Empowering People

What Empowering People does

Empowering People is a privately held, for-profit provider of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), headquartered in Warren, Ohio. The company operates across three primary service lines: Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) for individuals with intensive medical and behavioral needs, Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers for in-home and community residential support, and Community Living/Work (CLW) day and vocational programming. Operations span at least eight Ohio counties — Ashtabula, Clark, Columbiana, Highland, Lorain, Stark, Summit, and Trumbull — with 13 CLW locations and 250+ licensed ICF beds that are being actively downsized in favor of smaller community-based waiver homes.

The company's service model is built on Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) licensure, Medicaid waiver certification, and 24/7 licensed nursing coverage, with clinical training led internally by certified crisis-intervention staff. Revenue is generated almost entirely through Medicaid-funded reimbursements, with county boards of developmental disabilities acting as the primary referral channel. The 2011 acquisition of Stark County Group Homes and the 2012 formation of Empowering People Management under CEO Kurt Miller mark the firm's principal expansion milestones, while recent leadership hires (Angie Hannahs-Davis as Regional Director, Melissa Venrick as Director of Clinical Services, and Tonya Pettway in 2023) support the multi-county operating model.

The business has no disclosed software platform, technology stack, or data product; value is delivered through workforce and licensed facilities. The company participated as a plaintiff in Ball v. Kasich / Ball v. State of Ohio, challenging the adequacy of Ohio's ICF Medicaid reimbursement methodology, signaling active engagement with the state's regulatory and rate-setting apparatus that directly governs its economics. Overall, Empowering People is a mid-sized, multi-county IDD services provider in a deliberate transition from institutional to community-based care.

Name

Empowering People

Legal name

Empowering People Management, Inc.

Website

https://empowering-people.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Empowering People is a Warren, Ohio-based provider of disability services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, operating ICFs, HCBS waiver homes, and 13 Community Living/Work day-program locations across at least eight Ohio counties, funded almost entirely through Ohio Medicaid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult) (HLADABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Personal Care & ADL Assistance (bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility) (HLADAGAA), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Intermediate care facilities
• Home and community based services
• Developmental disability care
• Vocational habilitation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Warren

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Medicaid-Funded Healthcare Services: Services covered through Medicaid benefits including Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) and Home and Community Based Waiver Services (HCBS). Revenue generated through Medicaid reimbursement for disability support services including residential care, nursing, and vocational programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Empowering People Inc. is a multi-location Ohio-based provider of disability support services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Its core offerings are Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) with 24/7 nursing support, Home and Community Based Waiver Services (HCBS) delivered in individuals' own homes, and Creative Life & Work (CLW) adult day services including supported employment and vocational programs across 13 Ohio locations. Services are primarily reimbursed through Medicaid and coordinated with county boards of developmental disabilities.

Product overview

Empowering People Inc. is a multi-location disability support services provider in Ohio operating a portfolio of integrated service offerings. The core services include Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) providing 24/7 nursing support in home-like residential settings, Home and Community Based Waiver Services (HCBS) for individuals living independently or with family, and Creative Life & Work (CLW) providing vocational and day habilitation services across 13 Ohio locations. The company also staffs Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and Licensed Nurses (LNs) to deliver person-centered care. These services work together to provide a continuum of care from residential support to community-based and vocational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Creative Life & Work (CLW): Adult day services center offering Day Habilitation and Vocational Services for adults with developmental disabilities. CLW has 13 convenient locations throughout Ohio and helps place individuals in part-time employment with on-site training and skill enhancement.

