About Us

Endless Options, Inc. was founded in 1982 to provide services to Howard County citizens with developmental disabilities.  We are a private not for profit, a 501(c)3 organization.  We are the only accredited not for profit organization who provides services to individuals with developmental disabilities in Howard County.

Our Mission Statement
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Endless Options, Inc. is dedicated to supporting people with developmental disabilities towards reaching their goals through individualized services in Howard County.

We are governed by a Board of Directors comprised of seven or more volunteers.
Click here to find more imformation about our Board of Directors. 
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Our History
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Endless Options, Inc. was incorporated as a not for profit (501C3) on May 17, 1982. The original board of directors had visions of offering people with developmental disabilities choices in how they spent their days and exploring hopes and dreams for people who had not previously had such opportunities. At that time Howard County had a large population of individuals who had moved from institutional living to a more community based type of living. These were the people we focused our services around.

Endless Options opened its doors for the first day on July 19, 1982. We had rented the old Daly School and the first floor was renovated for our use. We stayed there until February 1991. Our focus was on leisure activity, work skills training and academic skills; the first consumers were eager to learn, work and share their lives with us. Our funding initially came from the Department of Mental Health, but in 1984 our local SB40 tax was passed and we were able to apply for specific funds through the newly formed Howard County Sheltered Services Board.

We operated out of that building for nine years. As we began to assimilate ourselves into our community, we were presented with new opportunities that no one had dared to dream of in years past. Endless Options has long believed in treating people with dignity and respect while allowing the greatest personal freedoms, and it is this goal that keeps us geared toward the individual and their needs and desired outcomes.

Endless Options pursued and was awarded a loan through FMHA and a new building was built. We had really outgrown our rented space and looked forward to a building that wasn't retrofitted to meet our needs. Everyone was involved in the planning. The building was completed in January 1991 and we moved into our current location in February that same year.

Our new building, along with recent advances in the field, called for some shifting in the focus of what we do. Now we have the Community Training Center, which focuses on helping people design meaningful days for themselves. We focus on community integration and there are opportunities to sharpen academic skills, social skills, and recreation and leisure activities are offered for those at or near retirement age. Specialized training is available to meet specific needs. This program is still primarily funded by the Department of Mental Health, although the Department has now broadened its funding base to include the Medicaid Waiver. This means that the Missouri Department of Mental Health is reimbursed for 60% of each dollar spent. It has also positively changed the program requirements and expectations. We also receive some local funding from the Howard County Sheltered Services Board (SB40). This funding can also be utilized to provide children’s services, and we operate a daily kid’s program called High Five.

In 1992 we began providing residential services to people using the supported living concept. This means that the person can rent or buy their own home, and we will provide the support needed to make them successful. This program is small but has been great for the people involved. Supported Living is funded through Medicaid Waiver and the Department of Mental Health.

​We received our first Vocational Rehabilitation status as a Community Rehabilitation Provider in the late 1990’s. That allowed us to work with local businesses to develop jobs for people beyond our developmental disability base, as Vocational Rehabilitation serves a much larger population. In 2009 we allowed our Vocational Rehabilitation/Community Rehabilitation Provider contract to end. Our thought at that time was to focus on our organization-based employment opportunities because at that time, community employment opportunities were scarce. Little did we know that when we wanted to re-establish that contract there would be several barriers in our way. Nonetheless, we re-established our Vocational Rehabilitation/Community Rehabilitation Provider status effective in 2018. The importance of this is that we can serve people funded by either source, which widens our scope of services.

Around that same time, we had a grant to work with the school districts in Howard County to provide Transition to Adulthood and Employment services. Federal funding then established a Pre-Employment Training Service in Howard County that took over that role. We still work with all school districts whenever possible to provide employment services, including at least one summer internship for high schoolers each year.

The Attic, a business run by Endless Options, Inc. was opened in January 1997. The success of this enterprise will ensure jobs for people with disabilities and a training/assessment site for other people accessing our Supported Employment Services. Currently, we employ twelve people with disabilities on a part-time basis, as well as a full-time store manager. People who need employment supports (job coaching) receive that service from certified employment specialists. Volunteers are utilized on a case-by-case basis, and often provide much needed help with specific projects. We also assist people in finding jobs in the community and provide supports as needed to help them be sucessful.

Personal Assistance funding is designed to support people to work toward their personal goals as well as provide support in other areas of their life. Examples of personal assistance are: support in taking college courses; volunteerism; budgeting; meal planning; employment; locating housing; transportation; caring for physical, emotional and mental health; and other supports as needed. We have several people that utilize this service to meet their personal goals.

EO Recycles was a subsidiary business of Endless Options, Inc. that opened in January 2009. The goal was to provide easily accessed drop off recycling for the citizens of Howard County while providing flexible part-time employment to meet the employment needs of the community. We had a mix of disabled and nondisabled employees, making it an inclusive job site. The ability to sell recyclables had changed significantly so we were outputting a large amount, but not making enough money to pay people. Unfortunately, without continued community support and grant funding for salaries we were forced to close this employment opportunity and community resource in March of 2020.

Howard County Service Coordination began in March 2011. HCSC assisted individuals determined eligible for services from the Division of Developmental Disabilities in accessing comprehensive medical, social, educational, and other specialized services. Everyone who applied and was eligible for services from the Division of Developmental Disabilities was assigned a service coordinator who assisted the person and his or her family to identify, locate, coordinate, and monitor services that met the individual’s distinct needs.

Endless Options, Inc. operated that service for six years. During that time, the Home and Community Based Services definitions changed at the Federal level, stating that people could no longer receive services from the same organization that provides their service coordination. In 2017 the Howard County Sheltered Services Board/ Endless Options, Inc partnership ended, and the Howard County Service Coordination became a part of only the Sheltered Services Board.

​EO has always looked ahead to identify and be ready for the next thing coming. We could not have foreseen what was to happen when the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020. Even with temporary shutdowns and staff shortages, we have managed to remain stable through efforts of the leadership Team and our Board of Directors. We applied for payroll loans that could be forgiven, grants from local and state entities and continue to maximize authorized services for the people we serve. We have put several levels of risk mitigations into place to keep all people safe. Another obstacle we are currently facing is the workforce shortage. Despite these and any other hurdles we may encounter, we are prepared to push through and thrive. Our plan is for Endless Options to continue providing services for individuals with developmental disabilities well into the future.