Creative Options Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE QUALITY HOUSING, SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED PERSONS THAT WILL FOSTER MAXIMUM INDPENDENCE AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT.
- Income
- $27.5 million
- Spending
- $22.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 10.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 100%
- Employees
- 324
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $238,976, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.6 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 31% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (10)
- $14.1 million spent. RESIDENTIAL - WE OPERATE OVER 40 HOUSING UNITS THROUGHOUT THE BALTIMORE METRO AREA FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS IN HOME ENVIRONMENTS WHICH PROMOTE GOOD HEALTH AND HYGIENE, SAFETY, INDIVIDUALIZED CHOICES AND AN ATMOSPHERE OF PRIDE. OUR STAFF WORK CLOSELY WITH THE INDIVIDUALS, FAMILY MEMBERS, RESOURCE COORDINATORS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC NEEDS, WANTS AND DESIRES OF EACH INDIVIDUAL IN OUR PROGRAM.
- $1.8 million spent. OUR DAY SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM OPERATES MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 8:30AM TO 3PM AND CONSISTS OF A SPECTRUM OF DAILY STRUCTURED ACTIVITIES. VOCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED TO INCREASE AND MAXIMIZE EMPLOYMENT POTENTIAL. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS SESSIONS SUCH AS MONEY MANAGEMENT, CLERICAL ENHANCEMENT, JANITORIAL TRAINING, AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS. THE DAY HABILITATION INCLUDES ENHANCING AREAS OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, PERSONAL HYGIENE/SENSORY STIMULATION, LEISURE SKILLS, AND COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, MOTOR SKILLS, SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SKILLS.
- $947,509 spent. RESIDENTIAL FOSTER CARE - THE ORGANIZATION HAS A CONTRACT WITH MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES (DHS) TO PROVIDE VARIOUS FOSTER CARE SERVICES. THE FEES ARE BASED UPON A FLAT RATE, EITHER DAILY OR MONTHLY, WHICH IS SET BY DHS, BASED ON ATTENDANCE DAYS PER INDIVIDUAL.
- $196,619 spent. BHSB MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES - THE ORGANIZATION HAS A CONTRACT WITH BALTIMORE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED PLACEMENT SERVICES FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL CLIENT. SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED INCLUDE TRANSITIONAL, RESIDENTIAL AND DAY PROGRAM SERVICES.
- $88,718 spent. INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT SERVICES - CREATIVE OPTIONS, INC. HAS AN AGREEMENT WITH MDH TO PROVIDE SERVICES DESIGNED TO ASSIST ELIGBILE ADULT INDIVDUALS IN DEVELOPING THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL AND IN MAINTAINING THEMSELVES IN THE COMMUNITY. SERVICES AND COSTS VARY FROM INDIVDIUAL TO INDIVIDUAL IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE INDEPENDENCE, PRODUCTIVITY, AND INTEGRATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
- $347,513 spent. SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT - THE ORGANIZATION HAS A CONTRACT WITH MDH TO PROVIDE VOCATIONAL SERVICES (SUCH AS ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES, JOB TRAINING, WORK SKILL TRAINING AND PLACEMENT PROGRAMS, TRAINING IN SOCIAL SKILLS, SAFETY SKILLS, WORK RELATED HYGIENE TRAINING AND OTHER WORK SKILLS) TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AT A HIGHER FUNCTIONING LEVEL.
- $234,552 spent. COMMUNITY LEARNING SERVICES - THE ORGANIZATION HAS A CONTRACT WITH MDH TO PROVIDE SERVICES IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS AND SOCIAL SUPPORTS NECESSARY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO GAIN, RETAIN OR ADVANCE IN EMPLOYMENT.
- $209,874 spent. PERSONAL SUPPORTS - THE ORGANIZATION HAS A CONTRACT WITH MDH TO HELP INDIVIDUALS TRANSITION INTO COMMUNITY-BASED LIVING. THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO GIVE CLIENTS INDEPENDENT LIVING WITH ACCESS TO DEPENDABLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE SUPPORT STAFF. THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSES ON TEACHING THE SKILLS NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE IN EVERYDAY EVENTS OF LIFE. THE FEE IS BASED ON AN HOURLY RATE DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF SERVICE HOURS PROVIDED.
- $512,544 spent. RESPITE - THE ORGANIZATION HAS A CONTRACT WITH MDH TO PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL RESPITE SERVICES THAT ARE SHORT-TERM IN NATURE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FULLY ELIGIBLE FOR MDH SERVICES AND ARE IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE RESIDENTIAL CARE. THE FEES ARE BASED UPON AN AGREED UPON RATE WITH THE PROVIDER OVERSEEING THE CONTRACT AND THE NUMBER OF ATTENDANCE DAYS.
- $96,431 spent. SUPPORTED LIVING - THE ORGANIZATION HAS A CONTRACT WITH MDH TO HELP INDIVIDUALS DEVELOP INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS IN THEIR OWN HOMES. THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO GIVE CLIENTS INDEPENDENT LIVING WITH ACCESS TO DEPENDABLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE SUPPORT STAFF. THE FEES ARE BASED UPON A FLAT DAILY RATE, WHICH IS SET BY THE MDH BASED ON A MIX OF THE INDIVIDUAL'S CURRENT LEVEL OF CARE NEEDED, AND THE NUMBER OF CLIENT ATTENDANCE DAYS FOR FEE PAYMENT SYSTEM CLIENTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1994.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.