Advocacy & Protective Services

What Advocacy & Protective Services does

Advocacy & Protective Services, Inc. (APSI) is a private, statewide nonprofit headquartered at 4110 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio, founded in 1983 to provide guardianship and protective services to Ohioans aged 18 and older with developmental disabilities. The organization operates as a service-delivery nonprofit rather than a technology product company: there is no proprietary platform, mobile application, or API, and its website is a standard Wix content site. APSI employs 101-250 staff organized around three operational pillars: (i) Protective Services Representatives (60+ PSRs) conducting regular in-person visits for medical, housing, work, and support advocacy; (ii) Medical Specialists available 24/7/365 to provide after-hours medical consent and emergency guidance; and (iii) Supported Decision-Making (SDM) programs developed in partnership with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD).

APSI's revenue model is a managed-services style arrangement funded almost entirely by governmental sources. The organization receives contracts and referrals through Ohio's 88 county boards of developmental disabilities, the state-level Ohio DODD, donations (via Qgiv and Constant Contact newsletter), and targeted grants (including a DODD-funded SDM grant and an Ohio Arts Council ArtsNEXT grant). Services are provided at no direct cost to eligible individuals; APSI files applications with county probate courts, which schedule hearings to formalize guardianship appointments. Regional operations cover SC (Columbus), NE (Highland Hills), NW (Toledo), and East Central Ohio, supporting more than 3,000 clients with over 20,000 PSR visits and 8,000+ Medical Specialist after-hours calls annually.

The primary customer segment is Ohioans with intellectual and developmental disabilities who cannot fully advocate for themselves; the payer is effectively the state/county DD system. Referrals originate from county boards, direct family or organizational referrals, and court orders, vetted through APSI's intake process run by Intake & Services Coordinator Shirella Walls. Distribution is statewide and field-based rather than digital, with growth initiatives concentrated on the SDM Toolkit, an annual APSI Institute conference (2026), and community programs such as the Birds of Encouragement mural project with InsideOut Studio.

Name

Advocacy & Protective Services

Legal name

Advocacy & Protective Services, Inc.

Website

https://apsiohio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Advocacy & Protective Services, Inc. (APSI) is a private, statewide Ohio nonprofit, founded in 1983, providing guardianship and protective services to 3,000+ adults with developmental disabilities through 60+ Protective Services Representatives funded by county boards of DD and Ohio DODD.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Developmental Disability Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Elder Services & Aging Support (BPAGAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Developmental disability services
• Guardianship services
• Protective services
• Supported decision-making
• Disability advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Services: APSI provides guardianship and protective services funded through contracts with county boards of developmental disabilities and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD). Services are provided at no cost to individuals aged 18 or older with developmental disabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

APSI provides guardianship and protective services to Ohioans aged 18 or older with developmental disabilities. Services are delivered through Protective Services Representatives (PSRs) who conduct regular in-person client visits and advocate on behalf of clients for medical, housing, work, and support services, supported by a 24/7 Medical Specialist team providing medical consent and emergency support. The organization also develops Supported Decision-Making resources as an alternative to guardianship and serves as legal guardian when court-appointed.

Product overview

Advocacy & Protective Services, Inc. (APSI) is a statewide, private, non-profit agency providing guardianship and protective services to Ohioans with developmental disabilities. The organization operates as a service-based nonprofit rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings include Protective Services Representatives who conduct regular in-person visits and advocate for clients across medical, housing, and support services; Medical Specialists available 24/7 to handle medical situations; and Supported Decision-Making resources developed in partnership with Ohio DODD. Additional offerings include community initiatives like the Birds of Encouragement mural project and educational programs through the APSI Institute. APSI serves over 3,000 clients across Ohio with 60+ PSRs completing over 20,000 visits annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guardianship Services Full array of legal guardianship services for Ohioans aged 18 or older with developmental disabilities, including advocacy to make their desires and needs known when they cannot speak for themselves. APSI files applications with county probate courts which schedule hearings to determine guardianship.
• Protective Services Representative (PSR) Visits Regular in-person visits conducted by 60+ PSRs who learn each client's needs, preferences, and goals to advocate on their behalf for medical, housing, work, and support services. PSRs serve more than 3,000 clients across Ohio regions.
• Medical Specialists Services 24/7, 365 days a year medical support team helping PSRs navigate tough medical situations and providing consent for medical appointments and procedures on behalf of clients. In 2023, responded to over 8,000 after-hours calls.
• Supported Decision-Making (SDM) Toolkit A toolkit developed in partnership with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities to raise awareness of and promote supported decision-making as an alternative to guardianship for Ohioans with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 23 clients restored to independence in 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPSI and DODD completed a ten-month grant project to develop the Ohio Supported Decision-Making Toolkit, raising awareness of supported decision-making as an alternative to guardianship for Ohioans with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Supported Decision-Making Network of Central Ohio (SDMNO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the DODD-funded Supported Decision-Making Grant Project, working together to promote SDM alternatives to guardianship.
• Central Ohio Guidance Center (CCOG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant partner in the Supported Decision-Making Grant Project, contributing to development of SDM resources and programs.
• Parent Group (PG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant partner in the Supported Decision-Making Grant Project focused on family and parent engagement in SDM.
• DD CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant partner in the Supported Decision-Making Grant Project, contributing to systemic advocacy efforts.
• InsideOut StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt studio collaborating on the Birds of Encouragement Mural Project, directly employs artists with developmental disabilities to help shape the mural design.
• Belmont County Board of Developmental DisabilitiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCounty board that partnered with APSI to enable clients Danny and Bobby to participate in the Beyond the Canvas art exhibit.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Disability Rights Ohio: Ohio's designated Protection and Advocacy organization for people with disabilities. Direct peer to APSI in providing advocacy, protective services, and rights-based representation for Ohioans with developmental disabilities.
• The Arc of Ohio: Statewide advocacy nonprofit for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Ohio. Closely comparable mission and population served to APSI, focused on self-advocacy, family support, and systems change.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: National DD advocacy organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Federal-level policy and advocacy comparable to APSI's state-level guardianship and advocacy work.
• National Disability Rights Network: Federation of state Protection & Advocacy organizations. Nationally comparable to APSI's advocacy and protective services mandate, though at network rather than direct-service level.
• Lutheran Social Services of Ohio: Faith-based nonprofit providing behavioral health, disability, and aging services across Ohio. Comparable nonprofit human services delivery footprint in the same geography as APSI.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit delivering a broad portfolio of disability services (employment, housing, therapy). Comparable service breadth to APSI but operating across many states and disability categories.
• Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana: Regional affiliate of Volunteers of America delivering social services including housing, behavioral health, and supports for people with disabilities. Comparable nonprofit human services scale in the same Ohio geography.

Emerging players

• L'Arche USA: Nonprofit creating inclusive communities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable population and mission to APSI, but with a residential/community-living model rather than guardianship.
• Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities: Statewide association representing Ohio's county boards of DD — APSI's primary referral and funding partners. Provides indirect comparison on DD systems delivery in Ohio.

Regional players

• Jewish Family Services of Columbus: Columbus-based social services nonprofit offering case management, guardianship, and supports for older adults and people with disabilities. Closely comparable service mix to APSI at a much smaller, hyperlocal scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/apsi_ohio
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpr0QAU1CI4jzz412OTwA
• Facebookfacebook.com/apsiohio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apsiohio
• Instagraminstagram.com/apsi_ohio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Advocacy & Protective Services