Our History

Project Insight was founded in 1997 by Martha Brightwell and Ben Irving. Both founders had previously worked with people with disabilities and recognized shortcomings in common service models that focused primarily on a person’s limitations. Incorporated as a non-profit, Project Insight was premised on the idea that community inclusion and participation are the core of any effective program. Recognizing abilities rather than focusing on disabilities has been a guiding principle since the company’s beginning. Over the years Project Insight has provided education, employment and home-based services for hundreds of people with disabilities and their families. Project Insight has operated programs from Tucson to Kingman and Yuma to Page. Our services continue to evolve as we embrace technology and the changing needs of the people we serve.

In 1998 the company secured contracts with the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) and the Administration for Children, Youth and Families (ACYF). These were employment related services for adults and prevention services for at-risk youth respectively. By 2004 the state had ended its funding for prevention services. In 2008 Project Insight moved away from employment services as changes in funding and administrative responsibilities between state and federal stakeholders made the program unviable for people with long term disabilities.

Also, in 1998 Project Insight became a contractor for the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). Initially this home and community-based services program was the smallest in the company only serving 4 clients in its first year. As other programs waxed and waned the DDD program came to dominate the efforts of the company. Currently this program serves clients and their families in Graham, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and Yavapai counties and employs over 150 trained caregivers statewide.