Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast

What Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast does

Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 that delivers spiritually integrated mental health counseling across Sarasota and Manatee counties in Florida. The organization operates 12 office locations — most of which are hosted inside church partner facilities — supported by a HIPAA-compliant telehealth video platform. A 30-person clinical staff including licensed mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and graduate interns serves more than 2,500 clients per year through individual, couples, family, and child psychotherapy, plus specialized offerings such as EMDR therapy (now available via telehealth through BilateralStimulation.io), the Building YOUth For Life pediatric program, Sand Tray Therapy, grief counseling, and psychological assessments. The organization is the only Solihten Institute accredited counseling center in the region and runs a two-year Spiritually Integrated Therapy (SIT) internship program that produces licensed clinicians while supplying supervised clinical hours.

The business model blends fee-for-service revenue, charitable contributions, and grant funding. Fee revenue comes from per-session counseling billed through 10+ in-network insurance carriers (BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, UHC, Humana, Magellan, Medicare, Tricare, Optum, Oscar) plus self-pay rates, sliding-scale fees, and EAP contracts (Health Advocate, CuraLinc, VACCN). A donor-supported Client Assistance Fund — backstopped by matching funds from the Louis & Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust — subsidizes reduced-fee and no-cost sessions, with annual fundraising events (a golf tournament and luncheon) and grants from foundations including Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, Manatee Community Foundation, The Patterson Foundation, and Bishop Parker Foundation providing the balance. The 2024 Let's Say YES! campaign set a $4,000,000 goal of which $3,600,000 was committed. Customer acquisition is community-led: referral relationships with 12 church partners and 6 nonprofit partners (Avenue 941, Care Net Manasota, Easterseals of Southwest Florida, Second Heart Homes, Parenting Matters, Senior Friendship Centers) generate the bulk of inbound demand, supplemented by EAP channels and content marketing through blog, email, and social channels.

The organization is governed by a volunteer board of community leaders and managed by Executive Director Reverend Rick Howell, Associate Executive Director John Gregory, Training Director Rev. William R. Clough, Clinical Director Laura Johnston, Director of Operations & HR Teresa Imbruno, Finance & Business Director Bryan Lipps, and Development Director Nicole Mobley. There is no parent company, no equity ownership, and no disclosed AI/ML technology layer; the competitive position rests on geographic reach, payer accreditation, the SIT internship talent pipeline, and the depth of its faith-community referral network rather than on proprietary software.

Name

Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast

Legal name

Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast

Website

https://samaritangulfcoast.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating 12 Florida locations that delivers spiritually integrated mental health counseling to individuals, couples, families, and children, supported by insurance billing, EAP contracts, donations, and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Counseling Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health Counseling & Psychotherapy Services (EDALAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Mental health counseling
• Spiritual integrated therapy
• Couples family therapy
• Telehealth counseling
• EMDR trauma therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Sarasota

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Client Counseling Fees: Revenue from individual, couples, family, and group counseling sessions. Services are billed through insurance or self-pay.
2. Insurance Reimbursements: In-network provider with multiple major insurance carriers including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Humana, Magellan, Medicare, Tricare, Optum, and Oscar.
3. Client Assistance Fund Donations: Donor-supported fund providing reduced-fee and no-cost sessions for clients unable to afford full fee services. Personal donations of $5-$500 may be eligible for matching through The Louis & Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust.
4. Foundation Grants: Funding from supporting foundations including Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, Manatee Community Foundation, and others for operational support and program expansion.
5. Event Revenue: Annual fundraising events including a golf tournament and luncheon. Corporate sponsorships at various tiers support the organization.
6. EAP Contracts: Contracts with Employee Assistance Program providers including Health Advocate EAP, CuraLinc EAP, and VACCN.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing spiritually integrated mental health counseling to individuals, couples, families, and children across 12 locations in Sarasota and Manatee counties, Florida. Core offerings include individual psychotherapy, couples and family therapy, child counseling, EMDR trauma therapy, grief counseling, psychological assessments, and Employee Assistance Programs, delivered both in-person and via HIPAA-compliant telehealth. A Client Assistance Fund supplements fee-for-service revenue with donor-supported reduced and no-cost sessions for clients unable to afford full fees.

