Head Start grant, state Great Start Readiness Program allocations, foundation grants from the Kresge Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, GCH Heritage Foundation, Dresner Foundation, and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (cumulative giving exceeding $3.6 million since 1991), corporate partnerships (Ford Motor Company, Detroit Lions), individual donations, and an annual Great Hearts Gala. Crain's Detroit Business recognized Starfish as a Best-Managed Nonprofit in 2018, and the organization earned accreditation, regulatory approval for Head Start/Early Head Start, and industry recognition including NAMI Michigan's Clinical Professional of the Year (2017) and the Jewish Fund's Robert Sosnick Award of Excellence (2016).

Name

Starfish Family Services

Legal name

Starfish Family Services

Website

https://starfishfamilyservices.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Starfish Family Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1963 that delivers integrated early childhood education, behavioral health, and family support services through 18 centers and partnerships across Wayne County, Michigan, serving over 2,000 income-eligible children and families daily on a roughly $46 million annual operating budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Services / Nonprofit Social Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ), Mental Health & Infant/Early Childhood Consultation (0–5) (EDACAFAO), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Behavioral health services
• Family support programs
• Trauma-informed care
• Head Start programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Redford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal Head Start/Early Head Start Grants: The Office of Head Start awarded approximately $22 million in federal funds over five years to continue offering quality and comprehensive services to children aged 0-5 and their families.
2. State Funding (Great Start Readiness Program): State-funded preschool for 4-year-olds from low-to-moderate-income families through the Great Start Readiness Program.
3. Private Philanthropy and Grants: Starfish relies heavily on private philanthropy and grant funding from foundations including Kresge Foundation, GCH Heritage Foundation, Dresner Foundation, and others to supplement federal and state funding that does not cover full program costs.
4. Donations: Individual and corporate donations supporting programs and services, including an annual Great Hearts Gala fundraising event.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Starfish Family Services is a private nonprofit human services agency that delivers integrated early childhood education, behavioral health, and family support programs to income-eligible children aged 0-5 and their families across Wayne County, Michigan. Core offerings include Head Start and Early Head Start classes, the Nurse-Family Partnership, parenting programs such as Starfish University and The Parenthood Program, the Pediatric Integrated Health Care model embedded in pediatric and OB/GYN practices, and the Marygrove Early Childhood Education Center on a P-20 cradle-to-career campus.

Product overview

Starfish Family Services is a nonprofit social services agency offering a comprehensive suite of integrated programs for at-risk children and families in metropolitan Detroit. The organization operates on a multi-product, integrated service model centered around Early Childhood Education (Head Start/Early Head Start), Behavioral Health Services, and Family Support Programs. Key offerings include the Thrive by Five Detroit collaborative platform, the Marygrove Early Childhood Education Center, the Partnering with Parents Center, Nurse-Family Partnership, and parenting programs including Starfish University. The agency employs a trauma-informed, integrated care approach that consolidates multiple services into single locations to reduce burden on families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Childhood Education (Head Start and Early Head Start) Comprehensive early childhood education for income-eligible children aged 0-5 in Wayne County, including preschool classrooms, meals, developmental screenings, and family engagement services at no cost to families at or below 130% of the federal poverty line.
• Behavioral Health Services Mental health and counseling services for children and families, including individual therapy, group therapy, applied behavior analysis, sensory therapy, and the evidence-based Trauma Smart model for addressing childhood trauma.
• Marygrove Early Childhood Education Center A state-of-the-art early childhood education center on the former Marygrove College campus in Detroit, part of the P-20 cradle-to-career partnership with the Kresge Foundation, Detroit Public Schools Community District, and University of Michigan, projected to serve 1,000+ Detroit children.
• Nurse-Family Partnership Program pairing nurses with first-time mothers to provide guidance and support through pregnancy and early childhood development.
• Office of Integrated Health Care (Pediatric Integrated Health Care) Integrates behavioral health services into pediatric and primary care settings by deploying Behavioral Health Consultants to medical practices throughout Wayne County, delivering the Pediatric Integrated Health Care Model.
• Parenting Programs (Starfish University and The Parenthood Program) Programs including Starfish University, The Parenthood Program for pregnant and parenting teenagers, parenting classes, and Fraternity of Fathers to strengthen families and empower parents.
• Thrive by Five Detroit Collaborative early childhood education platform providing early education services to over 1,300 children across 16 centers in Detroit; Starfish operates four of these centers.
• Partnering with Parents Center A 12,500-square-foot one-stop shop in Dearborn at The Atrium consolidating ABA therapy, group therapy, sensory rooms, speech therapy, and outpatient therapy for children up to age 6 and their families.
• Building Resilient Communities (BRC) Initiative addressing childhood trauma through embedding trained trauma therapists in preschool classrooms, universal trauma screening for all Starfish preschoolers, and implementing the Trauma Smart training program for staff.

