Welcome to Exemplar, the Benchmark Human Services (Benchmark) company newsletter. Enjoy, and please contact our Development team with any questions: [email protected].
65 Years of Solutions
By Courtney Heiser, Chief Communications Officer
Throughout 2025, Benchmark Human Services is celebrating 65 years of helping people live as independently as possible, be included in their communities, and reach their full potential. When I joined the organization in 2003, we were a small nonprofit operating in Indiana and Ohio. Two key aspects stood out to me as a new employee, reinforcing my choice to be part of the team: the unwavering commitment to delivering quality services while recognizing the potential in every individual, and the forward-thinking approach of the company’s leaders, which positioned Benchmark as a trailblazer in setting industry standards.
Benchmark has a history of being ahead of industry trends. For example, Benchmark was founded in 1960 to help individuals with disabilities develop work skills and find meaningful and sustainable employment. The company had already been doing this work for thirteen years prior to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibited employment discrimination against people with disabilities.
In 1986, Benchmark opened its first group home, followed by the launch of waiver-funded residential programs in 1992, both ahead of the Olmstead Act of 1999, which mandated that states provide services to individuals with disabilities in the most integrated settings possible. By the time large state-run institutions began to close, Benchmark had already amassed significant experience in community-based care, particularly for those with complex medical and behavioral needs who are often the last to transition from institutional settings due to their high acuity.
Benchmark’s history of serving individuals with complex behavioral needs equipped the company with the experience needed to lead one of the first mobile crisis response teams for individuals with IDD in the state of Georgia. This led to running crisis respite homes and eventually launching Active Consulting, in which our teams assist other organizations and service partners in enhancing their support for individuals with intensive behavioral support needs. Innovation builds upon innovation.
Benchmark has grown into a national organization with nearly 4,000 employees serving more than 20,000 people across the United States. Our growth and diversification in both the population served and the services offered are key factors in Benchmark’s success, driven by innovative leaders who consistently ask, “not if, but how?” – a rallying cry adopted by employees at all levels of the organization. Doing the hard work, serving those deemed “unservable,” and finding unique solutions to complex problems have fueled our growth. This is what drives our staff each and every day — knowing they are profoundly impacting lives — and it will continue to guide us for the next 65 years and beyond.
65 Years of Stories
To celebrate our company’s anniversary, we’re collecting and sharing our employees’ Benchmark stories. These stories illustrate our mission, share our successes, and remind us why we do what we do. We are releasing one new video each month this year, and you can view the collection here.
David Ross, Benchmark’s Chief Operating Officer, shares a story about one of our core values—inclusion.
“My favorite part of my job is really just being able to support people,” says Robert Taylor, Benchmark Regional Director. Robert tells a story about an individual he and his team supported as this person transitioned from a long-term hospital stay and back into the community.
Nicole Cocce tells a story about helping a family build a positive outlook on what their daughter with disabilities can do—and confidence in their ability to support her. Nicole is an Assistant Director and Occupational Therapist from Benchmark’s early intervention program in Connecticut.
Benchmark Awarded Case Management Contract in Vermont
Through a competitive RFP, Benchmark was awarded a contract to provide case management services across the State of Vermont. The State is moving to conflict-free case management, so all individuals will have the opportunity to select a new case management provider.
Benchmark is a well-established case management organization, currently providing case management and/or intensive care coordination in Alabama, Georgia, and South Dakota. We have experience providing case management services to children, adults in waiver services, individuals seeking employment, individuals who have experienced a brain injury, and intensive case management to those experiencing an acute behavioral episode.
Throughout May, Benchmark leaders will meet with service providers, individuals, and parents and guardians to introduce Benchmark. The team includes Vice President Rick Adams, State Director Melanie Bald, State Director Tacey Dunwoody, and Compliance Officer Carl Lampton.
Benchmark is one of two providers selected to provide case management services in Vermont. Learn more.
Upcoming Conferences
Benchmark is proud to sponsor the keynote speaker at the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) Federal Policy Symposium in June. Our Chief Executive Officer, Doug Beebe, will be there with our Development team, National Director of Business Development Strategies, Sarah Chestnut, and National Director of Clinical Development, John Lovett. Plan to be there? Let’s connect: [email protected].
In July, our Development team will be at the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) 2025 Annual Meeting. We are proud to sponsor this event as well, and we look forward to exhibiting!
