UMCH Family Services

What UMCH Family Services does

United Methodist Children and Families (UMCF), formerly operating as UMCH Family Services, is a private nonprofit social services organization headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, that delivers a comprehensive continuum of community-based child welfare and behavioral health services across the state. Founded in 1911 and operating with 51–100 employees, UMCF provides treatment foster care, adoption, outpatient mental health, intensive home-based treatment, independent living programs, care coordination, psychiatry, and behavioral health occupational therapy to children, parents, and caregivers. The organization is historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church tradition and holds Council on Accreditation (COA) credentials through its Social Current partnership.

UMCF's business model rests on three revenue streams: government contracts with Ohio state and county agencies for child protective services, foster care placement, and behavioral health (the primary funding source); fee-for-service clinical billing (likely through Medicaid and insurance reimbursement) for outpatient therapy, psychiatric services, and behavioral health occupational therapy; and charitable donations solicited through the organization's website. Pricing is not publicly disclosed because services are typically covered through government contracts, insurance, or sliding-scale arrangements based on family circumstances. Distribution is community-led and referral-driven — caregivers, referring professionals, and self-referrals initiate contact via an online intake form, with additional leads generated through relationships with county child welfare agencies, schools, healthcare providers, and Ohio trade associations.

In November 2025, UMCH Family Services of Columbus and CHOICES, Inc. of Dayton formed an alliance under the unified UMCF brand, naming Alisha Murray, LISW-S, a 27-year nonprofit sector veteran, as CEO. The combined entity operates from Columbus and Dayton hubs, serves families statewide in Ohio, and is positioned as one of Ohio's larger private child welfare and behavioral health providers by service-line breadth, though specific financials are not publicly disclosed.

Name

UMCH Family Services

Legal name

United Methodist Children and Families

Website

https://umchohio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

United Methodist Children and Families (UMCF) is an Ohio-based nonprofit delivering community-based child welfare and behavioral health services—including foster care, adoption, outpatient mental health, intensive home-based treatment, and care coordination—to children and families across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare & Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411), Child Care Services (6244), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Therapy-Integrated Childcare Support (coordination with OT/PT/SLP/ABA) (HSAAAIAM), Respite Care for Families of Children with Disabilities (HSAAAIAL)

Keywords

• Foster care services
• Adoption services
• Outpatient mental health
• Child welfare services
• Behavioral health treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Grants: Social services organization providing child welfare, foster care, adoption, and mental health services. Revenue is derived primarily from government contracts with Ohio state and county agencies for child protective services, foster care placement, and behavioral health services.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization actively solicits donations from the public to support Ohio's children and families. Donation page is prominently featured on the website.
3. Fee-for-Service Programs: Mental health services, outpatient therapy, psychiatric services, and behavioral health occupational therapy are provided on a fee-for-service basis, likely through insurance billing or government program reimbursement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UMCH Family Services (now operating as UMCF — United Methodist Children and Families) is a nonprofit child welfare and behavioral health organization providing community-based services across Ohio. Its core offerings include treatment foster care, adoption, outpatient mental health, intensive home-based treatment, independent living, care coordination, psychiatry, and behavioral health occupational therapy for children and families.

Product overview

UMCF (formerly UMCH Family Services) is a social services organization offering a unified portfolio of community-based family support services across Ohio. The organization was formed through an alliance of UMCH Family Services (Columbus) and CHOICES, Inc. (Dayton). The core offerings include Treatment Foster Care, Adoption, Outpatient Mental Health Services, Intensive Home-Based Treatment, Independent Living programs, Care Coordination, Psychiatry, and Behavioral Health Occupational Therapy. These services work together to provide comprehensive support for children, parents, and caregivers, covering the full spectrum from foster care placement through mental health treatment to independent living preparation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Treatment Foster Care

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CHOICES, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2025Strategic merger between UMCH Family Services (Columbus) and CHOICES, Inc. (Dayton) to form UMCF. The combined organization strengthens care for youth and families across Ohio, bringing together complementary service offerings in child welfare and behavioral health. Alisha Murray, LISW-S, named as CEO of the combined organization.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• OhioGuidestone: Large Ohio behavioral health and social services nonprofit providing counseling, psychiatry, foster care, and community-based mental health programs across more than 50 counties. Directly overlaps with UMCF's outpatient mental health, psychiatry, and foster care lines.
• KVC Health Systems: National child welfare and behavioral health nonprofit operating foster care, in-home family services, and mental health programs across multiple states. Comparable in mission, contracting model, and service portfolio; adjacent geographically but directly competitive in concept.
• National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP): Ohio-headquartered national nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, intensive home-based treatment, and behavioral health services. One of UMCF's closest direct competitors in Ohio's child welfare and behavioral health contracting market.
• Eckerd Connects: National nonprofit providing child welfare, foster care, adoption, workforce development, and family preservation services with an Ohio footprint. Directly comparable business model and contract-driven revenue structure.
• Pressley Ridge: Multi-state nonprofit operating treatment foster care, residential, education, and community-based programs for children and families, with a longstanding Ohio presence. Directly comparable service mix and contracting model to UMCF.
• Bair Foundation: Faith-based nonprofit operating treatment foster care, adoption, and family preservation services across multiple states. Comparable scope in foster care and adoption, with overlapping donor-based funding model.
• Bellefaire JCB: One of the largest child welfare and behavioral health agencies in Ohio, headquartered in Cleveland. Directly comparable to UMCF in offering residential treatment, foster care, adoption, outpatient mental health, and intensive home-based services across Ohio, competing for the same county contracts and donor pool.
• The Buckeye Ranch: Ohio-based nonprofit serving children with severe emotional and behavioral challenges through residential, community-based, foster care, and outpatient mental health services. Direct peer competing with UMCF for state, county, and Medicaid-funded contracts in central and southern Ohio.

Regional players

• Children's Aid Society: Multi-service nonprofit serving children and families through foster care, adoption, mental health, and community-based programs in the Northeast. Comparable service portfolio but geographically distant from UMCF's Ohio focus.
• Children's Home Society of California: California-based nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, and family support services. Comparable mission and service model but operates exclusively on the West Coast, providing a regional analog rather than a direct Ohio competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umcf

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about UMCH Family Services