Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network

What Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network does

Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2000 by Crestwood Behavioral Health, Inc. to provide vocational rehabilitation and employment support services to youth and adults with limitations and disabilities, particularly those with mental health disabilities. Headquartered in Fairfield, California, with a second operational office in Fresno, the organization delivers a structured seven-stage service pathway covering vocational assessment, external situational assessment, work adjustment, employment preparation (resume development, interview role-play, transportation training), job development and placement, on-site job coaching, and post-placement retention support. Services are provided at no cost to clients, and Dreamcatchers covers wages and insurance during paid work assessments; employer services including pre-screened candidates are also free, supported by access to on-the-job training funds and the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit.

The organization's underlying "technology" is its human-services delivery model rather than a software platform. It is differentiated operationally by CARF accreditation for vocational assessment, job preparation, and placement programs, by a GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency, and by deep institutional relationships across the California disability-employment ecosystem. These include 13 contracts with Crestwood Behavioral Health campuses, formal service agreements with the California Department of Rehabilitation and with county behavioral health departments in Butte, Fresno, Solano, and Contra Costa counties, and an employer partner network that includes Walgreens, Safeway, Core-Mark, Restore, and Davis Grocery Outlet.

The business model is government-contract-driven with philanthropic supplementation. Approximately 82% of the annual budget is derived from managed-services contracts with California DOR and county behavioral health departments for vocational assessment, job preparation, placement, and coaching; the remaining ~18% comes from private individual and corporate donations (tax-deductible). In 2024, the organization served 1,451 total clients across six to nine California counties, including 797 DOR clients, 411 Crestwood campus Supported Employment participants, and 190 Fresno County behavioral health clients, generating 123 total placements with a 99% positive closure rate at 90 days and 88% employment retention at six months. The company employs 11-50 staff and is led by Executive Director Regina Kaiser.

Name

Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network

Legal name

Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network

Website

https://dreamcatchersnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing CARF-accredited vocational assessment, job preparation, placement, and coaching services to youth and adults with disabilities across nine California counties, funded primarily by government contracts and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Special Education Vocational & Transition Programs (18–22) (EDAKAAAG)

Keywords

• Vocational rehabilitation
• Supported employment
• Disability employment services
• Job placement services
• Career coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts: Contracts with California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and county behavioral health departments (Butte, Fresno, Solano, Contra Costa) to provide vocational assessment, job preparation, placement, and coaching services to clients with disabilities. Dreamcatchers has 13 contracts with Crestwood campuses throughout California.
2. Private Contributions: Approximately 18% of annual budget comes from private individual or corporate contributions. Tax-deductible donations support programs and client services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network delivers a complete vocational rehabilitation support program — including vocational assessments, job preparation, job placement, job coaching, and employment retention — to youth and adults with limitations and disabilities across multiple California counties. Services are delivered free of charge to clients through contracts with the California Department of Rehabilitation and county behavioral health departments, with additional employer-side placement services provided at no cost to local businesses.

