Milestone

What Milestone does

Milestone, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization headquartered at 4060 McFarland Road in Loves Park, Illinois, that delivers residential, day-training, dental, vocational, and community-living services to approximately 275 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) in the Greater Rockford Area and broader Northern Illinois region. Founded in 1973 by James P. Hamilton as the first residential care program of its kind in Illinois, the organization now operates a vertically integrated portfolio comprising 30 adult group homes, the 84-bed Elmwood Heights facility for medically fragile individuals, intermittent and 24-hour Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) services, the Milestone Training Center for developmental skills, the Milestone Industries sheltered workshop for vocational training and subcontract packaging, and the Milestone Dental Clinic — the first U.S. dental facility exclusively serving ID/DD patients (opened 1999, drawing from 13 Illinois counties). The business is underpinned by a service-delivery model rather than a discrete product or technology platform, with revenue flowing primarily from the Illinois Department of Human Services and Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation grants for ID/DD services, supplemented by Public Aid/private-insurance reimbursement at the dental clinic, a sliding-fee scale, Milestone Industries subcontract revenue, and community donations.

Governance is provided by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of parents/guardians and community business leaders, with Bill Grahn serving as the third President and CEO (effective 2023) after 30+ years inside the organization. The 750+ person workforce provides 24/7/365 care across all programs. The 2001 merger with RocVale Children's Home extended Milestone's age coverage to children and young adults aged 6 to 21, but the RocVale campus was closed in 2024 and the organization is consolidating around adult services and behavioral health; the new Journey Behavioral Health clinic, announced for 2026, extends the portfolio into dedicated ID/DD behavioral health. From an investment standpoint, Milestone is structurally a community-funded social services nonprofit rather than a venture or private-equity target — it has no equity, no funding rounds, no patents, no disclosed revenue, and no technology IP beyond consumer-grade voice assistants donated for resident use. Its competitive position rests on regulatory incumbency (50+ years as a licensed Illinois ID/DD provider), a comprehensive single-vendor service ecosystem, deeply tenured staff, and strong community trust within Rockford.

Name

Milestone

Legal name

MILESTONE, INC.

Website

https://milestone-inc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Milestone, Inc. is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 in Loves Park, Illinois, operating 30 adult group homes, an 84-bed medical facility, CILA services, a vocational workshop, and a specialized dental clinic serving approximately 275 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Greater Rockford Area and 13-county Northern Illinois region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Disability Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Therapeutic Adult Day Programs (PT/OT/SLP, Cognitive Rehab) (HSABANAF), Transition Services (Secondary to Postsecondary/Employment, Life Skills) (EDAJAKAG)

Keywords

• Residential disability services
• Developmental disability care
• Specialized dental care
• Vocational training services
• Community integrated living

Headquarters

HQ city

Loves Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: State of Illinois Department of Human Services funding for residential, day training, and community services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
2. Healthcare Grants: Funding from Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation and other grants for dental clinic services.
3. Healthcare Insurance: Accepts Illinois Public Aid and private dental insurance for dental clinic services.
4. Sliding Fee Scale: Dental clinic offers sliding fee scale for those not covered by Public Aid and who do not qualify for other assistance.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Annual Appeal, Adopt-A-Camper campaign, Amazon Smile, Schnuck's eScrip community card program, and general donations support operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Milestone, Inc. provides residential, day training, vocational, dental, and community-integrated living services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) in Northern Illinois. The organization operates 30 group homes, the 84-bed Elmwood Heights facility for medically fragile individuals, sheltered workshop vocational training, a dedicated dental clinic, CILA independent-living support, and a forthcoming behavioral health clinic, serving 275+ individuals with 750+ staff 24/7/365.

