Lakemary Center

What Lakemary Center does

Lakemary Center, founded in 1969 by the Ursuline Sisters of Paola, Kansas, is a nonprofit human services organization providing a comprehensive continuum of care for children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD). Operating from a 32-acre main campus in Paola with additional facilities in Olathe, Paola (Miami County operations), and Overland Park, Lakemary serves more than 450 individuals and families annually with a workforce of 422 employees. Its service portfolio includes an accredited K-12 special education school, a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) for children ages 6-21 with dual diagnoses, outpatient therapy, case management, crisis stabilization, AIM post-graduate transition programming, adult residential living, day services, community employment, and a Business Solutions social enterprise offering e-recycling, packaging, and secure shredding.

The organization's clinical model is built on multidisciplinary therapeutic modalities including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Play Therapy, EMDR, CBT, DBT, Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Recreational Therapy, and Speech Therapy, delivered by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), licensed clinical social workers, and a Medical Director. The Lakemary Ranch integrates animal-assisted therapy and horticultural programming (via K-State Extension Master Gardeners partnership), and the Discovery Center provides a sensory-friendly exploration environment. The organization holds CARF accreditation for both adult and children's services and dual Kansas Department of Education accreditation as a public and private school.

Lakemary's revenue model is structurally nonprofit: the majority of operating revenue flows from Kansas state government contracts administered through KDADS, Kansas Medicaid waiver programs for IDD services, and Community Developmental Disability Organization (CDDO) funding. Supplementary revenue streams include individual and corporate donations, annual fundraising events (Boots & Bowties gala, Fun Run & Walk), a capital campaign ("A Blueprint for HOPE"), and modest social enterprise income from Business Solutions. Three affiliated nonprofit entities file Form 990s (Lakemary Center, Inc.; Lakemary Center Developmental Services, Inc.; Lakemary Center Homes, Inc.). The organization has no parent company, no private equity ownership, and no institutional investors; governance rests with a volunteer Board of Directors chaired by Molly Meek, with executive leadership under President and CEO Teddi Hernandez.

Name

Lakemary Center

Legal name

Lakemary Center, Inc.

Website

https://lakemary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Lakemary Center is a 55-year-old Kansas nonprofit providing education, behavioral health, residential, and social services to children and adults with autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities, serving 450+ individuals annually across Paola and Olathe campuses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Services for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (624110), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health Counseling & Therapy Services (K–12) (EDAJALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Residential treatment programs
• Behavioral health services
• Developmental disability support
• Vocational transition programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Paola

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Medicaid Waiver Services: Lakemary receives funding through Kansas state government contracts, Medicaid waiver programs for IDD services, and state disability services (CDDO) funding. The organization participates in provider rate increases approved by the state legislature.
2. Donations and Charitable Giving: The organization accepts individual donations, tribute gifts (in honor/memory of), and capital campaign contributions. T-Serve Foundation supports by covering credit card processing fees.
3. Business Solutions Revenue: Social enterprise providing e-recycling, packaging/assembly, and secure shredding services to local companies. Revenue supports employment opportunities for adults with disabilities.
4. Event Fundraising: Annual fundraising events including Boots & Bowties gala and Fun Run & Walk generate charitable contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Lakemary Center is a nonprofit human services organization delivering accredited K-12 special education, 24/7 psychiatric residential treatment, outpatient behavioral health therapy, adult residential and day services, vocational/community employment, crisis stabilization, and a social-enterprise Business Solutions unit to children and adults with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual/developmental disabilities. Services are funded primarily through Kansas state contracts, Medicaid waivers, and CDDO funding, with additional support from charitable donations and fundraising events.

