The Lincoln Center

What The Lincoln Center does

The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth (TLC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise founded in 1970 as the Department of Consultation and Education of Eagleville Hospital and independently incorporated in 1983, headquartered in Audubon, Pennsylvania. TLC operates six service divisions: TLC Leadership Academies (MSA-CESS accredited private schools for grades 7-12 built on the trademarked Transformational Education model), TLC Education Institute (professional development and training for frontline educators, law enforcement, and community professionals), TLC Wellness (insurance-based outpatient therapy practice launched in 2024), TLC School Services (contract-based mental health staffing for school districts including counselors, behavior specialists, and climate coaches), TLC Community Services (free mobile counseling for crime victims, violence intervention, in-home family services via the Intercept program, and first-responder support), and TLC Grant Services (grant writing, administration, and research consulting for districts and organizations).

TLC's underlying technology is a trauma-informed care framework integrating evidence-based therapeutic modalities — Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Family Systems models — delivered by licensed clinicians (LCSW, LPC, BCBA-supervised staff) across school-based, community-based, hospital-embedded (VIPP), and outpatient settings. The proprietary Transformational Education model, derived from transformational leadership theory and trademarked by TLC, is its sole registered intellectual property. TLC serves approximately 150+ employees and operates across Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin following a 2023 geographic expansion.

TLC's revenue model is hybrid and grant-anchored: federal, state, and local government grants (GEAR UP, STOP School Violence, Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, VOCA/PCCD, Byrne JAG) fund the majority of school-based and community-based service delivery, with most services provided free to eligible clients; insurance and EAP reimbursements (Aetna, Cigna, Independence Blue Cross, Optum, Medicare, plus EAP providers Lyra, SpringHealth, and others) underwrite TLC Wellness; grant writing and administration services generate professional services fees; and tax-deductible donations provide supplemental funding. Customer concentration sits primarily in K-12 school districts (40+) and county/municipal agencies (20+), with growing exposure to healthcare systems (Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, Tower Health) via the hospital-embedded VIPP model.

Name

The Lincoln Center

Legal name

The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth

Website

https://thelincolncenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise headquartered in Audubon, PA, providing K-12 education, behavioral health, community services, and grant management to school districts, governments, healthcare systems, and individuals across multiple states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community-Based Behavioral Health and Education Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• School-based mental health
• Trauma-informed counseling
• Outpatient therapy services
• Youth education programs
• Grant administration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Audubon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: TLC's primary revenue source is federally, state, and locally funded grants including GEAR UP, STOP School Violence, Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, VOCA/PCCD, School Climate Transformation Grant, and Byrne Justice Assistance Grant. These grants fund school-based counseling, violence prevention, trauma training, and community services.
2. Insurance-Reimbursed Therapy: TLC Wellness provides outpatient therapy services for children, teens, adults, and families. Services are billed to insurance providers including Aetna, Cigna, First Health, Independence Blue Cross, Keystone Health Plan East, Optum, Eisinger, and Medicare, as well as EAP providers including Lyra, SpringHealth, Health Advocate, Allied Trades, and Mutual of Omaha.
3. Grant Writing and Administration Services: TLC provides grant writing, grant administration, and research and development services to school districts, community-based organizations, and consulting firms, helping clients secure funding from federal, state, and local sources. Revenue derived from consulting fees for grant management and administration.
4. Donations and Charitable Contributions: TLC accepts tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations support programs and services for students and families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth (TLC) is an entrepreneurial nonprofit that delivers K-12 education, behavioral health care, outpatient therapy, wellness coaching, professional development, and grant management services. TLC operates six integrated divisions (Leadership Academies, Education Institute, Wellness, School Services, Community Services, and Grant Services), serving school districts, municipalities, hospitals, and individuals across multiple states.

Product overview

The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth (TLC) is a social enterprise organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of education, behavioral health, and community services across multiple states. The organization operates through six main divisions: TLC Leadership Academies (accredited private schools for grades 7-12), TLC Education Institute (professional development and training), TLC Wellness (insurance-based outpatient therapy), TLC School Services (contract-based mental health staffing for schools), TLC Community Services (crime victim services, mobile counseling, violence intervention), and TLC Grant Services (grant writing and administration). These divisions work together to provide K-12 education, mental health care, coaching, professional development, and grant management services, primarily serving the Greater Philadelphia Area and expanding across the Midwest and East Coast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TLC Leadership Academies: Innovative, student-centered education in small school settings, focusing on leadership development, social-emotional wellness, and academic growth
• TLC Education Institute
• TLC Wellness
• TLC School Services
• TLC Community Services
• TLC Grant Services
• Heather's Hope: A Center for Victim's of Crime
• Intercept Program
• TLC Connections
• Transformational Education
• FlutterBy Press

Products and services

• TLC Leadership Academies
• TLC Education Institute
• TLC Wellness
• TLC School Services (Contract-Based School Staffing)
• TLC Community Services
• TLC Grant Services
• Creative Arts Therapy
• College Awareness and Readiness (GEAR UP)
• Substance Abuse Education and Demand Reduction (SAEDR)
• Safer Communities
• Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP)
• Heather's Hope: Crime Victim Services
• Intercept Program
• Responder Support Services
• Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (VIPP)
• FlutterBy Press

