What Development Centers does

Development Centers, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit human services organization founded in 1983 from the merger of the Children's Orthogenic Center and Phoenix Place, operating from Detroit, Michigan. The organization delivers a three-pillar service portfolio: (i) Mental Health Services, including outpatient therapy, psychiatric services, case management, Assertive Community Treatment, housing support, and the New Directions Clubhouse for adults with severe and persistent mental illness; (ii) Early Childhood Programs encompassing Head Start, Early Head Start, Early On developmental assessments for children under three, the Great Start Readiness Program, and home-based counseling for families with children birth through age five; and (iii) Adult Employment & Training delivered through a Detroit at Work Career Center/Michigan Works! Affiliate targeting manufacturing, healthcare, IT, retail, and construction/logistics career pathways. In 2021 it added Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) services covering integrated behavioral and physical health, substance use treatment, and tailored LGBTQ and Veterans programming. Services are delivered across seven ADA-accessible facilities plus home-based and school-based channels, serving roughly 10,946 individuals annually with 51,125 therapy sessions delivered, 396 adults placed in full-time employment, and 228 formerly homeless individuals (including 64 children) maintained in stable housing.

Revenue mechanics are a hybrid of (a) government grants and contracts through the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) for behavioral health, Michigan Works! for workforce development, and federal Head Start/Early Head Start funding; (b) insurance reimbursements accepting Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, and a broad roster of private payers including Aetna, HAP, Beacon Health Options, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, and Molina; (c) individual and corporate donations, sponsorships, and foundation grants (e.g., M&M Fisher Foundation, Michigan Health Endowment Fund, PNC Foundation, United Way for Southeast Michigan); and (d) a sliding-fee schedule guaranteeing access regardless of ability to pay.

In Fall 2023, Development Centers combined with fellow Detroit nonprofit Southwest Solutions to form MiSide, a community impact network that collectively served more than 22,000 Wayne County residents in 2022. Both organizations were financially stable at the time of combination, with management citing the post-COVID increase in mental health complexity and the opportunity to scale integrated services as the rationale for the merger. The company is structured as a private nonprofit governed by a volunteer board, with no equity ownership and revenue not publicly disclosed.

Name

Development Centers

Legal name

Development Centers, Inc.

Website

https://develctrs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Development Centers is a Detroit-based 501c3 nonprofit delivering mental health services, early childhood education (Head Start/Early Head Start), and workforce development to Wayne County residents across seven facilities; in 2023 it merged with Southwest Solutions to form MiSide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (6244), Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK), Early Head Start & Publicly Funded Infant/Toddler Programs (EDACAGAH)

Keywords

• Behavioral health services
• Early childhood education
• Workforce development
• Community mental health
• Head start programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: Funding through Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) for behavioral health services, Michigan Works! for workforce development, and federal Head Start/Early Head Start programs.
2. Insurance Reimbursements: Accepts Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, and private insurance including Aetna, HAP, Beacon Health Options, Total Health Care, Harbor Health, Humana, Blue Care Network, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, McLaren, Meridian, Molina.
3. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, commemorative giving, planned giving through wills, appreciated stock donations, and foundation grants.
4. Sliding Fee Scale Services: Discounted/sliding fee schedule based on family size and income for those who qualify, ensuring access regardless of ability to pay.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Development Centers is a nonprofit human services organization delivering behavioral health treatment and case management, early childhood education (Head Start, Early Head Start, Early On), and adult employment/workforce development services to children, adults, and families throughout Detroit and Wayne County. Services are funded through government grants (DWIHN, Michigan Works!, federal Head Start), insurance reimbursements, donations, and corporate sponsorships, with a sliding fee schedule ensuring access regardless of ability to pay.

