Star Center

What Star Center does

Star Center, Inc. is a Tennessee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 by Margaret and Chuck Doumitt, originally to serve people losing their eyesight, and now operating as a multi-disciplinary disability services platform across Tennessee. Its core services span Assistive Technology (assessments, device loans, installations, workplace accommodations), Employment Services (job placement, work readiness, supported employment, Pre-ETS for ages 14-22), In-Home Companion Care, Music Therapy, Speech Therapy, Vision Services (orientation and mobility, low vision optometry), a Reading Clinic using Orton-Gillingham methodology, the MAPS Medicaid waiver program, Veteran Services, and Ria's Heart art therapy. Delivery is staffed by a multidisciplinary clinical team holding nationally scarce certifications (ATP, COMS, CATIS, MT-BC, CCC-SLP, NMT, CESP, ACRE), with the assistive technology practice operating as an AMTA-approved music therapy internship site since 1998.

Underlying technology is largely off-the-shelf assistive hardware and software (screen readers including JAWS and Fusion, magnification devices, smart home technology, eye-gaze communication devices, talking devices, adaptive equipment) rather than proprietary platforms; the methodological IP is clinical (Orton-Gillingham delivery, music therapy protocols, orientation and mobility training) rather than software-based. Star Center operates five staffed offices (Jackson HQ, Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga) plus in-home care delivery across 95 Tennessee counties, reaching approximately 4,615 people annually.

Revenue is assembled from multiple streams: government program reimbursement (Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation, DIDD, CHOICES, ECF CHOICES, TTAP, Veterans Administration), individual and corporate donations and event fundraising (Black Tie & Boxing, Dancing with the Stars, Brunch & Bubbly, Flint Cox Invitational) that generated $772,756 from 1,382 donors in FY2024-2025, corporate sponsorships from regional partners (Community Foundation of West Tennessee, Robinson Toyota, Leaders Credit Union, Blue Oval City/Ford, Jackson Energy Authority, West Tennessee Healthcare), private-pay fees (Reading Clinic at $40/session, private in-home and AT services), and a reuse/loan device program. Distribution is direct-to-client through center-based delivery, in-home care, employer worksite supported employment (Goodwill, Camping World), and school/agency partnerships; the go-to-market motion is community- and referral-led rather than commercial sales.

Name

Star Center

Legal name

STAR Center, Inc.

Website

https://star-center.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Star Center is a Tennessee 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 that delivers assistive technology, employment, in-home care, therapy, and vision services to people with disabilities across 95 counties via five staffed offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Assistive Technology (AT) & AAC Services (EDAJAKAF)

Keywords

• Disability services
• Assistive technology
• Employment support services
• Music therapy
• In-home companion care

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Program Funding: Services funded through state and federal programs including Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation, DIDD (Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities), CHOICES, ECF CHOICES, Tennessee Technology Access Program (TTAP), and Veterans Administration programs.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual and corporate donations, event fundraising (Black Tie & Boxing, Dancing with the Stars, Brunch & Bubbly, Flint Cox Invitational Golf Tournament), and grants. Fiscal Year 2024-2025 saw $772,756.55 in donations from 1,382 unique donors.
3. Client Fees for Reading Clinic: Reading Clinic sessions priced at $40 per session, offered Monday through Thursday in 45-minute increments.
4. Private Pay Services: Private pay options available for in-home care, caregiver services, and assistive technology services not covered by government programs.
5. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors including financial contributions, event sponsorships, and in-kind support from regional businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

STAR Center is a nonprofit disability services organization that provides assistive technology services, employment support, in-home companion care, music therapy, speech therapy, vision services, a reading clinic, and art therapy for people with disabilities across all ages. Founded in 1988, the organization delivers individualized, technology-enabled services to support education, employment, and independence for individuals with physical, developmental, sensory, and cognitive disabilities throughout Tennessee.

Product overview

The STAR Center is a nonprofit disability services organization offering a comprehensive suite of therapeutic and support services. Founded in 1988, it operates as a multi-service platform providing Assistive Technology Services, Employment Services, In-Home Companion Care, Music Therapy, Speech Therapy, Vision Services, Reading Clinic, and Ria's Heart Art Therapy. The organization also administers specialized programs including MAPS (Medicaid Alternative Pathways Services) for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for students ages 14-22. Services are delivered across Tennessee with locations in Jackson (headquarters), Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The center serves approximately 4,615 people annually across 95 Tennessee counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ria's Heart: An initiative dedicated to raising funds for art classes at The STAR Center, specifically designed for individuals with autism and other disabilities.
• MAPS