Product overview

Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit counseling organization offering a comprehensive suite of mental health services through 12 locations in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Florida. The organization operates as a unified service delivery model rather than a software product platform. Core services include individual, couples, family, and child psychotherapy, with specialized offerings such as EMDR therapy (available both in-office and via telehealth), Sand Tray Therapy for children, and the Building YOUth For Life program. The organization also provides psychological and career assessments, grief counseling, premarital counseling, family mediation, and Employee Assistance Programs for workplaces. A distinctive component is the Spiritually Integrated Therapy (SIT) two-year internship program training graduate clinicians. Services are delivered through telehealth video sessions, with partnerships including Health Advocate EAP, CuraLinc EAP, and VACCN for expanded workplace counseling services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Psychotherapy One-on-one counseling for children and adults addressing mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions.
• Couples Counseling Therapy services for partners experiencing relationship challenges, communication issues, premarital preparation, or separation/divorce.
• Family Therapy Counseling addressing family dynamics, blended family challenges, and family mediation for resolving conflicts.
• Child Counseling Mental health services for children experiencing emotional, behavioral, or developmental challenges.
• EMDR Therapy Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — evidence-based trauma therapy delivered by EMDRIA-certified clinicians, available in-office and via telehealth using the BilateralStimulation.io platform.
• Building YOUth For Life Evidence-based mental health program for children ages 2-18 focusing on healing from trauma, emotional regulation, and confidence-building skills.
• TeleHealth Counseling Virtual counseling sessions via a HIPAA-compliant secure video conferencing platform; client sessions are not recorded.
• Psychological Assessment Comprehensive psychological evaluations including career, personality, and diagnostic assessments for children and adults.
• Grief Counseling Counseling support for individuals and families processing loss, bereavement, and life transitions.
• Sand Tray Therapy Expressive therapy approach for children using symbolic play with figurines and miniatures to process emotions in a safe, nonverbal manner; available exclusively in-office.
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) Workplace counseling services and workshops delivered under contract with EAP providers including Health Advocate EAP, CuraLinc EAP, and VACCN.
• Clergy Continuing Education Educational programs and support services for clergy members and religious professionals, including pastoral counseling skills and referral readiness.
• Programs for Congregations Mental health services and support programs tailored for faith communities and church organizations.
• SIT Internship Program Two-year Spiritually Integrated Therapy internship enabling Master's-level mental health clinicians to complete the 1,500 hours required for Florida licensure with in-house supervision.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 2,500 clients annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Avenue 941coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partnership providing several hundred mental health counseling sessions annually for clients of the organization serving the local community.
• Care Net ManasotacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with pregnancy resource center providing mental health counseling for clients facing unplanned pregnancies and related challenges.
• Easterseals of Southwest FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing mental health counseling services to children and adolescents with developmental disabilities and their families.
• Second Heart HomescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing mental health counseling for clients of the nonprofit serving vulnerable populations.
• Parenting MatterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing mental health counseling sessions for clients of the parenting support organization.
• Senior Friendship CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing mental health counseling sessions for senior clients through the friendship centers organization.
• Health Advocate EAPcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployee Assistance Program provider contract for workplace mental health services.
• CuraLinc EAPcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployee Assistance Program provider contract for workplace mental health services.
• VACCNcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployee Assistance Program provider for workplace mental health services.
• Church of the PalmsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost location for main administrative and clinical office. Primary church partner since 1999.
• Church of the RedeemercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting satellite counseling office location in Sarasota.
• Sarasota Christian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting satellite counseling office location.
• United Presbyterian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting satellite counseling office in Bradenton.
• Peace Presbyterian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting satellite counseling office in Lakewood Ranch.
• First United Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting satellite counseling office in Bradenton.
• Emmanuel Lutheran ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting satellite counseling office in Venice.
• First Baptist Church of SarasotacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting satellite counseling office location.
• Harvest United Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting satellite counseling office in Bradenton.
• Pine Shores Presbyterian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting satellite counseling office location.
• Palmetto Presbyterian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner hosting satellite counseling office in Palmetto.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Centerstone of Florida: Large Florida-based behavioral health nonprofit operating across multiple counties including Sarasota/Manatee; provides counseling, crisis services, and substance abuse treatment, directly overlapping Samaritan's core service lines as a scaled incumbent competitor.
• BayCare Behavioral Health: Large integrated health system's behavioral health division serving the Tampa Bay and Sarasota region with outpatient counseling, crisis stabilization, and psychiatric services; overlapping services with broader hospital-backed infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice: Faith-based social services nonprofit serving the same Sarasota/Manatee region with counseling, family services, and refugee support; highly comparable faith-integrated service model and donor-driven revenue structure.
• Jewish Family & Children's Service of the Suncoast: Faith-affiliated family services agency in the Suncoast region providing mental health counseling, senior services, and case management; same client segments, regional footprint, and community-based referral model.
• Coastal Behavioral Healthcare: Sarasota-based community mental health provider offering outpatient counseling, psychiatric services, and crisis intervention; the most direct geographic competitor in Samaritan's primary service area.
• Easterseals of Southwest Florida: Regional nonprofit disability services organization already partnered with Samaritan to provide mental health counseling to children and families; serves overlapping child/adolescent segment in the same geography.

Regional players

• Charlotte Behavioral Health Care: Community mental health center serving Charlotte and adjacent Southwest Florida counties; comparable nonprofit outpatient counseling model serving similar demographics in an adjacent regional market.
• Tampa Bay Thrives (formerly Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services): Community mental health nonprofit serving the greater Tampa Bay region with counseling and prevention services; comparable nonprofit operating model with regional rather than direct overlap.

Emerging players

• BetterHelp: National online counseling platform that competes for the same Florida client base via telehealth at lower price points; relevant as a structural competitive force even without geographic overlap.

Others

• Counseling for All Ages: Other Sarasota-Manatee area faith-based or community counseling providers that compete for the same client base; included as regional context for Samaritan's local market position.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOcGHzXlAuACX9WXbEtLQ4g
• Facebookfacebook.com/samaritangulfcoast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/samaritan-counseling-services-of-the-gulf-coast-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/samaritangulfcoast
• Xx.com/samaritangulfco

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast