Aid to Adoption of Special Kids

What Aid to Adoption of Special Kids does

AASK (Aid to Adoption of Special Kids) is an Arizona-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that recruits, trains, licenses, and supports foster and adoptive families serving children in Arizona's child welfare system. The organization operates across three Phoenix-area locations (Phoenix, Peoria, and Chandler) with 11-50 employees and runs four core program lines: traditional foster care, adoption services, kinship care for relatives raising children, and HCBS in-home support for children with developmental disabilities. AASK also operates the Todos Los Ninos bilingual outreach program targeting Latino families, and maintains specialized services for tribal families and children with complex medical or developmental needs.

The organization's business model is a hybrid of government contract revenue and charitable fundraising. It serves as a contracted provider for Arizona's Department of Child Safety (DCS), receiving state foster care referrals and per-diem reimbursements, while also drawing on Medicaid/HCBS billing through DDD and RBHA panels, the Arizona Foster Care Tax Credit (dollar-for-dollar match), individual donations, and grants. Differentiated service capabilities include 24/7 staff availability, an in-house registered nurse, behavioral health specialists, and bilingual Spanish/English support. The agency is one of the older continuously operating licensed child welfare agencies in Arizona, with institutional knowledge spanning 37 years and a recognized track record operating Arizona's first dedicated kinship care unit.

For-profit comparators are limited because AASK operates in a regulated, government-anchored nonprofit segment. The combination of licensed agency status, multi-county geographic coverage, clinical staffing, and bilingual capacity would be time-intensive and capital-intensive for a new entrant to replicate. Strategic visibility is supported through recurring media partnerships with ABC 15, Good Morning Arizona, and the Arizona Republic's Wednesday's Child segment, and the organization earned the 2024 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Name

Aid to Adoption of Special Kids

Legal name

Aid to Adoption of Special Kids

Website

https://aask-az.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AASK is an Arizona 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that recruits, licenses, and supports foster and adoptive families across three Phoenix-area locations, serving children in Arizona's child welfare system through foster care, adoption, kinship care, and HCBS programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foster Care and Adoption Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC), Family Advocacy, Parent Training & Support Services (EDAJAKAK), Behavioral Support & Positive Behavior Intervention Childcare (HSAAAIAF)

Keywords

• Foster care services
• Adoption services
• Kinship care support
• Child welfare services
• Home community based services

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Reimbursements: AASK receives funding through Arizona's Division of Child Safety (DCS) for foster care services. Foster families receive monthly reimbursements for care, clothing, and personal allowance. Medicaid covers children's medical expenses.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization accepts online donations, PayPal, mail-in checks, monthly giving programs, and workplace giving with employer matching. Registered 501(c)(3) with EIN 86-0611935.
3. Arizona Foster Care Tax Credit: Donors can receive dollar-for-dollar Arizona state income tax credit for donations to AASK (2026 limits: $632 single, $1,262 couple filing jointly). QFCO #10026.
4. HCBS Services Revenue: Home and Community Based Services program provides respite, habilitation, attendant care, and personal care for children with developmental and behavioral disabilities through DDD and RBHA funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK) is a non-profit foster care and adoption agency founded in 1988 that operates across Arizona with offices in Phoenix, Peoria, and Chandler. The organization provides foster care, adoption, kinship care, and Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) for children and families involved in the Arizona child welfare system, along with the culturally tailored Todos Los Ninos program for Hispanic and Latino families.

Product overview

Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK) is a social services organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on Arizona's foster care and adoption system. The core offerings include the Foster Care Program, which recruits and licenses foster families, and Adoption Services that facilitate permanent placements. Specialized programs address specific populations: the Kinship Foster Care Program supports relative caregivers, the Todos Los Niños Program serves Hispanic/Latino children and families, and HCBS provides in-home services for children with developmental or behavioral disabilities. These services are complemented by Foster Parent Training (state-required education on trauma-informed care), the Meet the Kids Newsletter (weekly profiles of adoptable children), the Family Resources Portal (forms and guides), and Family Support Services (reimbursements, respite, community events). The organization operates three Valley-wide locations in Phoenix, Peoria, and Chandler.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of families helped since 1988
• +1 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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS)coreOthersAASK operates as a licensed foster care and adoption agency under contract with Arizona DCS. The organization receives referrals of children in foster care and provides licensing, training, and support services for foster and adoptive families as part of the state's child welfare system.
• United Way of PhoenixcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAASK is a United Way member agency (United Way ID #0023), receiving support and referrals through the United Way network.
• Arizona Republic / azcentral.comstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership for the Wednesday's Child program featuring weekly profiles of children waiting for adoption, and participation in Seasons for Sharing charitable campaign.
• Arizona's Family 3TV and CBS 5 (Good Morning Arizona)strategicGTM or Marketing PartnerMonthly television segment 'Family Finding Forever' where Ian Schwartz meets with waiting children to highlight their stories and find forever families.
• Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)coreOthersAASK provides HCBS services for individuals receiving DDD services in Maricopa and Pinal Counties, including respite, habilitation, attendant care, and personal care.
• Arizona Tribal AuthoritiescoreOthersAASK has a Tribal program addressing culturally-specific needs of children placed in the care of American Indian tribal authorities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Arizona's Children Association: Another Arizona-based nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, kinship, and behavioral health services. Operates as a competing DCS-contracted licensing agency with statewide reach, directly overlapping AASK's core programs and target population.
• Catholic Charities Community Services (Arizona): Provides foster care licensing, adoption, and family support services across Arizona. Directly competes with AASK for DCS referrals and foster family recruitment in the same metropolitan service area.
• Southwest Human Development: Arizona's largest nonprofit dedicated to early childhood and family services, including foster care and developmental disability programs. Overlaps with AASK on HCBS, early intervention, and foster-adjacent family support services.
• Childhelp: National nonprofit focused on child abuse prevention and treatment with significant Arizona operations, including group homes and foster programs. Comparable in mission and target population, with overlapping DCS/government funding streams.

Broad incumbents

• Bethany Christian Services: National nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, and family preservation services with broader geographic reach. Comparable in core service offering and target population but operates at significantly larger scale across many states.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Large national nonprofit providing behavioral health, foster care, and residential services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Overlaps with AASK on the HCBS/developmental disability and special needs foster care service lines.
• KVC Health Systems: National nonprofit providing child welfare, foster care, and behavioral health services across multiple states. Comparable model of family preservation, foster licensing, and kinship care support.

Emerging players

• National Youth Advocate Program: National nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, and in-home services for at-risk youth and families. Comparable service mix including HCBS-style in-home support and behavioral health specialization.

Others

• Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS): State government agency that licenses and contracts foster care providers, including AASK. Acts as the primary referral source and contract counterparty — not a direct competitor but the central ecosystem partner governing AASK's business.
• United Way of Phoenix: Funder and referral partner for AASK (United Way ID #0023). Provides donor dollars and access to a network of partner agencies serving overlapping community needs in the Phoenix metro area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AASKArizona
• Xx.com/aask

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Aid to Adoption of Special Kids