What Stride Mental Health does

Stride Mental Health is an Australian not-for-profit community mental health provider, legally constituted as Stride Mental Health Limited (ABN 58 000 020 146) and headquartered in Parramatta, New South Wales, with operational presence in NSW, Queensland, and Tasmania. Founded in 1907 (formerly operating as Aftercare Limited), the organization runs 80+ services and employs 501-1000 staff, helping over 21,000 people annually across metropolitan and regional Australia. Its service portfolio spans the full mental health continuum: walk-in Medicare Mental Health Centres (free, no referral required), headspace youth mental health centres (ages 12-25) operated under licence from headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation, NDIS-registered services including support coordination, psychosocial recovery coaching, and Supported Independent Living (SIL) accommodation, suicide prevention programs (The Way Back Support Service, Universal Aftercare Service, Safe Haven), short-term Youth Step Up Step Down residential care, children's services (Stride Kids, ages 0-11), family/carer support, and community-based programs such as Uplift and LikeMind.

The organization's core delivery model is human-centered and recovery-oriented, integrating clinical counselling with peer workers who have lived experience of mental health challenges. The technology layer is modest and conventional: telehealth capabilities, online referral systems, web analytics (Google Analytics, WP Statistics), site security (reCAPTCHA), and a peer-to-peer fundraising platform (Funraisin) for the annual Stride Outside campaign. No proprietary AI/ML systems, data products, or digital therapeutic platforms are evidenced; the service differentiator is operational reach and integrated care pathways rather than technology.

Stride's revenue model is fundamentally government-funded and not commercial. Income streams include commissioning by Primary Health Networks (PHNs) for Medicare Mental Health Centres and suicide prevention programs, NDIS plan funding for support coordination, recovery coaching, and SIL services, and federal/state mental health program grants. Services are free to eligible end-users. A supplementary revenue stream comes from donations and fundraising — Stride is a registered Deductible Gift Recipient, and the Stride Outside campaign plus legacy-giving partnerships (e.g., Safewill, Jan-Feb 2025) support fundraising. The organization holds multiple accreditations including NDIS Practice Standards, NSMHS 2010, NSQDMHS 2020, NSQMH CMOs 2022, and Suicide Prevention Australia Standards, and complies with the Privacy Act 1988. In February 2026, Luke Lindsay was appointed CEO, coinciding with an active expansion phase including new centres in Devonport, Dubbo, Bathurst, and Burnie.

Name

Stride Mental Health

Legal name

Stride Mental Health Limited

Website

https://stride.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Stride Mental Health is an Australian not-for-profit (founded 1907) operating 80+ mental health services across NSW, Queensland, and Tasmania, including Medicare Mental Health Centres, headspace youth services, NDIS support, and suicide prevention programs, serving over 21,000 people annually through government-funded and donation-supported delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors) (HLADAIAI), Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM), Self-Advocacy & Self-Determination Training (EDAKANAI)

Keywords

• Mental health services
• Suicide prevention support
• NDIS support services
• Youth mental health
• Psychosocial support

Headquarters

HQ city

Lilyfield

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funded Services: Stride receives funding from government sources including Primary Health Networks (PHNs), NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme), and federal/state mental health programs. Services such as Medicare Mental Health Centres are commissioned and funded by PHNs through Australian Government programs.
2. NDIS Service Provision: As an NDIS registered service provider, Stride delivers support coordination, psychosocial recovery coaching, and Supported Independent Living (SIL) services funded through individual NDIS plans.
3. Donations and Fundraising: The organization accepts donations and runs fundraising campaigns including the annual Stride Outside challenge. Stride is a registered Deductible Gift Recipient with donations over $2 being fully tax deductible.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stride Mental Health is an Australian not-for-profit organization that delivers community-based mental health and disability support services across more than 80 service locations. It operates Medicare Mental Health Centres (walk-in, free, no-referral support for adults), headspace youth centres (ages 12-25), NDIS-registered services (support coordination, psychosocial recovery coaching, Supported Independent Living), suicide prevention and aftercare programs (The Way Back, Universal Aftercare, Safe Haven), short-term residential care (Youth Step Up Step Down), and children's services (Stride Kids) for ages 0-11. The organization also provides family and carer support and runs the annual Stride Outside fundraising campaign.