Quantifiable outcome

• 79% of 4-year-old children in Starfish's seven early education centers in western Wayne County were ready to enter kindergarten in fall 2017
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Pediatric Practices (Wayne County)coreTechnology or Integration · 14 November 2019Starfish deploys Behavioral Health Consultants (BHCs) to primary care, pediatric, and OB/GYN practices as part of Pediatric Integrated Health Care model. 'One Location, One Visit' project transforming two existing pediatric primary care practices.
• MedNetOne Health SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2019Healthcare management organization partnering with Judson Center for primary care piece of integrated practice using Patient Centered Medical Home Model.
• Judson CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2019Partnership integrating care with Judson Center, which provides behavioral health services in Wayne, Washtenaw, Oakland, Genesee, and Macomb counties. Judson Center adding primary care to its menu of services using Patient Centered Medical Home Model.
• Matrix Human ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Detroit Next Generation Initiative grantee partner serving the most vulnerable in Detroit and empowering individuals and families to enhance quality of life.
• Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Detroit Next Generation Initiative grantee partner advocating for cultural and social entrepreneurship.
• Coalition On Temporary Shelter (COTS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Detroit Next Generation Initiative grantee partner alleviating homelessness through services enabling self-sufficiency.
• Wayne Metro Community Action AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Detroit Next Generation Initiative grantee partner empowering people and communities to be strong, healthy and thriving.
• Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2018P-20 Partnership co-developer operating K-12 school at Marygrove campus. DPSCD will operate the K-12 school and is jointly developing curriculum with University of Michigan School of Education.
• University of Michigan School of EducationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2018P-20 Partnership collaborator developing curriculum and creating innovative teacher training residency program modeled after medical residencies. Will place student teachers at DPSCD school.
• Marygrove ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2018Created to steward the Marygrove campus and its mission after Marygrove College restructuring. Partners with Kresge and other organizations on P-20 campus development.
• University of Michigan School of Social WorkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2018P-20 Partnership partner contributing to comprehensive educational approach at Marygrove campus alongside other U-M schools including Engineering, Business, Architecture, Nursing, and Dentistry.
• Detroit Collaborative Design Center of University of Detroit MercycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2018Leading community engagement and design process for P-20 campus development, engaging existing early childhood providers to collectively develop whole-child and whole-family support principles.
• IFFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2018P-20 Partnership partner supporting predevelopment phase and community engagement for early childhood center development at Marygrove campus.
• Thrive by Five Detroit Collaborative PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2018Collaborative including Focus: Hope, Order of the Fisherman Head Start Ministries, American Indian Health and Family Services, and Development Centers working to bring trauma-centered approach to 16 early childhood centers across Detroit.
• University of Michigan MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2018Partner in Michigan Medicine/EMU Integrated Pediatric Behavioral Health Training Collaborative providing specialty training for doctoral trainees.
• Eastern Michigan University Psychology DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2018Partner in Michigan Medicine/EMU Integrated Pediatric Behavioral Health Training Collaborative providing practicum training in integrated behavioral health.
• Beaumont HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 July 2018Partnership pairs new mothers with Infant Mental Health Therapists through Beaumont Health to guide and support them through motherhood and identify signs of postpartum depression.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Judson Center: Michigan-wide human services nonprofit providing behavioral health, child and family services, autism services, and integrated primary care across Wayne, Washtenaw, Oakland, Genesee, and Macomb counties. Direct partner with Starfish on integrated care and operates a near-identical model of co-located behavioral and primary care.
• Focus: HOPE: Detroit-based nonprofit providing early childhood education, workforce development, and family services to low-income families. Co-member with Starfish in the Thrive by Five Detroit collaborative, operating early childhood centers serving overlapping Wayne County families with comparable Head Start-adjacent services.
• Development Centers: Detroit-based early childhood and human services nonprofit providing Head Start and Early Head Start, behavioral health, and family services. Co-member with Starfish in the Thrive by Five Detroit collaborative operating early childhood centers serving Detroit children.
• Order of the Fisherman Head Start Ministries: Detroit-based Head Start provider offering Early Head Start and Head Start services to income-eligible families. Co-member with Starfish in the Thrive by Five Detroit collaborative, directly competing for federal Head Start funding in overlapping Wayne County geographies.
• Wayne Metro Community Action Agency: Wayne County anti-poverty community action agency providing Head Start, early childhood, housing, and emergency services. Operates Head Start programs in the same Wayne County footprint as Starfish with overlapping income-eligible family populations.
• Matrix Human Services: Detroit nonprofit delivering early childhood education, youth development, housing, and behavioral health services to vulnerable families. Fellow Kresge Detroit Next Generation Initiative grantee serving overlapping Detroit populations with comparable child and family support programs.
• Coalition On Temporary Shelter (COTS): Detroit nonprofit providing emergency shelter, supportive housing, and family stability services. Fellow Kresge Detroit Next Generation Initiative grantee serving overlapping vulnerable Detroit families with comparable family stabilization programming.
• Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS): Dearborn/Detroit-area nonprofit providing social services, mental health, early childhood education, and family support to a multi-ethnic population. Fellow Kresge Detroit Next Generation Initiative grantee competing for the same Wayne County philanthropic and government funding pool.

Broad incumbents

• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: National for-profit operator of early childhood education centers and employer-sponsored child care. Provides benchmark for scaled, multi-site early childhood delivery and represents the broader commercial operator set Starfish competes against for talent and public funding attention.

Others

• Nurse-Family Partnership: National nonprofit that developed and licenses the Nurse-Family Partnership home-visiting model. Starfish operates a NFP site under this model — a key upstream supplier of program design, training, and evidence base for one of Starfish's core service lines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StarfishFam
• YouTubeyoutube.com/StarfishFamilyServ
• Facebookfacebook.com/starfishfamilyservices
• Instagraminstagram.com/starfishfamilyservices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/downriver-cares-starfish-family-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Starfish Family Services