Iris Family Support Center

What Iris Family Support Center does

Iris Family Support Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, founded in 1974 (originally as SCAN — Stop Child Abuse and Neglect) and rebranded to its current name in 2024. The organization delivers child abuse and neglect prevention, intervention, and family stabilization services to children and parents across multiple Indiana counties, serving approximately 17,000 children and parents annually with a staff of 142 employees. Its core program portfolio includes Community Partners, Counseling, Healthy Families, Family Connections, and Intervention Services, covering home visitation, parent education, family counseling, and case management delivered through referrals from the Indiana child welfare system and community partners.

The organization's business model is a hybrid public-private nonprofit model. The majority of its $15M+ annual operating budget is funded through government contracts, principally with the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS), which is the primary commissioning entity for prevention, early intervention, and family preservation services across the state. Private fundraising contributes $1.1M+ annually through individual donations, corporate giving, events, and grants, providing a modest but meaningful diversification layer. Revenue is recognized primarily on a fee-for-service or contracted-rate basis tied to service units delivered and outcomes achieved under state performance frameworks.

Operationally, Iris relies on a distributed service-delivery model with county-level teams embedded in local DCS offices, courts, schools, hospitals, and community organizations. Its technology stack is not publicly detailed but, like most regional human-services nonprofits, is centered on case management systems, CRM tools for donor management, and standard productivity software. There is no indication of proprietary technology products or platform architecture. The 2025 transfer of certain county service areas to other agencies marks a measurable contraction of geographic footprint relative to its prior 16-county service reach, and represents the most significant recent operational change alongside the 2024 rebrand.

Name

Iris Family Support Center

Legal name

Iris Family Support Center

Website

https://irisfamily.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Iris Family Support Center is a Fort Wayne, Indiana-based nonprofit, founded in 1974, that delivers child welfare prevention, intervention, and family support services to approximately 17,000 children and parents annually across Indiana, primarily under contract with the Indiana Department of Child Services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family and Child Welfare Social Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Family support programs
• Parenting education
• Home visiting services
• Family counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Wayne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary funding from Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) for Community Partners, Healthy Families, and other programs. Partially funded by DCS as stated in privacy policy.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Raises more than $1.1 million annually to help more children access services. Accepts donations via website, Amazon Wish List, and planned giving programs.
3. Fee-for-Service Programs: Parenting classes charged at $300 for Always A Parent (six-week class) and $75 for New Parenting Partnership (four-hour class). Power of Parenting offered free during Spring sessions.
4. Insurance and Medicaid Reimbursement: Counseling services accept self-pay, Medicaid, and multiple insurance providers including Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, United Behavioral Health, and various Indiana Medicaid managed care plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Iris Family Support Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers a continuum of family and child welfare services across northern Indiana, including home visiting for new parents, mental health counseling, case management, parenting education, supervised visitation, fatherhood engagement, prevention education, and court-ordered intervention programs. Most services are provided free of charge through government contracts and donations, with fee-based parenting classes and insurance/Medicaid-billed counseling supplementing the funding mix.