Product overview

Stride Mental Health is a mental health services organization offering a portfolio of integrated support services across Australia. The organization operates a network of Medicare Mental Health Centres (walk-in, no-referral-needed mental health support), headspace youth services (for 12-25 year olds), NDIS registered support services (including support coordination, recovery coaching, and SIL), and suicide prevention programs (The Way Back, Universal Aftercare, Safe Haven). Additional services include Youth Step Up Step Down residential care, community support programs (LikeMind, Uplift), and the annual Stride Outside fundraising initiative. Services span early intervention for children and young people through to complex care for adults, providing counselling, peer support, family/carer support, and residential accommodation. Established in 1907, the organization helps over 21,000 people annually across metropolitan and regional Australia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Medicare Mental Health Centres: Free walk-in mental health centres providing counselling, peer support, and connection to services for adults aged 18 and over.
• Stride Outside
• headspace
• Stride Kids

Products and services

• Devonport Medicare Mental Health Centre Walk-in, free mental health centre offering counselling, peer support, and family/carer support for adults aged 18+ with no referral needed. Operated with funding from Primary Health Tasmania.
• Burnie Medicare Mental Health Centre Free, walk-in Medicare Mental Health Centre providing mental health support to adults in Burnie, Tasmania, with no referral required.
• Dubbo and Bathurst Medicare Mental Health Centres Walk-in, free Medicare Mental Health Centres providing mental health support for adults in the Dubbo and Bathurst regions of New South Wales, with no referral required.
• Medicare Mental Health Centres (Centres) Network of Medicare Mental Health Centres providing personalised one-to-one and group mental health support for adults experiencing emotional distress or mental health concerns. Services are free and accessible without referral.
• headspace Services Youth mental health services for people aged 12-25, including early psychosis support, work and study programs (IPS), and social inclusion programs. Operated under the headspace national brand partnership across centres such as Armstrong Creek, Corio, Geelong, and Ipswich.
• NDIS Support Services NDIS-registered services including support coordination, psychosocial recovery coaching, specialist support coordination, and Supported Independent Living (SIL) vacancies for people with mental health conditions affecting them long-term. Services are funded through individual NDIS plans.
• Suicide Prevention Services Confidential support services for people experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, including The Way Back Support Service (post-discharge follow-up), Universal Aftercare Service (3-6 months peer-supported care), and Safe Haven services. Programs are delivered via hospital and healthcare provider referrals.
• Residential Services Safe accommodation for young people and adults with diagnosed mental health conditions, including Supported Independent Living facilities for NDIS participants and Youth Step Up Step Down services.
• Youth Step Up Step Down (YSUSD) Short-term residential mental health support for young people aged 16-21 experiencing severe and complex mental health issues. Provides step-up and step-down care to prevent hospital admissions and support community reintegration. The six-bed facility in Manoora, Cairns is one of only three YSUSD services in Queensland and is operated in partnership with Queensland Health.
• The Way Back Support Service Non-clinical follow-up care service for individuals over 18 who have experienced a suicide attempt or suicidal crisis, providing support during the transition from hospital to home. Operated in locations such as Penrith.
• Universal Aftercare Service (UAS) South West QLD Non-clinical psychosocial support service for people following a suicide attempt or suicidal crisis in South West Queensland regions, providing 3-6 months of peer-supported care.
• Uplift Program Youth mental health support program for young people aged 12-25 in the West Moreton region with moderate-to-severe mental health needs. Co-located with headspace Ipswich, it provides psychological therapies, case management, and IPS employment support. Funded by Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN.
• Community Support Local support programs and services in communities across Australia, including the LikeMind program in Wagga Wagga and Orange, providing ongoing community-based mental health support.
• Stride Kids Children's mental health support services for children aged 0-11 and their carers, providing expert counselling, early intervention, and family support.
