What HUGS does

HUGS (Heads-Up Guidance Services, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit mental health counseling and addiction recovery organization founded in 2009 and headquartered at 5 Executive Circle, Savannah, GA, serving the Savannah-Chatham County, Brunswick, Bluffton, and broader Low Country region of coastal Georgia. The organization delivers individual counseling, youth counseling, marriage and family counseling, group therapy, structured assessments, and adult intensive outpatient services (with an adolescent IOS program announced), supplemented by telehealth sessions for remote clients and the Beyond EAP workplace mental-health program for local businesses. Clinical care is delivered by a network of credentialed volunteer clinicians (LPC, PsyD, PhD, LCSW, LMSW, LMFT, MAC, CAC-II) and supported by a paid staff of approximately 11–50 employees, including a CEO, Administrative Director, Clinical Director, Expansion Director, and Office Manager. HUGS operates without federal funding or third-party payer billing, allowing it to deliver services without diagnostic reporting requirements that typically constrain insurance-funded providers.

HUGS's business model is donation- and event-driven rather than fee-for-service. Clients pay $25 per individual session against a $100+ market rate, with HUGS absorbing the remaining $75 per session through community donations, corporate sponsorships, and annual fundraising events (the rebranded 'Play it Forward Casino Night and Auction,' and the Annual Behavioral Health Summit). Revenue is supplemented by Business Sustainability Partners — businesses that sponsor one weekly client at $75/week — and a tiered corporate-sponsorship program (Platinum/Gold/Silver/Bronze/Green). HUGS maintains a referral and co-service ecosystem of 8+ local partner organizations including Shelter from the Rain, Park Place Outreach, Brightside Casa, Savannah Technical College, American Red Cross, and CEMA, which together embed HUGS in the regional behavioral-health infrastructure. The Motivated-4-Change Program additionally allows financially constrained clients to volunteer or attend creative workshops in exchange for counseling hours.

Operationally, HUGS is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors (Executive Board: Chair Lorrian Loehr, Vice Chair Aaron Beers, Treasurer Bard Way; plus at-large directors representing Great Oaks Bank, Edward Jones, First Choice Wellness, Trinity Underwriting Managers, Luxury Living Savannah, Georgia State University, and independent members). In 2023 the organization was named Connect Savannah's Best Mental Health Agency and received a mayoral proclamation for Mental Health Awareness Month, building on a 2021 WTOC Community Champion recognition. The organization has no parent company, no disclosed funding rounds, no acquisitions, and no equity ownership; it is led by founder and CEO Andrea Mamalakis Epting. As a private 501(c)(3) (Tax ID 27-0754097), HUGS does not publicly disclose financial results, and its scale is best evidenced by the 2,000+ individual services delivered per year across its service portfolio.

Name

HUGS

Legal name

Heads-Up Guidance Services, Inc.

Website

https://headsupsavannah.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HUGS is a Savannah-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers affordable mental health counseling and addiction recovery services to under-insured individuals, youth, couples, first responders, and local employers across the Georgia Low Country, funded by community donations and volunteer clinicians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

Keywords

• Mental health counseling
• Addiction recovery services
• Intensive outpatient treatment
• Couples family therapy
• Employee assistance programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Savannah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Community Donations: HUGS' services are made possible by community donations and dedicated professional clinical volunteers. No federal funding or third-party payers are used.
2. Client Session Fees: Discounted session fees where clients pay $25 per session while HUGS covers $75. Traditional outpatient counseling averages $100+ per session. This subsidizes affordable access for under-insured individuals.
3. Annual Fundraising Events: Annual fundraiser events like Boo Bash ($150/person tickets, includes $1500 funny money and 3 drink tickets) and Play it Forward Casino Night ($100/ticket or 2 for $150). All proceeds benefit HUGS mental health services.
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Annual sponsorship tiers (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Green) with corresponding sponsor perks for businesses supporting HUGS.
5. Business Sustainability Partners: Sponsorship program where businesses sponsor weekly clients ($75/week sponsorship to cover the gap for one client paying $25).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HUGS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that delivers affordable outpatient mental health counseling and addiction recovery services through a network of volunteer professional clinicians. Services span individual, youth, marriage and family, and group counseling; assessments; adult and adolescent intensive outpatient programs; telehealth; and an employee assistance program (Beyond EAP), all offered on a sliding scale with clients paying $25 per session while HUGS subsidizes $75.