Products and services

• Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) provide 24/7 nursing support in a home-like environment offering person-centered services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including assistance with life skills (hygiene, cooking, cleaning, budgeting), health and wellness management by Licensed Nurses, QIDP coordination, social and emotional support, community participation, and respite services. Targeted at adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Ohio.
• Home and Community Based Waiver Services (HCBS) Person-centered support services delivered in the comfort of the individual's own home, including homemaker/personal care (cooking, housekeeping, budgeting, medication administration), transportation to community events and medical appointments, payee services, and respite care for families or individuals. Targeted at individuals with developmental disabilities living independently, with family, or with friends.
• Creative Life & Work (CLW) Adult day services center offering Day Habilitation and Vocational Services for adults with developmental disabilities, including supported employment options, daily activities, and on-the-job training/skills enhancement at employer sites. CLW operates 13 locations throughout Ohio including Akron, Canton, Centerburg, Forest Park, Geneva, Lisbon, Mason, New Paris, Newbury, Springfield, and Warren. Targeted at adults with developmental disabilities seeking part-time employment and community participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully placed hundreds of adults in employment across 25+ Ohio counties since 2014
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Creative Life and Work (CLW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLW is an adult day services center opened in 2008 offering supported employment options and daily activities for adults with developmental disabilities. EPI partners with CLW for Day Services at their ICF locations. CLW provides Day Habilitation and Vocational Services with 13 locations across Ohio, helping place individuals in part-time employment with on-site training since 2014.
• Ohio County Boards of Developmental DisabilitiescoreOthersPartnerships with various Ohio county boards including Stark County Board of DD, Preble County Board of Developmental Disabilities, and others for referrals, regulatory coordination, and community integration programs including Special Olympics and community dances.
• Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD)coreOthersEPI aligns with DODD's vision for community-based care, downsizing licensed beds into smaller homes. Company staff serve as RN trainers for DODD's Medication Administration Curriculums and participate in DODD-supported initiatives.
• OPRA (Ohio Provider Association)minorOthersCEO Kurt Miller is an active member of OPRA (Ohio Provider Association) while serving on committees to improve services and options for Ohioans with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• ANCOR (American Network of Community Options and Resources)minorOthersRegional Director Angie Hannahs-Davis served as Ohio state representative for ANCOR in 2010-2011, connecting EPI with national advocacy efforts for individuals with disabilities.
• UnitedHealthcare, UMR, and HealthSCOPE BenefitsminorOthersThese healthcare insurers create and publish Machine-Readable Files on behalf of Empowering People Management, Inc. as required under the Transparency in Coverage Rule.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• BrightSpring Health Services: Large, publicly-traded provider of home and community-based services, behavioral health, and pharmacy services; ResCare (referenced repeatedly in EPI's management backgrounds as a former employer) is now part of BrightSpring. Directly comparable as a multi-state IDD/HCBS operator at meaningfully larger scale.
• Bayada Home Health Care: Large, multi-state home health and personal care provider with Medicaid waiver and private-duty nursing services for adults with disabilities. Comparable on the home and community-based services side, though broader scope than EPI.

Direct peers

• Sevita Health (formerly The MENTOR Network): One of the largest U.S. providers of home and community-based services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, operating ICFs, group homes, and HCBS across many states. Closest large-scale comparable to EPI's integrated ICF + HCBS + day services model.
• RHA Health Services: Multi-state provider of behavioral health and IDD services including ICFs, group homes, and HCBS waivers. Comparable service mix and Medicaid-funded revenue model to Empowering People, with similar focus on person-centered care.
• Help at Home: Leading U.S. provider of personal care and HCBS to individuals with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, primarily serving Medicaid waiver populations. Closely comparable to EPI's HCBS waiver arm and similar in mission and funding model.
• Bancroft (formerly Elwyn): Mid-Atlantic-based nonprofit provider of ICF, residential, day, and vocational services for individuals with IDD/autism. Comparable continuum-of-care model (ICF + day services + supported employment) but with a nonprofit governance structure rather than EPI's for-profit ownership.
• National Mentor Healthcare (dba MENTOR): Historic IDD services brand (now largely under Sevita Health) operating group homes and ICF-style services for adults with developmental disabilities. Directly comparable business model and target population to EPI's ICF operations.

Others

• LifeStance Health: Not directly comparable, but adjacent — provides behavioral and mental health services and could partner with or compete for the same Medicaid-funded IDD behavioral health component of EPI's services.

Regional players

• Volunteers of America National Services: Multi-state nonprofit operating senior living, IDD supportive housing, and HCBS programs. Comparable continuum-of-care approach to EPI's IDD services, though organized as a nonprofit rather than family-owned for-profit.

Emerging players

• Caregivers of America: Smaller regional HCBS and personal care provider serving Medicaid waiver populations. Comparable service model in the HCBS/ADL assistance space that overlaps with EPI's waiver services arm.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empowering-people-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Empowering People