The Center for Self-Determination

What The Center for Self-Determination does

The Center for Self-Determination is a non-profit organization established in 2000 and headquartered at 35425 Michigan Ave. W., Wayne, Michigan. It operates as the primary clearinghouse, training, and technical assistance source on Self-Determination practices in the United States and internationally, serving individuals with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, their families, public-sector systems (including Medicaid), disability advocates, seniors, and veterans. The organization is devoted to moving power and authority over resources directly to individuals with disabilities and their families, codified in the five principles of Self-Determination — Freedom, Authority, Support, Responsibility, and Confirmation — articulated by founder Tom Nerney (1941–2018).

The Center does not operate a unified software platform; its core offering is a portfolio of professional services — custom-designed training sessions, technical assistance, and advisory consulting — delivered by trainers and consultants who travel nationally and internationally. Its underlying intellectual technology is the Person-Centered Planning methodology, protected under federal law, and its supporting framework is the Real Life Quality Outcomes model (Health and Safety, Place of One's Own, Community Membership, Important Long-Term Relationships, Economic Security and Private Income, Control over Transportation). The Center distributes a content library of free CSD Guidebooks, video resources, papers, and presentations through its website (self-determination.com) and RSS feeds, and partners with organizations including the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Community Living Services (CLS), Michigan Partners for Freedom, the National Center for Participant-Directed Services, TASH, The Arc, APSE, and the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Name

The Center for Self-Determination

Legal name

The Center for Self-Determination

Website

https://self-determination.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for Self-Determination is a Michigan-based non-profit clearinghouse, founded in 2000, that delivers training, technical assistance, and consulting on Self-Determination and Person-Centered Planning to individuals with disabilities, families, and public-sector systems across the U.S. and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Advocacy and Training Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Self-Advocacy & Self-Determination Training (EDAKANAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Disability advocacy services
• Self-determination training
• Person-centered planning
• Individual budgeting consulting
• Disability technical assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Wayne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training and Consulting Services: The Center staff provide training sessions, education, and consulting services. Trainers and consultants travel nationally and internationally to meet project needs in various regions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Center for Self-Determination provides training, education, consulting, and technical assistance on self-determination principles and person-centered planning for individuals with disabilities, their families, and government systems. It also offers free downloadable guidebooks, video resources, and papers/presentations on topics such as individual budgeting, guardianship reform, and quality of life outcomes. Trainers and consultants travel nationally and internationally to deliver custom-designed training sessions.

Product overview

The Center for Self-Determination is a non-profit organization (established in 2000) that operates as a clearinghouse, training, and technical assistance provider on Self-Determination in the United States and other countries. The organization does not offer a unified software product or platform; instead, it provides a portfolio of educational services including training programs, technical assistance, advisory consulting, and free guidebooks on person-centered planning and individual budgeting. The organization also maintains a resource library of video materials and papers/presentations covering topics such as self-determination principles, guardianship reform, Medicaid policy, and quality of life outcomes for people with disabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Training and Education Services Training sessions and education programs delivered by trainers and consultants who work nationally and internationally to meet unique regional and system needs in disability self-determination.
• Technical Assistance Expert guidance and support to help organizations and individuals implement self-determination principles and practices, with staff answering questions and connecting requestors with additional resources when needed.
• Custom Training Programs Custom-designed training sessions tailored to meet the unique needs of specific regions or systems serving people with disabilities.
• Advisory Consulting Consulting services provided by subject matter experts to guide organizational and systemic change toward self-determination.
• Person Centered Planning A person-centered planning process protected under federal law that helps individuals design and exercise control over their own lives.
• CSD Guidebooks Free downloadable guidebooks covering Person Centered/Directed Planning and Individual Allocations and Personal Budgets for individuals with disabilities and their families.

Quantifiable outcome

• Community-based living outcomes including housing choice, employment, financial independence, and personal relationships

Named customers9 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)supportingOthersCMS is referenced as a key resource and partner for information on Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and Health Insurance Marketplace covering 100 million people. The Center provides free guidebooks that reference CMS resources.
• Community Living Services (CLS), Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLS is a large nonprofit corporation that promotes community inclusion, full citizenship, and self-determined life for people with developmental disabilities. The Center's report focuses on CLS's transformation over 15 years, documenting community living services implementation based on site visits and interviews.
• Michigan Partners for FreedomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership producing video resources including 'The Path to Freedom, the Road Home' and 'Owning the Process: Individual Budgeting' focused on Michigan's self-determination initiatives and individual budgeting processes.
• National Center for Participant-Directed ServicessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduces video content about budget management for individuals with disabilities, referenced in the Center's resources about controlling personal finances.
• TASHsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational leader in disability advocacy focused on inclusion and equal rights. TASH is referenced as a key advocacy organization in the disability rights movement.
• The ArcsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization representing people with disabilities, parents, advocates, allies, friends, family, siblings and others for advocacy issues.
• Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental DisabilitiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides education and training through programs like Partners in Policymaking to help build knowledge and independence in communities.
• Disability ScoopsupportingOthersOnline news source for the latest national disability news and information.
• Association of People Supporting EmploymentFirst (APSE)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocates for full inclusion for people with disabilities through paid employment and workplace equality.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• TASH: International disability advocacy association focused on inclusion, equity, and full participation. Comparable mission and constituency (people with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities) and operates in the same advocacy/training ecosystem as the Center.
• Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE): National self-advocacy organization run by and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Directly comparable as a peer in the self-determination training and advocacy niche.
• Community Living Services (CLS): Nonprofit providing community inclusion and self-determined supports for people with developmental disabilities. Directly comparable as a Michigan-based peer and explicit Center partner featured in a transformation case study.
• Autistic Self Advocacy Network: Disability-led nonprofit advancing the rights of autistic people through self-advocacy and policy work. Comparable mission around self-determination, advocacy training, and empowerment of people with disabilities.
• APSE (Association of People Supporting EmploymentFirst): National membership organization advancing employment and self-determination for people with disabilities. Comparable mission focus on economic security and community inclusion, and listed as a strategic partner of the Center.
• National Center for Participant-Directed Services: Resource hub supporting self-direction and participant-directed services. Directly comparable as a content/training provider in the self-determination space and explicitly cited as a partner producing video resources for the Center.

Broad incumbents

• United Cerebral Palsy: National disability services and advocacy organization producing the annual 'Case for Inclusion' ranking referenced in the Center's resources. Comparable focus on intellectual/developmental disability quality outcomes and Medicaid policy.
• The Arc: The largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Directly comparable as a fellow disability advocacy/education entity cited by the Center as a partner, but with far greater scale and broader programmatic scope.
• National Disability Rights Network: Federation of protection and advocacy organizations serving people with disabilities across the U.S. Comparable constituency and federal-policy engagement around disability rights and self-directed services.

Others

• Institute on Community Integration (UCEDD): University-based center providing training, technical assistance, and research on disability inclusion and person-centered practices. Comparable as an adjacent training/research provider in the disability self-determination ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/selfdeterm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Center for Self-Determination