• Families and Carers Support Support services for people caring for someone with mental health needs, including resources, carer coaching, and assistance navigating the mental health system.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped over 21,000 people access mental health support annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SafewillminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 January 2025Stride partnered with Safewill to offer free Will-writing services to supporters, enabling donors to include a gift to Stride in their Will. The partnership ran from 24 January to 7 February 2025.
• Primary Health TasmaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary Health Tasmania provides funding for the Devonport Medicare Mental Health Centre through the Australian Government's Primary Health Networks Program. Stride operates the centre providing free, walk-in mental health support for adults in Devonport, Tasmania.
• Queensland Health Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStride has partnered with Queensland Health to connect young people to the Youth Step Up Step Down service in Cairns. The six-bed facility is purpose-built in Manoora, Cairns, and is one of only three YSUSD services in Queensland.
• headspace (National Youth Mental Health Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStride operates multiple headspace centres across Australia including headspace Ipswich, headspace Armstrong Creek, headspace Corio, and headspace Geelong, providing youth mental health services for 12-25 year olds under the headspace national framework.
• Darling Downs and West Moreton PHNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Uplift program is funded by Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN to provide youth mental health services to young people aged 12-25 in the West Moreton region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Wellways Australia: Wellways is a large Australian nonprofit delivering psychosocial support, NDIS services, and community mental health programs across multiple states. Directly comparable to Stride in service mix (NDIS support coordination, recovery coaching, residential) and government-funded revenue model.
• Neami National: Neami National delivers community mental health, suicide prevention, and NDIS services across Australia with a peer-led workforce model. Directly comparable to Stride's peer workforce integration and stepped-care service design.
• Jesuit Social Services: Jesuit Social Services delivers mental health, housing, and justice-related community programs across Victoria and NSW. Comparable in nonprofit delivery model, government-funded service portfolio, and focus on complex/vulnerable populations.
• Mind Australia: Mind Australia is one of the largest community-managed mental health nonprofits in Australia, providing NDIS psychosocial recovery, housing support, and clinical services. Closest direct peer in scale, funding model (PHN/NDIS), and service portfolio to Stride.
• Richmond Wellbeing: Richmond Wellbeing is a Western Australian nonprofit providing psychosocial support, NDIS, and mental health recovery services. Comparable to Stride in recovery-oriented, peer-supported service model and NDIS focus.
• EACH (Eastern Access Community Health): EACH is a large Australian nonprofit providing mental health, NDIS, and community health services, including headspace centre operation. Highly comparable in service breadth, federal brand partnerships, and PHN commissioning model.
• Open Minds Australia: Open Minds is an Australian nonprofit delivering mental health, psychosocial, and NDIS services across Queensland and northern NSW. Directly comparable in NDIS service mix, regional QLD footprint, and recovery-oriented practice.

Broad incumbents

• Beyond Blue: Beyond Blue is Australia's largest mental health awareness and support NGO, providing helplines, online tools, and funded programs. Broad incumbent in the same mental health sector with overlapping government funding relationships and brand recognition.
• headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation: headspace is the federally funded national youth mental health brand whose centre network Stride operates as a commissioned provider. A broad incumbent partner/principal - comparable through its youth mental health specialisation, even though Stride is a downstream operator rather than the brand owner.
• Lifeline Australia: Lifeline is a national crisis support and suicide prevention nonprofit with a 24/7 helpline. Overlaps with Stride's suicide prevention services (The Way Back, Universal Aftercare, Safe Haven) but operates at broader national scale as an awareness/crisis brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2d4_GUPvKXglWZlaVaQR2Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/StrideMentalHealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stride-mental-health
• Instagraminstagram.com/Stridementalhealth
• Xx.com/stride_au

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 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 Stride Mental Health