Product overview

HUGS (Heads-Up Guidance Services) is a nonprofit mental health counseling organization that operates as a service-based operation rather than a software product. The core service portfolio includes individual counseling, youth counseling, marriage and family counseling, group therapy, assessments, intensive outpatient services (IOS) for adults and adolescents, and telehealth services. These clinical services are supplemented by workplace wellness programs (Beyond EAP), a community support initiative, and the Motivated-4-Change volunteer-exchange program. The organization also runs an annual fundraiser (Play It Forward, formerly Boo Bash) and Annual Behavioral Health Summit. HUGS does not offer a SaaS platform, API, or software product—the services are delivered directly by volunteer clinicians through in-person and telehealth sessions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Counseling One-on-one behavioral health and addiction recovery counseling for adolescents, adults, and seniors covering depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, addictions, dual diagnosis, LGBTQ concerns, and toxic relationships.
• Youth Counseling Individual counseling and psychoeducational services for adolescents covering substance abuse education, bullying, stress management, anxiety, peer pressure, dating and sexuality, goal setting, and communication skills.
• Marriage & Family Counseling Therapeutic services for couples and families using Imago Relationship Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Systemic Family Therapy, parenting support, grief and loss, and domestic violence counseling.
• Group Therapy Process groups including the First Responders Support Group and Women's Support Group providing emotional support, trauma processing, coping strategies, and family relationship support. Free for existing clients and $15 for non-enrolled participants.
• Assessments Comprehensive evaluations including substance abuse, suicide, anger management, and biopsychosocial assessments with initial intake, evaluation, written report, and recommendations; flat fee of $90.
• Adult Intensive Outpatient Services (IOS) 12-24 week structured program for adults needing more than traditional outpatient care, treating dual diagnosis, substance use concerns, and process disorders via weekly individual counseling, psychoeducational classes, group therapy four times per week, urine drug screening, and monthly family therapy.
• Telehealth Services Remote counseling sessions delivered via HIPAA-compliant video technology for clients unable to visit in person.
• Beyond EAP Customized Employee Assistance Program for businesses providing review meetings, mentally fit workshops, individual coaching, assessments, and diversion services to enhance workplace mental health, reduce turnover, and increase productivity.
• Motivated-4-Change Program Program allowing financially constrained clients to volunteer or participate in creative workshops in exchange for counseling services, addressing social and emotional barriers to employment and independence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 individual services provided per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Shelter from the RaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShelter From the Rain, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit providing assistance to single mothers and children in need. As a collaborative partner, HUGS provides counseling and vocational rehabilitation to individuals in their program.
• Step Up Savannah E-3coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerE-3 (Educate, Empower, Employ) is a non-profit in conjunction with Step Up Savannah. HUGS provides weekly therapeutic/vocational counseling both in individual sessions and in discussion groups.
• Park Place OutreachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPark Place Outreach Youth Emergency Shelter provides services to at-risk youth and their families. HUGS provides assessment, psychoeducation, group counseling, youth and family counseling services.
• Brightside CasacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrightside Child & Family Advocacy provides services to prevent child abuse and neglect by strengthening family relationships. HUGS provides individual counseling to Brightside's Brighter Futures participants.
• Savannah Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSavannah Technical College provides market-driven education and workforce training. As collaborative partners, HUGS provides consultations, assessments, case management, and individual counseling for registered students.
• Mediation CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMediation Center harnesses volunteers to support the community with conflict education and resolution services. HUGS helps facilitate EAP services including compassion fatigue support and individual counseling for staff, and co-facilitates legitimization classes.
• American Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in emergencies. As collaborative partners, HUGS provides emergency mental health services in times of emergencies or disaster.
• CEMA (Chatham Emergency Management Advocacy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEMA promotes Emergency Management Principles across the whole community. HUGS provides mental health services in partnership for emergency situations.
• Monte Carlo ProductionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCasino games provider for HUGS fundraising events including Boo Bash and Play it Forward casino nights.
• The Dive SavannahminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCatering provider for the 7th Annual Boo Bash Masquerade & Casino Night fundraiser.
• Catered Creations by LavonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCatering provider for Play it Forward Casino Night and Auction fundraiser event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gateway Behavioral Health Services: Community-based behavioral health provider serving the Savannah-Chatham County area with outpatient counseling, addiction services, and mental health programs — operates as a direct geographic and service-line peer to HUGS, though as a publicly-funded behavioral health entity rather than a donation-driven nonprofit.
• NAMI Savannah: Local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness serving Savannah-Chatham County with peer support, education classes, and support groups. Direct local peer addressing the same client population through a peer-led rather than clinician-led model.
• Open Path Collective: National nonprofit network connecting clients with licensed therapists for sessions at $30-$80, the same price band HUGS operates in. Closest model peer — sliding-scale private-pay counseling funded through member fees rather than donations.

Regional players

• Pineland BHDD (Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities): Regional behavioral health and developmental disabilities provider serving multiple Georgia counties east of Savannah. Comparable service portfolio (outpatient mental health, addiction recovery, IOP) and similar community safety-net mission, but covers a different geographic footprint.
• Lookout Mountain Community Services: Georgia community service board providing outpatient mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services across northwest Georgia. Comparable as a community behavioral health safety-net provider, but serves a non-overlapping region.

Broad incumbents

• Mental Health America: Largest oldest community-based mental health nonprofit in the U.S., providing public education, advocacy, and affiliate network support. Comparable as a national mental health nonprofit umbrella organization, but does not deliver direct counseling services.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SavannahHUGS
• Instagraminstagram.com/hugs_counseling

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 HUGS