Product overview

Lakemary Center offers a unified portfolio of educational, mental and behavioral health, and social services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The core offerings include: K-12 School (accredited special education with therapy services), AIM Post Graduate Program (vocational transition services), Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (24/7 dual-diagnosis treatment), Children Services (PRTF, Case Management, Outpatient Therapy), Adult Services (Residential Living, Day Services, Case Management, Outpatient Therapy, Community Employment), Business Solutions (e-recycling, packaging, shredding, work teams), and Crisis Stabilization. Services are provided across Miami County (Paola campus) and Johnson County (Olathe) locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 School Year-round accredited K-12 school for children with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual/developmental disabilities, delivered by certified special education teachers and integrating art, music, speech, recreational, and occupational therapies on the Paola campus with access to Lakemary Ranch and the Discovery Center.
• AIM Post Graduate Transition Program Post-graduate transition program for young adults with special needs that builds vocational, life skills, and independent living capabilities through community-based vocational experiences and campus-based training.
• Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) 24/7 therapeutic residential treatment program for children and young adults ages 6-21 with a dual diagnosis of intellectual/developmental disability and psychiatric disorder, providing individual, family, and group therapy along with psychiatric assessment and medication management.
• Crisis Stabilization Services Crisis team services for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities in Johnson and Miami counties, staffed by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), a crisis therapist (LSCSW), a crisis case manager, and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs).
• Outpatient Therapy Individual, group, and family therapy for children and adults with IDD and Autism Spectrum Disorder, offering Play Therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Certified Autism Specialist services, and EMDR therapies.
• Residential Living for Adults Supported living, semi-independent living, and 24-hour residential settings for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Paola (Miami County) and Olathe (Johnson County).
• Community Employment Connects adults with intellectual and developmental differences to meaningful employment, with Lakemary job coaches providing on-site training and support for employees and employers.
• Business Solutions Social Enterprise Operates service centers in Miami and Johnson counties providing e-recycling, packaging and assembly, secure shredding, and contract work teams, employing adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Lakemary Ranch Animal and Garden Therapy Animal-assisted therapy using chickens, rabbits, goats, pigs, and dogs, alongside horticultural therapy and agricultural education delivered in partnership with K-State Extension Master Gardeners and local farms on the 32-acre Paola campus.

Quantifiable outcome

• 450+ individuals and families served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineminorOthersLakemary Crisis Team refers individuals in crisis to the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for immediate suicide prevention support, connecting callers with trained crisis counselors.
• Crisis Text LineminorOthersLakemary Crisis Team refers individuals to Crisis Text Line (text NAMI to 741-741) for text-based crisis counseling support.
• InterHabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterHab is the Kansas association for community behavioral health. Lakemary participates in InterHab Advocacy Day, legislative advocacy for IDD system funding, and collaborates on IDD system modernization with KDADS. Lakemary strongly supports InterHab's legislative priorities including provider rate increases and continuous Medicaid eligibility.
• T-Serve FoundationminorOthersT-Serve Foundation supports Lakemary Center by paying credit card processing fees, ensuring 100% of individual donations go directly to charitable programs and services.
• K-State Extension Master GardenersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Kansas State University Extension Master Gardeners at Lakemary Ranch for horticultural therapy and agricultural education programs.
• Spring Valley Rabbits and Terabithia Goat FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimal therapy partnerships providing rabbits and goats for Lakemary Ranch animal-assisted therapy programs.
• Harvesters Community Food NetworkminorOthersAdults in day services volunteer at Harvesters, a food bank network, as part of community volunteer programming.
• Meals on WheelsminorOthersAdults in day services volunteer with Meals on Wheels as part of community engagement and volunteer opportunities.
• ASPCA/Great Plains SPCAminorOthersAdults volunteer at local animal shelters including Great Plains SPCA as part of community volunteer programming.
• Prairie PawsminorOthersAdults volunteer at Prairie Paws animal shelter as part of community volunteer opportunities.
• Mission SouthsideminorOthersAdults volunteer at Mission Southside, a local food pantry and service organization, as part of community volunteer programming.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lakemarycenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/lakemarycenter
• Xx.com/LakemaryCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lakemary-center

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Lakemary Center