Products and services

• Assistive Technology Services State-wide assistive technology services providing adaptive and rehabilitative devices, demonstrations, device loans, and workplace accommodations for individuals with disabilities across Tennessee.
• Employment Services Comprehensive workforce services including career path determination, work readiness training, job-seeking skills, employer connections, and supported employment for people with disabilities.
• In-Home Companion Care Trusted in-home care, caregiver services, and sitter services providing support for daily living tasks, companionship, and independence for individuals with disabilities and seniors, primarily in West Tennessee.
• Music Therapy Board-certified music therapy services providing personalized interventions for behavioral, physical, communication, emotional, cognitive, sensory, and musical goals through individual and group sessions in schools, hospitals, and agency settings.
• Speech Therapy Speech-language pathology services addressing language delays, articulation problems, fluency issues, and providing speech devices including eye gaze technologies for individuals with disabilities.
• Vision Services Services for people with visual impairments including orientation and mobility training, low vision optometry sessions, magnifiers, talking devices, and screen reader training.
• Reading Clinic Diagnostic prescriptive reading instruction for elementary students (grades 2-6) with reading disabilities using Orton-Gillingham methodologies, with sessions priced at $40 per 45-minute session.
• Ria's Heart Art Therapy Art classes specifically designed for individuals with autism and other disabilities, providing creative expression and skill development opportunities through dedicated art therapy programming.
• MAPS (Medicaid Alternative Pathways Services) Medicaid program helping individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities achieve independence through enabling technology, skills training, and personalized goal support.
• Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Services for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities ages 14-22 focusing on job exploration, work-based learning, post-secondary education, workplace readiness, and self-advocacy.
• Veteran Services Programs for veterans with disabilities including assistive technology, blind and low vision services, in-home care, and music therapy, supported through Veterans Administration program funding.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24 individuals placed into meaningful employment generating $369,814.64 in annual wage impact
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tennessee Vocational RehabilitationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary referral partner for employment services. Employment services are primarily available to recipients of Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation Services. VR offices refer clients for job placement, work readiness training, and supported employment services.
• DIDD (Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing funding and referral pathways for in-home care and other disability services. Services may be funded through DIDD programs for eligible individuals.
• CHOICES/ECF CHOICEScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTennessee Medicaid waiver programs providing funding for home and community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities.
• Southern College of OptometrycoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides optometry sessions for low vision and legal blindness through a partnership that brings professional eye care to STAR Center clients.
• Veterans AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing funding and referral pathways for veteran services. STAR Center proudly offers programs to veterans with disabilities, including assistive technology, blind and low vision services, in-home care, and music therapy.
• Tennessee Technology Access Program (TTAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState program providing assistive technology funding and device access. Many vision and assistive technology services are funded through TTAP in addition to other state and federal programs.
• GoodwillcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor employer partner providing job placement opportunities for STAR Center clients. Clients like Dustin Jones have been successfully employed at Goodwill locations.
• Camping WorldcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployer partner providing employment opportunities for individuals with visual impairments, with workplace accommodations supported by STAR Center assistive technology services.
• Jackson State Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner where STAR Center clients pursue higher education. Provided resources like computers and monitors to support client academic success.
• Tennessee AgrAbilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization serving farmers and farm workers with disabilities. Listed as a recommended resource alongside STAR Center on disability resources page.
• American Music Therapy Association (AMTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association that has approved STAR Center as a National Roster Internship Site for music therapy interns since 1998.
• Huntsville Hospital for Women and ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical training partner where music therapy interns, such as Jordan Imler, complete their internship requirements.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lighthouse Guild: National nonprofit providing vision services, assistive technology, rehabilitation, and employment support for people with vision loss. Directly comparable to STAR Center's Vision Services, Orientation & Mobility, and AT pillars but at national scale.

Direct peers

• United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee: Middle Tennessee nonprofit serving people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities through therapy, assistive technology, employment, and residential programs; comparable region and similar service breadth targeting IDD populations.
• Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee: Tennessee-based employment services organization and active STAR Center employer partner (places STAR Center clients in jobs). Operates overlapping supported employment, vocational rehabilitation, and disability-focused workforce programs.
• Signal Centers: Chattanooga-based nonprofit serving children and adults with disabilities through therapy, education, and assistive technology (explicitly named in STAR Center staffer Beth Warren's prior employment). Operates with a similar therapy-and-AT service mix in Tennessee.
• The Arc Tennessee: Tennessee state affiliate of The Arc, providing advocacy, family support, case management, and community-based services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Overlaps with STAR Center's MAPS, employment, and in-home companion services.
• Easterseals Tennessee: Statewide Tennessee nonprofit providing disability and special needs services including therapy, case management, and employment support; offers an overlapping multi-service suite (therapy + employment + community living) comparable to STAR Center's integrated delivery model.

Emerging players

• Special Kids Special Families: Tennessee nonprofit providing therapy, respite, and adult day services for individuals with disabilities; overlaps with STAR Center's therapy and home/community services but operates at smaller scale.

Regional players

• disAbility Resource Center of East Tennessee: East Tennessee Center for Independent Living providing independent living skills, advocacy, and AT support for people with disabilities in STAR Center's Knoxville/Chattanooga territory with comparable disability-services focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thestarcenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4617NLmzKVoFvg2gfZrOMQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/thestarcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/thestarcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Star Center