Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities

What Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities does

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities is a non-profit Area Agency on Aging designated by the State of Ohio to coordinate long-term services and supports for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers across Portage, Stark, Summit, and Wayne counties. Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Uniontown, Ohio, the agency operates as the front-door Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) for the region, administering the PASSPORT Medicaid waiver, the Ohio Home Care Waiver (in partnership with CareSource), the HEAP utility assistance program (with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Vantage Aging), personal care services, dementia-capable supports, and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. It contracts with 270+ provider agencies serving 7,000+ individuals and operates with a 200+ person workforce backed by an $80M operating budget.

The agency's technology footprint is primarily compliance and interoperability-oriented: HIPAA-compliant case management systems integrated with the CliniSync Health Information Exchange, with NCQA accreditation and platinum AIRS membership certifying operational quality. Direction Home maintains a closely affiliated charitable foundation (established 1999, refreshed in 2025) to diversify funding beyond government sources through corporate sponsorships (including a newly launched 2026 Sponsorship Program) and individual giving.

Revenue is generated through state and federal program contracts (Medicaid waivers, HEAP, Older Americans Act funding), with pass-through allocations to a contracted provider network representing the bulk of the $80M operating budget. Services are delivered free-of-charge to eligible consumers, with no direct consumer pricing. The customer base is functionally segmented into dual-eligible older adults, Medicaid waiver beneficiaries, low-income households needing utility assistance, and caregivers — but the funding counterparty is concentrated in the Ohio Department of Aging and partner managed-care plans, making the agency highly dependent on government reimbursement continuity.

Name

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities

Legal name

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities

Website

https://dhad.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities is a non-profit Area Agency on Aging that coordinates long-term services and supports for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers across Ohio's Portage, Stark, Summit, and Wayne counties through Medicaid waivers, ADRC, and HEAP programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aging and Disability Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Resources, Social Services & Transportation Coordination (HLADALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF), Housing & Placement Coordination (Assisted Living, Memory Care, SNF) (HSABAIAL)

Keywords

• Aging services
• Long-term care
• Home and community-based care
• Medicaid waiver programs
• Elder rights advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Uniontown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Program Funding: Primarily publicly funded through government programs including Medicaid waiver programs (PASSPORT, Ohio Home Care Waiver), Older Americans Act Title III programs, and Ohio Department of Aging allocations. Services are provided at no cost to eligible consumers based on income and care level assessments.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: Direction Home Akron Canton Foundation accepts donations and sponsorships to support senior services, innovation in aging, and community access programs. The Foundation focuses on access to community services, innovation funding, and investment in the agency.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities is a non-profit Area Agency on Aging that provides home and community-based long-term care programs to older adults and people with disabilities across Portage, Stark, Summit, and Wayne Counties in Ohio. Core offerings include the PASSPORT Medicaid waiver, Ohio Home Care Waiver Program, Personal Care Services, the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) for free assessments, Long-Term Care Ombudsman advocacy, Care Coordination across 270+ contracted providers, and seasonal benefit programs including the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and HEAP Summer Crisis energy assistance.

Product overview

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities is a social services organization offering a coordinated network of home-based care and support programs for older adults and people with disabilities. The core programs include PASSPORT Medicaid (institutional diversion waiver), Ohio Home Care Waiver Program (for under-60 individuals), and Personal Care Services covering nine categories of in-home assistance. The Aging and Disability Resource Center serves as the entry point providing free assessments and connecting consumers to the broadest provider network in the region (270+ providers serving 7,000+ individuals). Seasonal benefit programs include the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program ($50 produce benefits) and Summer Crisis Program (energy assistance). Elder Rights advocacy through the Long-Term Care Ombudsman protects quality of care, while the Foundation supports innovation and community access. All services focus on enabling individuals to age in place with choices, protection, and education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Direction Home Akron Canton Foundation: Foundation focused on advocating for senior services, resource creation, innovation, and investment in the agency for the aging network

