In 1975, CLASS was founded as a private, nonprofit Kansas corporation by parents and advocates to provide services for Southeast Kansans with intellectual or other developmental disabilities.

In the late 1960s and 1970s, the only out-of-home services available to persons with intellectual or other developmental disabilities in Southeast Kansas were as residents at the Parsons State Hospital and Training Center, nursing homes, or in the public schools if the individual had a mild disability. No services were available for preschool-aged children or adults who resided in their communities. Parents, advocates, and other interested citizens saw a need to provide services for persons with intellectual or other developmental disabilities, including early intervention programs for young children, and an appropriate public school education for all children.

CLASS has a long history of successfully providing quality services for persons with intellectual or other developmental disabilities. CLASS has demonstrated its competence and dependability through the provision of a wide range of innovative service options in Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, and Montgomery counties.

Our services help individuals create a lifestyle where they are included and accepted in their communities, have opportunities to live where they choose, have a job, and participate in social and leisure activities. CLASS measures the quality of our services not only by your satisfaction with our services, but by the positive changes in the lives we touch. CLASS is one of the most respected, informed, knowledgeable, and proactive community service providers in the State of Kansas.

CLASS continuously strives to surpass our own accomplishments and earn recognition as a valued community leader and the most trusted disability service resource for persons with disabilities, their families, and the community.

CLASS believes everyone deserves the opportunity to live a rewarding, fulfilling, and meaningful life, and that having a developmental disability does not diminish the desire or right to pursue this dream, it simply makes the journey more challenging. CLASS assists individuals along the path of their life journey.

CLASS strongly and passionately believes in:

Recognizing the ability of each individual to live a rewarding, fulfilling, and meaningful life
Respecting the worth and dignity of all individuals
Commitment to community betterment
Accountability and transparency to our customers and the public
Commitment to ethical business and service practices
Espousal of inclusion, social justice, and diversity
Operating with integrity and honesty
Practicing responsible stewardship of resources
Achieving excellence