Product overview

Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network offers a comprehensive suite of vocational rehabilitation and employment support services for youth and adults with disabilities. The organization operates a multi-service model centered around its core employment pathway: Vocational Assessment, External Situational Assessment, Work Adjustment Programs, Employment Preparation Services, Job Development, Job Coaching, and Employment Retention Services. Services are provided in partnership with the California Department of Rehabilitation and through private contracts with behavioral health agencies. The organization also facilitates worksite opportunities through employer partnerships, providing free labor arrangements where Dreamcatchers covers wages and insurance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vocational Assessment Assesses a client's vocational interests, abilities, and values, identifying basic work skills, work habits, work tolerances, work behaviors, and interpersonal skills, often including transferable skill analysis to identify vocational goals. Available to all individuals regardless of disability through Dreamcatchers' client services.
• External Situational Assessment Provides paid work experience through community-based assessment where clients are placed in supervised real work environments with Dreamcatchers staff acting as trainers, identifying strengths and barriers for employment. Dreamcatchers covers wages and insurance during the assessment.
• Work Adjustment Programs Individualized programs using real work situations to help clients understand job meaning, value, and demands while establishing skills, attitudes, and appropriate work behaviors for sustained employment.
• Employment Preparation Services Organized curriculum providing training on resume development, master applications, and role-playing interviews to prepare clients for employment.
• Job Development Structured, systematic job development and placement services where clients direct the job search process while Dreamcatchers conducts targeted searches to accommodate individual desires.
• Job Coaching Individual client assistance and support for employment-related activities including transportation training, on-site orientation, hands-on training, and job task analysis.
• Employment Retention Services Ongoing support provided by employment specialists after job placement, maintaining employer contact to ensure client progress, employer satisfaction, and job success through regular contact.
• Supported Employment Services Comprehensive employment services for individuals with mental health disabilities, including CARF-accredited individualized educational and employment plans, job preparation, placement, coaching, peer support, and benefit planning.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% positive closures after 90 days
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Butte County Behavioral HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Dreamcatchers began providing Supported Employment - Paid Work Experience to individuals receiving services through Butte County Behavioral Health in July 2015. With positions available in-house and in the community, individuals gain skills with Job Coach support. Candidates are interviewed and can hold positions for up to 9 months. Goal is to build job skills and prepare for permanent, community-based employment.
• Sparkpoint SolanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSparkpoint developed by United Way brings together free community resources. Dreamcatchers provides employment-related services including job development workshops, employment counseling, resume assistance, interview skills training, job leads, and placement assistance to community members at the center. Regina Kaiser, Executive Director, sits on the Executive Committee for Sparkpoint Solano.
• County of Fresno Department of Behavioral HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDreamcatchers Vocational Educational Services program serves individuals with mental health disabilities in Fresno County. Services include CARF-accredited individualized plans, job preparation, placement services, coaching, connection to education, peer support groups, assessment, and benefit planning assistance. 190 Fresno County clients participated in Supported Employment in 2024.
• Crestwood Behavioral Health, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDreamcatchers was created in 2000 by Crestwood Behavioral Health, California's largest provider of mental health services. Currently 13 contracts exist between Dreamcatchers and Crestwood campuses throughout California covering resident wages for campus jobs, providing vocational training. 411 Crestwood clients participated in Supported Employment in 2024.
• California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOR administers the largest vocational rehabilitation program in the country with a three-pronged mission to help people with disabilities live independently, become employed, and have equality in their communities. DOR provides consultation, counseling, and vocational rehabilitation services and works with community partners including Dreamcatchers. 797 DOR clients were served in 2024.
• WalgreenssecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStore manager reported positive learning experience concerning benefits of working with people with disabilities through Dreamcatchers program. Walgreens provides worksite opportunities and has hired Dreamcatchers clients.
• Core-MarksecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployer partner reported connecting with Dreamcatchers employees who have built careers within the company. Multiple employees applied for other positions within Core-Mark and received career development support.
• RestoresecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLead Cashier reported Dreamcatchers employees are valuable team members who are here for 9 months along with their job coach, learn faster, know how the store works, are open minded, and hungry to learn.
• Davis Grocery OutletsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOwner reported having hired 5 Dreamcatchers clients at the store and expressed pleasure working with the organization.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PathPoint: California-based nonprofit providing employment services, supported employment, and community integration for people with disabilities; closely comparable service line-up, regional GTM, and reliance on California DOR and county behavioral health contracts.
• The Arc of California: State-level nonprofit (Dreamcatchers is actually partnered with The Arc of Butte County) delivering employment, advocacy, and case management for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; shares the same California footprint, DOR contract structure, and county-based delivery model.
• MERS Goodwill Industries: Regional Goodwill affiliate operating vocational rehabilitation, job coaching, and placement services; comparable small-to-mid sized nonprofit employment model with similar contract-driven revenue mix and population served.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit federation operating employment, training, and placement programs for people with disabilities and other barriers; directly comparable mission, contract-driven revenue model, and employer-placement GTM to Dreamcatchers but at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• SourceAmerica: AbilityOne-authorized nonprofit that creates employment and training opportunities for people with disabilities through government contracts; comparable contract-driven employment model with similar CARF-adjacent quality standards and employer network.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing vocational rehabilitation, employment supports, and disability services across the U.S.; comparable CARF-style service suite, government-contract revenue mix, and employer partnerships, though with a broader medical/therapeutic portfolio beyond employment.

Emerging players

• Best Buddies Jobs Program: National nonprofit placing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities into competitive employment; overlaps with Dreamcatchers' placement and employer-engagement services but with narrower population focus and more limited California footprint.

Regional players

• LifeBridge California (formerly Marin Ventures / LifeBridge): California-based nonprofit providing employment, day, and community services for individuals with disabilities; shares the same California DOR contract structure, supported employment model, and CARF-aligned service delivery framework as Dreamcatchers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DreamcatchersEmpowermentNetwork

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network