Products and services

• PASSPORT Medicaid

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000+ home-delivered meals annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• CareSourcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareSource has a contract with Ohio Department of Medicaid as a Managed Care Organization. In partnership with Direction Home Akron Canton, CareSource provides case management services for the Ohio Home Care Waiver Program, helping individuals under 60 who meet Medicaid financial criteria and have intermediate or skilled nursing care level needs.
• Ohio Department of AgingcoreOthersPrimary state government partner responsible for administering Older Americans Act programs, PASSPORT Medicaid waiver, and other aging services. Direction Home serves as the designated Area Agency on Aging for the region.
• 270+ Service Provider OrganizationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContracted provider network delivering services including adult day service, assisted living, community transitions, chore services, congregate meals, emergency response, home-delivered meals, homemaker, home medical equipment, legal counseling, minor home modification, nutrition consultation, personal care, socialization, social work/counseling, medical transportation, and visiting services.
• Direction Home Akron Canton FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation established in 1999 with new vision and mission for 2025 focusing on: Access to Community Services (underserved populations), Innovation (funding partnerships and entrepreneurship), and Investment in the Agency. Develops sponsorship opportunities for annual events.
• Vantage AgingminorOthersPartner organization for Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program serving Stark, Summit, and Wayne County residents.
• Portage County Senior CenterminorOthersPartner organization for Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program serving Portage County residents.
• Ohio Department of Job and Family ServicescoreOthersAdministers the Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program (HEAP) in partnership with Direction Home, providing assistance to low-income households for electric bills, air conditioners, and central AC repairs.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging: Designated Area Agency on Aging serving Northeast Ohio counties under the same Older Americans Act and Ohio Department of Aging framework. Operates a near-identical model of Medicaid waiver case management, ADRC intake, and provider network coordination, making it the closest structural comparable to DHAD.
• Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio: Another designated Ohio AAA administering PASSPORT, Ohio Home Care Waiver, and Title III services across 14 counties. Comparable in scope, funding model, and provider-network operating model, providing a useful benchmark for DHAD's regional economics.
• Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio: Designated AAA for Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, and Warren counties. Operates the same Medicaid waiver, ADRC, and provider-network coordination functions as DHAD, and is widely cited as a high-performing peer within the Ohio AAA system.
• Buckeye Hills Area Agency on Aging: Ohio AAA serving a multi-county southeastern region with PASSPORT, waiver case management, ADRC, and caregiver support services. Directly comparable in mission, funding mix, and service breadth to DHAD.
• Area Agency on Aging, Region 9: Designated Ohio AAA providing Medicaid waiver case management, ADRC services, and long-term care coordination across a multi-county region. Operates under identical regulatory and funding structure as DHAD, serving as a like-for-like operating model peer.
• Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging: Cleveland-based nonprofit providing care management, behavioral health, and home- and community-based services to older adults and caregivers in Ohio. Highly comparable in operating model, target population, and mission, with overlapping provider relationships across Northeast Ohio.

Others

• National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a): National membership and advocacy association for the 622+ Area Agencies on Aging across the U.S. While not a direct operating peer, n4a shapes the federal policy, funding, and programmatic framework that all AAAs including DHAD operate within.
• National Council on Aging: National nonprofit focused on improving the lives of older adults through advocacy, evidence-based programs (e.g., Falls Free Initiative, Chronic Disease Self-Management), and partnership with community-based organizations. A mission-aligned peer in the elder services ecosystem.
• LeadingAge: National industry association representing mission-driven, nonprofit aging services providers including CCRCs, assisted living, home health, and adult day. Adjacent peer operating in the same elder-care funding and regulatory environment as DHAD, but more focused on residential settings.

Emerging players

• Meals on Wheels America: National organization supporting a network of 5,000+ community-based programs delivering home-delivered and congregate meals to seniors. Overlaps directly with DHAD's 300,000+ home-delivered meals and 140,000 congregate meals program, and competes for the same OAA Title III funding pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DirectionHomeAC
• Facebookfacebook.com/DirectionHomeAgingandDisabilities
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/direction-home-akron-canton-area-agency-on-aging-&-disabilities

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities