Innovative Services NW
About Us

Our Heritage

The year was 1963. Clark County had 102,000 residents, and disabled children had access to few services. A handful of determined parents created an organization, which would later be called Innovative Services NW, as a place to turn for services for children and adults with disabilities and their families. This pioneering action eventually led to the creation of the Encore Group NW (now called Innovative Services NW Employment Services and Innovative Services NW Custodial Services) to help adults with disabilities find what everyone wants - meaningful employment.

Recognizing how important services were for children, a children’s therapy center was developed in 1978 to ensure that children with developmental delays would grow and develop through physical, occupational, speech and specialty therapies. Additional services include parent education, support groups and preschool to meet family and community needs.

Childcare centers frequently were not accessible to children with developmental delays. In 1995, an inclusive childcare program that accepted children of all incomes and abilities was opened to meet that need.

In 2000, the family support services offered by the therapy center grew in size and scope, eventually becoming Innovative Services NW’s Youth and Family Services program. Acquiring the Adult Day Health Center in 2006 made it possible for Innovative Services NW to offer a continuum of services from birth through end of life.

Innovative Services NW moved into our new home, the Mary Firstenburg Family Center in June 2008. The result of a successful, five-year capital campaign, this 36,000 square foot facility enables all 16 programs of Innovative Services NW to be housed in one building that was specifically designed for use by each of our major program areas with room for program growth.

Our Core Purpose remains the same as it was in 1963: “Our purpose is to support each individual and maximize opportunities so they can reach their highest potential.”

Innovative Services NW
9414 NE Fourth Plain Road
Vancouver, Washington 98662
(in the Mary Firstenburg Family Center)
Phone: (360) 892-5142
Fax: (360) 892-2157