Spectrum Human Services, Inc.

Children living in institutions never experienced simple pleasures like playing outdoors, experiencing the change of seasons, going to the zoo or playing in the park. Our founders, Jim Minder and Susan Davis believed that children living in institutions could be better served in the community, so why not make a change? This question planted the seed from which Spectrum Human Services was born.

In 1976 Jim Minder was developing programs for Boysville, a child welfare agency; his wife, Susan Davis, had worked with developmentally disabled children at Plymouth Center, a state institution that has since closed. Each truly believed that the state institution did little to help children grow into adults that could make

positive achievements. Therefore, on Friday, February 13, 1976 the movement started by Pyramid Human Services opening Quincy Home, its first 12 bed group home for developmentally disabled adolescent boys located in Detroit, Michigan.

With Spectrum’s overwhelming desire to provide quality services to the mentally and physically challenged population and the get need for services, this movement opened a flood gate of options and possibilities.

Spectrum’s driving force was to provide dignity and respect to those that had been institutionalized and forgotten. The program delivery was targeted to children and adults. So Spectrum divided its forces into child welfare and community integration and challenged staff to become experts and champions for the critically underserved.

History