About

Ashlyn loves fishing with her dad, floating the river, having dinner at P. Terry’s, and animals. She can tell you the breed of just about any dog she meets, and often makes an appearance in company zoom meetings wanting to show everyone the tree frog she just picked up.

Ashlyn also happens to have special needs. She recently celebrated her 21^st birthday– and even as an adult, she needs round-the-clock care.

Diagnosed at the age of 5, Ashlyn’s doctor walked in with a sheet of paper with a diagnosis at the top and, after a short sentence or two, left the room. That was it– no guidance, no suggested support services, no referrals, just the single sheet of paper with the grim stats of her diagnosis. Her parents quickly learned that they had to search for resources themselves, on top of the outsized challenges of Ashlyn's care and parenting her two younger siblings.

Several years later, Ashlyn’s father Lamarque, who had recently sold his company, reviewed his bucket list. At the very top was "Ashlyn’s Project" which asked two questions:

"Why does pediatric diagnosis suck in America?
And does it really, or were we alone in our experience?"

Lamarque set about work on "Ashlyn's Project." He gathered data to prove or disprove his theory, creating the largest pediatric data set– which confirmed that they were in fact not alone in their diagnosis experience. He started a non-profit to socialize and solve the problem. His initial solution manifested itself as monthly-printed magazines filled with resources for special needs kids– that became so popular that local doctor's offices couldn't keep them in stock.

This information was only as good as it was the day it was printed. He needed something that could be updated constantly, be readily available and could reach more people. He needed technology– and CareStarter was born.

About Us

Founded in 2013, CareStarter was created to automate care coordination and accelerate connections between patients, families, and critical resources. Built from the struggles of real-world caregiving experience, the platform was designed to simplify complex care journeys and help providers better support families navigating medical, developmental, and social service systems. Over time, CareStarter expanded beyond pediatric care to include and support adults with special needs and the broader family unit, while continuing to evolve its technology platform, including building a second version of a robust app, to prepare for scaled adoption across commercial and government sectors.

In 2021, CareStarter merged with Feedback, integrating behavioral science and digital ethnographic research to deepen understanding of patient and family experiences. In 2026, Professional Contract Services, Inc. (PCSI) acquired both CareStarter and Feedback to form the technology foundation of PCSIx, PCSI’s innovation unit focused on advancing inclusive, mission-driven innovation. Within PCSIx, CareStarter continues to develop its platform to connect people, providers, and resources—supporting PCSI’s mission to expand opportunity and improve outcomes for people with disabilities and their families.

More About PCSI

Austin-based Professional Contract Services, Inc. (PCSI), is an award-winning, national nonprofit with a mission to enhance the lives of people with disabilities through employment, advocacy, partnership, and innovation. As a nationwide, values-based, mission-driven contractor, PCSI proudly serves the private and public sector.

"With more than one-quarter of the U.S. population living with a disability, the need for enduring solutions is clear," said Tony Cucolo, President and CEO of PCSI. "PCSIx reflects our commitment to strengthening the systems that support employment and opportunity, using innovation to expand our mission over the long term.”

Learn more:  PCSI.org / PCSIx.co