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of crime victims served since 1987 through free mobile counseling funded by Crime Victims Fund grant.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Youth VillagescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLC operates the Intercept program in partnership with Youth Villages, a national leader in mental and behavioral health serving children, families, and young adults across 29 states and DC. TLC provides intensive in-home services to Milwaukee CPS-involved families using the Youth Villages Intercept Model, an evidence-based and trauma-informed approach. Youth Villages has been recognized by Harvard Business School and the White House as a promising results-oriented nonprofit.
• Eastern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Eastern University's Social Work and Clinical Counseling programs to expand school-based mental health services in the Pottstown School District through the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program. Creates a pipeline of trained graduate-level counselors providing trauma-informed support to students impacted by violence.
• Trinity Health Mid-AtlanticcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the VIPP program, TLC partners with Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic to embed violence intervention specialists and social workers in hospital settings including Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital (Darby), Nazareth Hospital (Northeast Philadelphia), and St. Mary's Medical Center (Langhorne). TLC social workers provide client-centered, trauma-informed care including case management, care coordination, and connections to housing, healthcare, education, employment, and family support resources.
• Tower HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLC social workers provide VIPP services within Tower Health hospitals (Reading Hospital, Phoenixville Hospital, Pottstown Hospital, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children) providing violence intervention, case management, and trauma-informed care. Partnership delivers services across Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties.
• Montgomery County Child Advocacy Project (MCAP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced in TLC Connections podcast episode featuring MCAP Deputy Executive Director Mary Anders. MCAP and TLC serve overlapping populations of children and families affected by abuse and the legal system. Both organizations advocate for children's well-being in Montgomery County.
• Wellpoint Care NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrowing partnership between Wellpoint Care Network (175-year-old Milwaukee human service organization serving children and families) and TLC. Both organizations focus on education, behavioral health, and family support services. TLC's Intercept program operates in Milwaukee in collaboration with Wellpoint's ecosystem.
• 40+ School Districts (including Norristown ASD, Chester Upland SD, Coatesville ASD, Pottstown SD, Milwaukee PS, and others)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTLC contracts with over 40 public and charter school districts to deliver mental health staffing, PBIS coaching, GEAR UP college readiness, creative arts therapy, substance abuse education, and violence prevention. Districts act as intermediaries, contracting TLC services for their students and families.
• 20+ Community Agencies and Municipalities (including Montgomery County OCY, Milwaukee CPS, SEPTA Police, police departments, and others)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTLC partners with county offices of children and youth, police departments, child protective services, and corrections agencies to deliver community-based services including crime victim support, violence intervention, first responder wellness, and family strengthening programs.
• 8 University Internship Partners (Bryn Mawr, Cabrini, Chestnut Hill, Drexel, Eastern, Holy Family, Immaculata, Penn Western, Smith, Syracuse, Temple, UPenn, Michigan, USC, West Chester)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLC partners with 15 universities to provide internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in education, counseling, or social work. Students gain hands-on experience across TLC's school-based, community, and clinical programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Youth Guidance: Chicago-based nonprofit providing school-based mental health, counseling, and youth development services, closely mirroring TLC's model of embedded mental-health staffing plus community programs.
• Effective School Solutions: Provides school-district mental health staffing, clinical services, and special education staffing; a direct competitive peer in the school mental-health placement market TLC serves.
• Communities In Schools: National nonprofit placing trained coordinators in K-12 schools to deliver integrated student supports, counseling referrals, and dropout prevention, directly comparable to TLC's school-based services model.
• National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP): Provides intensive in-home services, foster care, and community-based youth and family programs comparable to TLC's Intercept program and community-services division.
• Wediko Children's Services: Boston-area nonprofit combining residential therapeutic education, clinical services, and community programs for at-risk youth; mirrors TLC's combination of alternative K-12 schooling and clinical services.
• AMIkids: Nonprofit operating alternative education, behavioral health, and workforce programs for at-risk youth in multiple states, similar to TLC Leadership Academies and Community Services.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Large national umbrella for youth development and social-emotional programs; broader scope and scale than TLC but overlaps on youth services, education access, and community-based programming.
• Volunteers of America: Large national nonprofit with comparable behavioral health, family services, and community programs including violence intervention, counseling, and youth/family case management.
• KIPP Foundation: National charter-school network with comparable focus on student-centered K-12 education, social-emotional wellness, and college readiness programs analogous to TLC Leadership Academies and GEAR UP services.

Emerging players

• JED Foundation: National nonprofit focused on youth and young-adult mental health and substance misuse prevention, with adjacent programmatic overlap to TLC's school-based mental health and substance abuse education offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TLC_Connections
• Facebookfacebook.com/TLCFamilyYouth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tlcfamilyyouth
• Instagraminstagram.com/tlcfamilyyouth
• TikToktiktok.com/@tlcfamilyyouth
• Xx.com/tlcfamilyyouth

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Lincoln Center