Product overview

Milestone is a not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive portfolio of residential, day training, and healthcare services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization operates 30 adult group homes, Elmwood Heights (a 96-bed residential facility for medically fragile individuals), and CILA services for independent living support. Milestone Industries offers vocational packaging services, while the Milestone Training Center provides developmental training for community inclusion. The Milestone Dental Clinic is a specialized dental facility serving individuals with ID/DD. These services work together to provide 24-hour care, 365 days a year to over 750 individuals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Milestone Dental Clinic (MDC): State-of-the-art, non-profit dental clinic providing oral health care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Opened December 1999, accepts public aid and private insurance.
• Milestone Industries
• The Milestone Training Center
• Elmwood Heights
• RocVale Children's Home
• Journey Behavioral Health
• Milestone Community Services

Products and services

• Adult Group Homes 30 residential group homes for adults with developmental disabilities located throughout the Greater Rockford Area, providing daily living skills support, supervision, and a home-like residential setting on a 24/7 basis.
• Elmwood Heights Residential facility serving 84 adult individuals who are physically and developmentally disabled and medically fragile, offering around-the-clock medical care, specialized nursing, and personalized daily living skills training in a homelike atmosphere.
• Intermittent and 24-Hour CILA Services Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) supportive services that allow individuals to maintain or enhance their ability to live independently in the Rockford community through their own apartments, with assistance in budgeting, grocery shopping, community access, and social recreation on intermittent or 24-hour schedules.
• Milestone Dental Clinic (MDC) State-of-the-art, non-profit dental clinic providing specialized oral health care exclusively for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 13 counties in Illinois; accepts Illinois Public Aid and private dental insurance and offers a sliding fee scale for uninsured patients.
• Milestone Industries Sheltered workshop and vocational training center providing subcontracting packaging services (packaging, bagging, heat sealing, scaling, blister pack assembly, sorting, collating, inspection, and labeling) along with worker training and supported employment for 100+ adults with ID/DD.
• Milestone Training Center Developmental training center teaching skills necessary to achieve community inclusion while enhancing self-esteem, ranging from self-care and social skills to educational and vocational skills for adults with physical and developmental disabilities.
• Journey Behavioral Health Clinic Behavioral health clinic dedicated to helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities onto their path of wellness, providing an additional bridge of behavioral-health support for staff serving individuals across Milestone programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 275 individuals served across all programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Institute on Public Policy for People with DisabilitiesminorOthersMilestone is a proud member of The Institute on Public Policy for People with Disabilities, a policy advocacy organization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Park Lawn Corporation: Canadian-listed company providing residential services, day programs, and clinical supports for individuals with developmental disabilities. Closest direct peer in service mix (residential group homes, day training, vocational), though geographically Canada-focused.
• Community Options: Nonprofit providing residential group homes, day programs, and employment services for individuals with IDD. Closely comparable operating model (group homes + day training + employment) and population focus.
• Beacon Specialized Living Services: Mid-size provider of residential and behavioral services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across multiple states. Operates group homes and supported living programs comparable to Milestone's residential portfolio.
• RHA Health Services: Provider of residential, supported living, and behavioral health services for individuals with IDD and mental health needs. Comparable in service mix and in operating across multiple states with state-funded contracts.
• Dungarvin: National provider of residential, supported living, and day services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Closely mirrors Milestone's residential group home model and CILA-style independent living services.
• St. John's Community Services: Nonprofit providing residential, day, and behavioral health supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Similar mid-sized nonprofit structure with state-contracted services and similar population served.
• LifeStream Services: Nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through residential group homes, day services, and supported employment. Closely comparable in scope, mission, and operating model to Milestone.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: National federation of nonprofit chapters providing advocacy and direct services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable mission and population, though primarily advocacy-and-chapter-driven rather than a single operator.
• BrightSpring Health Services: Publicly traded provider of home and community-based health services for complex populations including IDD. Operates I/DD residential, day, and behavioral health services at national scale; a relevant listed-market comparable for Milestone's service mix.
• Sevita Health (formerly The MENTOR Network): One of the largest national providers of home and community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Directly comparable in mission (residential, day programs, supported living) but operates at national scale across many states rather than a single region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Milestone