History

Orion Associates was founded in January 1999, and is now a management services company, specializing in management services to human services organizations.

In 1999, Meridian Services, Incorporated pursued the opportunity to develop vocational services for people with developmental disabilities. It did so by creating Zenith Services, Incorporated, as a separate, non-profit corporation. In addition, the organization decided to move its administrative functions and personnel into a separate management services company. The organization’s Officers, as well as the Finance and Human Resources Departments transferred to this company, which was called Orion Associates.

While Orion Associates was created originally to provide administrative support to Meridian Services and Zenith Services, it soon became apparent that there was a tremendous opportunity for offering its management expertise to organizations beyond its own closely held companies. Orion Associates began to market its management expertise and began to provide services to a number of other companies including, but not limited to, human services organizations.

As a management company, in a position to see beyond the traditional models of service to people with developmental disabilities, Orion Associates was in a unique position to understand the potential of new service types that were being developed in Minnesota. As such, Orion Associates was one of the first companies in Minnesota to begin providing Consumer Directed Community Supports services, which are likely to revolutionize the nature of services to people with developmental disabilities and their families. Once this service was firmly established, this program was separated from Orion Associates through the creation of a new company, Orion Intermediary Services Organization (Orion ISO). While this new company employs those who provide services to people with developmental disabilities and to their families, Orion Associates continues to provide that company with management services.

Orion Associates was awarded CARF Accreditation in March 2003 for its administration of Meridian Services’ Family Services (In-Home Services) and Community Living Services (Residential Services and SILS) programs and Zenith Services’ Personal and Social Services (Vocational Services) program. Orion Associates’ three year accreditation represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the standards established by CARF, the international accrediting commission. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation outcome has demonstrated that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable and accountable.

Orion Associates’ intentions for the future include continuing to offer a full and expanding range of management services. For new companies, our services will continue to include facilitating “start ups” and mentoring them as they become fully established businesses. Many companies do not need full management services, but seek assistance with specific projects. Orion Associates can provide that assistance in selected areas that might include Payroll, Licensing, Quality Assurance Investigations, or the preparation of Personnel Policies and Procedures, among others. Our Training services will continue to grow as we offer our training classes to the public as well as to the companies for whom we currently provide management services.

We invite you to contact us and to learn more about Orion Associates as we into our exciting future. We look forward to hearing from you!