The Arc of Central Alabama

What The Arc of Central Alabama does

The Arc of Central Alabama is a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, founded in 1953 as the Association for Retarded Children. It is Alabama's largest provider of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and serves as the Alabama Department of Mental Health's designated provider for Region V Emergency Crisis Care. The organization operates 89 locations across Jefferson and Blount counties, employs more than 650 staff, and supports over 1,200 individuals annually through a portfolio of interconnected programs spanning the full lifespan, including the HOPE Early Intervention Program for infants and toddlers, Community Day Programs, Residential Services (265+ individuals across 89 homes), Employment Support, the Community Waiver Program with its Adult Family Home division, the Adolescent Residential Program, the Alabama Neurodevelopment Center, and a newly established doctoral Psychology Internship Program.

The core service model is delivered directly at the organization's facilities and in community settings, with an innovative Remote Support Services offering implemented in partnership with Safe at Home that uses remote monitoring technology to enable independent living. The organization is CARF and CQL accredited, holds Title VI compliance, and operates a Psychology Internship Program established in 2025 that integrates clinical training with applied research. Technology differentiation is concentrated in the Remote Support Home Model, while the Alabama Neurodevelopment Center represents a first-of-its-kind statewide diagnostic evaluation service that reduces wait times for developmental assessments.

Revenue is generated primarily through Medicaid waiver funding administered by the Alabama Department of Mental Health and the Jefferson County IDDA, supplemented by private-pay arrangements (Adult Family Home rates average $180 per day plus room and board), corporate sponsorships through the Corporate Friends Program (Servis First Bank, Regions Bank, USI, Sysco, Altec, and others), individual donations, and signature fundraising events including Shamrock Shindig, BeYOUtiful BHM, and Golfing For Good. Annual fundraising scaled from under $100,000 to over $600,000 under current leadership. The organization's go-to-market relies on referrals from ADMH and JCIDDA, direct Medicaid waiver enrollment, employer partnerships for supported employment, and community-led outreach through its website, newsletter, social media, and volunteer programs.

Name

The Arc of Central Alabama

Legal name

The Arc of Central Alabama

Website

https://arcofcentralalabama.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Arc of Central Alabama is a Birmingham-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Alabama's largest provider of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, operating 89 locations that serve 1,200+ people across Jefferson and Blount counties through residential, day, employment, early intervention, and clinical programs funded primarily by Medicaid waivers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Schools & Life Skills Programs (EDAKAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Developmental Therapy / Early Childhood Special Instruction (EDACAFAG), ABA Staff Training & RBT/Paraprofessional Support Services (EDAKAHAI)

Keywords

• Intellectual disability services
• Developmental disability support
• Supported employment services
• Residential care services
• Early intervention therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Medicaid Waiver Services: The primary revenue stream comes from Medicaid waiver funding for services provided to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through Alabama Department of Mental Health programs
2. Private Pay: Individuals who are not Medicaid-eligible may receive services through private pay arrangements calculated based on individual needs
3. Donations and Fundraising: Individual and corporate donations, grants, and fundraising events including Shamrock Shindig, BeYOUtiful BHM, and Golfing For Good. Fundraising income increased from under $100,000 to over $600,000 annually under current leadership
4. Corporate Friends Sponsorships: Year-long corporate sponsorship program providing recognition benefits at events in exchange for financial support
5. Adult Family Home Fees: Average rates of $180 per day for Adult Family Home services, in addition to rent/room/boarding costs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Arc of Central Alabama is a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive lifespan services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including community day programs, residential services across 89 homes, employment training and supported employment, early intervention therapy for infants and toddlers, the Community Waiver Program with Adult Family Home services, advocacy, Remote Support Services, and the Alabama Neurodevelopment Center for psychological evaluations. The organization serves as Alabama's largest IDD provider and designated state crisis center.