Product overview

Iris Family Support Center is a social services organization offering a comprehensive suite of family support programs. The core offerings include Community Partners (case management), Counseling Services, Healthy Families (home visiting), Family Connections (parenting classes and mediation), Intervention Services, High Conflict Services, Prevention Education, Fatherhood Engagement, Truancy Program, Therapeutic Art Group, and Visitation Services. The organization operates Family Resource Centers and provides various parenting classes. Services are primarily funded by the Indiana Department of Child Services and serve families across multiple northern Indiana counties. The organization has been operating since 1974 (formerly as SCAN) and accepts Medicaid, insurance, and self-pay clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Partners Short-term case management program connecting families across Allen, DeKalb, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, and Whitley counties to community resources including employment, domestic violence, housing crises, mental health, meal planning, and medical support. Funded by the Indiana Department of Child Services and provided free of charge.
• Counseling Services Mental health counseling for adults and children covering trauma, depression, anxiety, addiction, domestic violence, marital issues, family therapy, grief, and adolescent services. Accepts self-pay, Medicaid, Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Caresource, Cigna, Indiana Medicaid, Mdwise, MHS, PHP, Sagamore, and United Behavioral Health.
• Healthy Families Voluntary home visiting program accredited through Healthy Families of America, assigning a Home Visitor to qualifying families from the third trimester of pregnancy until 12 weeks after birth, with services continuing for up to three years. Free for families eligible for Medicaid and meeting income guidelines.
• Family Resource Centers Community-based locations offering parents access to resources, developmental screenings, car seat assistance, housing and childcare resources, prenatal support, and preschool preparation, with emphasis on early childhood development. Allen County Family Resource Center is at 5100 Gaywood Drive.
• Family Connections Program helping families move forward in conflict while protecting children's best interests. Includes parenting classes, individual counseling, domestic violence services, family conflict services, conflict mediation, and parenting coordination.
• Parenting Classes Fee-for-service parenting classes including 'Always A Parent' six-week class ($300), 'New Parenting Partnership' four-hour class ($75), and free 'Power of Parenting' five-week class offered in Fort Wayne.
• High Conflict Services Services for victims of high-conflict relationships including victims advocacy, abusers intervention program, counseling, and parenting classes to ensure safety and stability.
• Prevention Education Free educational trainings for schools, churches, and community organizations covering child abuse indicators, bullying, gun safety, LGBTQ+ support, internet safety, and trafficking prevention. Meets Erin's Law requirements in Indiana.
• Intervention Services Family engagement services including clinical services, family preservation, fatherhood engagement, home-based case management, homemaker services, and supervised visitation for families navigating challenges.
• Fatherhood Engagement Program helping fathers establish active, healthy roles in their children's lives using evidence-based models including Motivational Interviewing, the Nurturing Parents Curriculum, and the 24/7 Dads curriculum.
• Truancy Program Evidence-based therapeutic program addressing root causes of truancy through concurrent classes for parents and children, offered at no cost to residents of Allen and DeKalb counties.
• Therapeutic Art Group Group therapy using creativity for children and adolescents ages 5-18 to process emotions, foster self-awareness, build emotional regulation, and improve well-being. Offered at no cost.
• Visitation Services Supervised child exchange, supervised parenting time, therapeutic parenting time, and supervised drop-by services for families to maintain relationships while ensuring child safety during custody situations.
• Stewards of Children Training Child sexual abuse prevention training developed by Darkness to Light, using real survivor stories and expert testimony to educate participants on protecting children.
• Batterers Intervention Program (AIP) 26-week court-ordered intervention program for individuals who have used violence, focusing on empathy for victims, accountability, and developing healthy relationship values.
• Adolescent Therapeutic Skills Group Therapeutic group for adolescents meeting Tuesdays 4-5:30 PM at the Iris office, focusing on emotional grounding, social skills, active listening, conflict resolution, and therapeutic skills development.
• Teen Substance Abuse Group Substance abuse support group for teens meeting Fridays 6:30-8 PM at the Iris office in Fort Wayne.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 17,000 children and parents annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Amani Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for Community Partners services in northeast Indiana. Subcontractor for DCS Region 4 community partner services.
• Children's First CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for Community Partners services. Subcontractor providing services in DeKalb County area.
• Lutheran Social Services of IndianacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for Community Partners services. Subcontractor for DCS Region 4 community partner services.
• Healthy Families of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational accreditation body providing quality standards and oversight for Healthy Families program model.
• Monique Burr FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides curriculum for Safety Matters prevention education programs including Child Safety Matters, Teen Safety Matters, and Athlete Safety Matters.
• Darkness to LightminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped Stewards of Children curriculum for child sexual abuse prevention training used by Iris.
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIris is a Community Education Partner. Prevention coordinators hold NCMEC training certifications for internet safety education.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Children's Alliance: National accrediting body for Children's Advocacy Centers serving child abuse victims. Adjacent peer in the child welfare ecosystem Iris serves, though Iris is not a CAC member.
• Healthy Families of America: National accreditation and network body under which Iris's Healthy Families home visiting program operates. Comparable as the national infrastructure governing Iris's flagship home visiting program and ~600 similar local sites.
• Prevent Child Abuse America: National umbrella organization advancing the same child abuse prevention mission Iris was founded to serve. Operates as a broader policy, network, and chapter-support organization rather than a direct local provider.

Direct peers

• Parents as Teachers: National evidence-based home visiting and parent education model that overlaps with Iris's Healthy Families and parenting class offerings. Directly comparable parent education curriculum and home visit delivery model.
• Children's First Center: Subcontractor with Iris on DCS-funded Community Partners services in DeKalb County area. Provides directly comparable family support and prevention programming funded by Indiana DCS.
• Firefly Children and Family Alliance: Indiana-based nonprofit providing home visiting, family preservation, and DCS-contracted services. Took over Iris's DCS Region 6 contract effective July 14, 2025, making it the most directly comparable peer in both service mix and funding model.
• Lutheran Social Services of Indiana: Subcontractor alongside Iris on DCS Region 4 Community Partners services. Provides directly comparable family preservation, refugee, and child welfare services across Indiana with similar government-contracted revenue model.
• Geminus Corporation: Indiana nonprofit offering family-centered mental health, case management, and DCS-funded community services. Took over Iris's DCS Region 3 contract effective July 1, 2025, making it a direct functional peer in DCS-funded prevention and intervention work.
• Amani Family Services: Fort Wayne-area family services nonprofit that partners with Iris on Community Partners / DCS Region 4 work. Provides directly comparable DCS-funded case management and family support services in northeast Indiana.

Emerging players

• SCAN of Northern Virginia: Regional family services nonprofit sharing the original 'SCAN' brand lineage. Directly comparable in mission (preventing child abuse, strengthening families) and service mix (parent education, home visiting, counseling), though in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iris-family

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Iris Family Support Center