Product overview

Development Centers is a nonprofit human services organization offering a multi-product portfolio of behavioral health, early childhood education, and workforce development services in the Detroit area. The organization operates three core service lines: Mental Health Services (including outpatient treatment, Clubhouse programming, and CCBHC services), Early Childhood Programs (Head Start, Early Head Start, and family support services), and Adult Employment & Training. Additional specialized programs include the New Directions Clubhouse for adults with mental illness, the Full Circle program for individuals with developmental disabilities, and Wrap-Around services for at-risk youth. Services are delivered through multiple facilities including North Central Health Center and McKenny Community Center. The organization recently merged with Southwest Solutions to form MiSide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mental Health Services Comprehensive mental health services for persons age 6 and up, including outpatient treatment, case management, psychiatric services, Clubhouse programming, Assertive Community Treatment, housing support, and care coordination for children and adults in Detroit and Wayne County.
• Early Childhood Programs Full range of prevention, early intervention, and treatment services for families with young children from pregnancy through age five, including Head Start, Early Head Start, Early On developmental assessment, counseling, and parent support.
• Adult Employment & Training Career center connecting Detroiters to employment, training, and opportunities through a Michigan Works! Affiliate, targeting five growth industries: Manufacturing, Retail/Hospitality/Entertainment, Healthcare, IT, and Construction/Logistics.
• Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic services providing mental health and substance use treatment, integrated health programming, and tailored services for LGBTQ and Veteran populations in Detroit and Wayne County.
• New Directions Clubhouse Certified Clubhouse adult day treatment program for people living with mental illness, offering fellowship, hope, opportunity, and recovery in a supportive community environment.
• Wrap-Around Services Wrap-around services program for children and youth experiencing serious mental or behavioral health challenges to keep them in their community.
• Full Circle Program Program serving developmentally and intellectually different youth and young adults with supportive services tailored to their needs.
• Head Start / Early Head Start Federally funded early childhood education program for expectant women, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers ages birth to five, offering center-based and home-based care and education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% satisfaction rate among surveyed clients in 2021 (exceeding DWIHN 80% standard)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Southwest SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Development Centers combined with Southwest Solutions in Fall 2023 to form MiSide, a community impact network. Both organizations were financially stable and the merger expanded reach to serve individuals, families, and communities throughout Wayne County. Combined, they served more than 22,000 individuals in 2022.
• Judson CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Lead agency for $500,000 Equity Alliance Grant awarded by CDC Foundation with support from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Development Centers served as sub-grantee alongside Practice Transformation Institute as part of the Detroit Equity Coalition on COVID-19 to increase vaccination knowledge and access in Detroit, Dearborn, Redford, and Warren.
• Practice Transformation InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSub-grantee partner with Development Centers under the Detroit Equity Coalition on COVID-19 grant, working to increase COVID-19 vaccination accessibility in targeted communities.
• Detroit Equity Coalition on COVID-19 (DECC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition formed by Judson Center, Development Centers, and Practice Transformation Institute to fill vaccination void in communities with lower vaccination rates. Targeted communities included Detroit, Dearborn, Redford, and Warren.
• Peter Chang EnterprisesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Sponsor for Mental Health Matters: 40-Mile Challenge fundraising event.
• PNC BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver Sponsor for Mental Health Matters: 40-Mile Challenge fundraising event.
• PCE SystemsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Sponsor for Mental Health Matters: 40-Mile Challenge.
• Henry Ford HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Sponsor for Mental Health Matters: 40-Mile Challenge fundraising event.
• IFFminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Sponsor for Mental Health Matters: 40-Mile Challenge fundraising event.
• Risk Security & InvestigationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze Sponsor for Mental Health Matters: 40-Mile Challenge fundraising event.
• GJC CPA's & AdvisorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMental Health Champion Sponsor for Mental Health Matters: 40-Mile Challenge.
• Lighthouse, an Alera Group CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMental Health Champion Sponsor for Mental Health Matters: 40-Mile Challenge.
• Services to Enhance PotentialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMental Health Champion Sponsor for Mental Health Matters: 40-Mile Challenge.
• The Children's CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMental Health Champion Sponsor for Mental Health Matters: 40-Mile Challenge.
• Detroit at WorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment Centers recognized as a Detroit at Work Career Center in 2019, providing employment services as part of the Mayor's workforce development initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Samaritas: Michigan-headquartered nonprofit operating across human services (foster care, behavioral health, refugee services, autism, aging) statewide; broader incumbent with overlapping programs but wider geographic reach.
• Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit: Large established workforce-development and human-services nonprofit serving Southeast Michigan with mission-driven employment programs, training, and behavioral services; broader portfolio but overlapping workforce-development offering similar to Development Centers' Career Center.

Regional players

• Community Action Network (CAN) - Washtenaw: Michigan-based nonprofit delivering early childhood, family support, and youth development programs in Washtenaw County; comparable Community Action Agency-style structure and Head Start delivery model, but operating in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Southwest Solutions: Detroit-based nonprofit providing housing, behavioral health, workforce, and family services; just merged with Development Centers in 2023 to form MiSide, making it the most directly comparable peer with overlapping service portfolio and identical Wayne County footprint.
• Judson Center: Royal Oak/Detroit-based nonprofit offering behavioral health, autism, family preservation, and youth services across Michigan; previously partnered with Development Centers as lead on the $500K CDC Foundation Equity Alliance Grant and operates a comparable multi-service human-services platform.
• The Children's Center: Detroit-based nonprofit providing behavioral health, residential, and early-childhood services to children and families; listed as a Mental Health Champion sponsor of Development Centers' fundraising event and serves an overlapping Wayne County client base.
• Cass Community Social Services: Detroit-based nonprofit addressing homelessness, hunger, and self-sufficiency; comparable in mission and Wayne County footprint, with an overlapping beneficiary population and similar funding model (donations + grants + earned income).
• Starfish Family Services: Inkster/Metro Detroit nonprofit providing behavioral health, early childhood, family preservation, and youth services across Wayne County; comparable multi-program human-services organization with similar funding mix and service array.
• Services to Enhance Potential: Dearborn/Metro Detroit nonprofit supporting people with developmental disabilities and mental illness; overlapping CCBHC-adjacent service lines and Disability Services/Mental Health focus.
• Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries: Detroit-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, food, behavioral health, and workforce services; comparable community-impact scope and overlapping donor/foundation relationships in Wayne County.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgfMgJaqsEy_CcurL3LCd1A
• Facebookfacebook.com/Develctrs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/development-centers-inc-

Compliance3 records

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 Development Centers