Product overview

The Arc of Central Alabama operates as a nonprofit service organization providing comprehensive programming for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through multiple interconnected programs. The core service portfolio includes Community Day Programs (Community Experience), Residential Services (with group homes, supervised community living, and independent residences), Employment Support (featuring Pre-Vocational Training, Small Groups, and Supported Employment), Early Intervention (HOPE Program), and Advocacy. Additional specialized offerings include the Community Waiver Program with its Adult Family Home division, Remote Support Services, the Adolescent Residential Program, the Alabama Neurodevelopment Center for psychological evaluations, and a Psychology Internship Program. These programs work together to support individuals throughout their lifetimes—from early intervention services for infants and toddlers through adult day, employment, and residential services for older adults—enabling people with IDD to live as independently as possible.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HOPE Program: Early Intervention program providing services to children with developmental delays and their families
• Arc Way Industries
• Alabama Neurodevelopment Center
• Psychology Internship Program
• Community Waiver Program
• Remote Support Services

Products and services

• Community Day Programs (Community Experience)

Quantifiable outcome

• 22% increase in people supported since 2013
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Way of Central AlabamacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for food bank services - The Arc distributes food from the United Way Food Bank to all 88+ residential homes, providing nutritious, balanced food weekly based on personal preferences and health needs.
• Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funding source and referral partner. The Arc is the Department of Mental Health's designated provider for Region V Emergency Crisis Care. ADMH provides grants and oversees waiver programs.
• Jefferson County Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority (JCIDDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for enrollment in Arc programs for individuals with Medicaid waivers in Jefferson County.
• Alabama Department of Rehabilitation ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to assess and place individuals seeking employment opportunities. Provides job-coaching certification and employment support coordination.
• Lawson State Community College - Ready to Work ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides skills training for entry-level positions required in most industries for individuals with IDD.
• Safe at HomecoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for Remote Support Home services - innovative technology model for disability services that empowers individuals with IDD to live safely and independently.
• The Arc of AlabamacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud chapter of The Arc of Alabama and The Arc of the United States - provides advocacy support, national resources, and network connections.
• Alabama EI Child FindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral pathway for children needing early intervention services - directs families to services available in their area.
• Studio By The Tracks (SBTT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt studio partnership providing creative outlet opportunities for individuals in the Day Program.
• Alabama Neurodevelopment CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst-of-its-kind model created by The Arc to expand access to timely, high-quality developmental evaluations across the lifespan, integrating applied research with doctoral clinical training.
• Corporate Friends SponsorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsors including Servis First Bank, USI, Regions Bank, FirstBank, Sysco, Altec, and others provide year-long support with sponsor recognition at all events.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: The national parent organization of The Arc of Central Alabama, providing advocacy, training, and chapter network coordination for IDD services nationwide. Direct affiliation makes it the closest comparable for chapter-level services and federal policy positioning.
• Sevita Health (formerly The MENTOR Network): A large national for-profit provider of home and community-based IDD, autism, and behavioral health services. Comparable in core service offerings (residential, day, employment) but with substantially greater scale, geographic reach, and capital access.
• BrightSpring Health Services: A publicly traded provider of home and community-based health and pharmacy services, including IDD services through its various subsidiaries. Comparable service portfolio but with national reach and capital markets access the nonprofit Arc lacks.
• RISE Services Inc. A multi-state provider of IDD, behavioral health, and child welfare services with a similar lifespan continuum of residential, day, employment, and early intervention programs. Comparable in service portfolio but operates across more states with greater scale.
• Bayada Home Health Care: A large national provider of home health and disability support services including pediatric and adult IDD care. Comparable in delivering in-home and community-based disability services, though with broader scope across ages and conditions.

Direct peers

• Easterseals Central Alabama: A nonprofit disability services organization operating in the same Central Alabama region, providing comparable services including early intervention, employment support, and case management for individuals with disabilities. Operates under the Easterseals national brand with similar mission and funding mix.
• United Cerebral Palsy of Alabama: Alabama affiliate of UCP serving individuals with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities. The Arc acquired a residential program from UCP of Greater Birmingham in 2006, indicating direct operational overlap in residential IDD services.
• Ability Plus: A Huntsville, Alabama-based IDD services provider where The Arc's VP of Compliance previously worked as Residential Program Director. Operates residential, day, and supported employment programs for individuals with IDD across north Alabama.
• The Arc of Tuscaloosa County: A neighboring Arc chapter in Alabama where The Arc's VP of Quality Enhancement previously served as Executive Director. Provides directly comparable IDD services in an adjacent geographic market within Alabama.

Regional players

• Alabama Head Injury Foundation: An Alabama-based nonprofit serving individuals with traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities, where The Arc's VP of Compliance previously worked. Comparable in regional focus, mission, and reliance on state funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/arcofcentralalabama

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Arc of Central Alabama