Iris Family Support Center, formerly SCAN, is here to support you no matter what you are facing.

 
 
 
 

Our History

SCAN opened its doors in 1974 to protect children, prepare parents, strengthen families, and educate the community. From the work of 11 volunteers in one city to 165 employees in 41 Indiana counties, SCAN has grown to transform countless lives while holding true to our mission.

We are passionate about the work we do with families. Thanks to our experienced staff members, we walk alongside children and caregivers as they face any circumstance imaginable, working to share resources, brainstorm solutions, and offer reassurance.

As we look toward the future, we realize that our mission has stayed the same, but our work has grown. We no longer seek to only respond to child abuse and neglect, we are also working to build supportive networks, mentor parents, walk with families in crisis, and provide education to create safe, happy childhoods.

On January 15, 2025, we will change our name to Iris Family Support Center. Our reach has grown, our programming has expanded, and our name has changed. But at Iris, we remain committed to our founder’s mission to prevent and eliminate the abuse and neglect of children through education, counseling, intervention, family services, and community partnerships.

 
 

Why Did We Choose Iris?

At Iris Family Support Center, we’re committed to protecting children and supporting families. For the nearly 50,000 individuals we serve each year, our organization is a life-changing resource—meeting them in times of crisis and giving them the tools and guidance they need to heal, create healthy habits, and break cycles for themselves, their children, and future generations.

At Iris, we believe every child deserves to be safe, loved, and nurtured. We believe every parent or guardian deserves to be educated, supported, and encouraged in their caretaking journey. And we believe our entire community plays a role in protecting children and strengthening families.

With a name like “Iris,” it’s easy to imagine our organization as the warm, wise matriarch whose comfort and guidance help clients navigate uncertainty. As a word for the part of the eye that adjusts to light, “Iris” is a symbol of the clarity and insight our team brings to challenging circumstances. As the name of the ancient Greek messenger goddess who personified the rainbow, it’s a reflection of our role as communicators and truth-tellers, who can see families through the storms of life to discover the rainbow on the other side. Most importantly, like the flower that shares our signature purple color, “Iris” represents the courage, hope, and wisdom that our staff and clients embody every day—and the transformative growth that happens when we tend to each other’s needs with care and compassion.

Like perennial flowers go through seasons of growth and restoration, every family must build strong roots before it can thrive. At Iris Family Support Center, we believe that when we nurture families in their time of greatest need, beauty grows in unexpected places.

 
 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • At Iris Family Support Center, we remain committed to the mission that inspired SCAN’s acronym: Stop Child Abuse and Neglect. Just as we did in our earliest days, we continue to keep children safe through intervention and case management. But as we’ve grown, our programming has evolved to include a wide range of supportive and preventive services. With this in mind, we’ve chosen a new name and identity that reflects our nurturing, supportive role and positions us as a resource for positive growth.

  • Our new name and brand identity does not reflect any kind of organizational change, acquisition, or merger. Our leadership team and Board of Directors has spent several years discussing the possibility of a new name and brand identity that more closely aligns with our current programming. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, the timing was right. We are excited to embrace a refreshed name, look, and logo that reflects our mission—and maintains our signature purple color.

  • As an organization, Iris Family Support Center will be identical to SCAN. Our mission, vision, services, structure, locations, and programming will remain unchanged. In the coming weeks and months, you will notice refreshed branding on our website, around our buildings, and in our communications.

  • The name Iris was chosen because it reflects our nurturing, supportive role and positions us as a resource for transformative growth. Like the flower that shares our signature color, the name Iris represents the clarity and insight we bring to challenging circumstances—and symbolizes the courage, hope, and wisdom that our staff and clients embody every day.