What LifeSkills does

LifeSkills, Inc. is a private nonprofit community behavioral health provider founded in 1966 and headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky, operating across 18 counties in South Central and Western Kentucky. As of May 2026, the organization is rebranding to CAYA Collaborative Care, Inc. following its 2020 merger with Pennyroyal Center. It delivers an integrated continuum of mental health, substance use disorder, intellectual and developmental disability, and 24/7 crisis services through 26 physical service locations and multiple non-clinic delivery channels (school-based, home-based, workplace, and mobile crisis). Key programs include outpatient therapy, Park Place Recovery Center (a CARF accredited, ASAM Level of Care 3.5 residential treatment facility for men and women), iHOPE early psychosis intervention, the KY IMPACT service coordination program, Kentucky Early Intervention System (KEIS) intake services, the Wellness Connection peer support center, and Haven4Change transitional housing for women in recovery and their children.

The organization operates as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) since January 2026, with service contracts accounting for roughly 30% of revenue flowing from the Kentucky Department for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Addiction Services. Remaining revenue derives from Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements, commercial insurance, sliding-scale self-pay fees, grants (including Kentucky Housing Corporation rental assistance), and employer contracts through an Employee Effectiveness Program. The fee schedule is publicly disclosed, with individual therapy pricing tiered by Federal Poverty Level ($10-$144 per session). LifeSkills serves approximately 155,000 Medicaid-covered lives and employs 875 staff across clinical, vocational, residential, and administrative functions.

The operating model is certified and licensed across multiple regulatory regimes (CCBHC, CARF, ASAM LOC 3.5, Kentucky Department of Corrections Program Good Time Credit approval), with a regional referral network spanning schools, FQHCs (Fairview Community Health), state vocational rehabilitation (Kentucky OVR), and 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline routing. Technology integration is limited to commodity tools (Paycom for HR, PayPal for billing, OpenStreetMap for location services), and the organization has no disclosed AI/ML capability, patents, proprietary software products, or external technology partnerships beyond consumer integrations. Recent strategic moves include the CCBHC certification, the hiring of former State Senator Whitney Westerfield as Director of Legal & Government Affairs (January 2025), the CAYA rebrand (May 2026), and multiple industry recognitions including Best Places to Work in Kentucky and the 2025 Aspect Marketing Award.

Name

LifeSkills

Legal name

LifeSkills, Inc.

Website

https://lifeskills.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

LifeSkills, Inc. (rebranding May 2026 to CAYA Collaborative Care) is a Kentucky nonprofit community behavioral health provider founded in 1966, delivering integrated mental health, addiction, developmental disability, and crisis services across 18 counties through 26 locations, certified as a CCBHC and serving approximately 155,000 Medicaid-covered lives with $110 million in annual revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

Keywords

• Community mental health services
• Behavioral health treatment
• Addiction recovery services
• Developmental disabilities support
• Crisis intervention services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bowling Green

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices20 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 Contracts: Contracts with Kentucky Department for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Addiction Services for approximately 30% of funding. CCBHC certification expands coordinated care delivery.
2. Third-Party Payers: Revenue from Medicaid, Medicare, insurance, and other third-party payers. Services available regardless of ability to pay.
3. Client Fees and Sliding Scale: Fee-for-service payments with discounted sliding scale fee schedule based on income and family size. Services not denied due to inability to pay.
4. Grants and Local Support: Grant funding including Emergency Rental Assistance Program through Kentucky Housing Corporation, and local community support.
5. Industrial and Other Contracts: Employee Effectiveness Program services provided to business community through workplace contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LifeSkills, Inc. (transitioning to CAYA Collaborative Care, Inc.) operates a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) delivering integrated mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability services across 18 Kentucky counties through 26 service locations. The organization offers outpatient therapy, psychiatric services, residential addiction treatment, vocational programs, supported housing, and 24/7 crisis intervention, serving approximately 155,000 Medicaid-covered lives regardless of ability to pay.

Product overview

LifeSkills (now transitioning to CAYA Collaborative Care) is a Community Mental Health Center providing integrated behavioral health, addiction recovery, and developmental disability services across 18 counties in South Central and Western Kentucky. The organization operates as a platform offering multiple service lines: Mental Health Services (outpatient, psychiatric, school-based therapy), Addiction Treatment (outpatient, residential at Park Place Recovery Center, prevention), Intellectual Disabilities Services (vocational services, supports for community living, adult foster care, KEIS early intervention), and Crisis Services (24/7 hotline, crisis stabilization units). Key programs include iHOPE psychosis early intervention, KY IMPACT service coordination, Regional Prevention Center, Wellness Connection peer support, Haven4Change women's residential program, and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) services. The organization employs over 875 professionals across 26 service locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mental Health Services Comprehensive mental health services for children and adults including outpatient therapy, psychiatric evaluation, medication management, case management, and intensive services. Delivered in office, home, school, and daycare settings across the 18-county region.
• iHOPE Program Early intervention program for young people experiencing symptoms of psychosis for the first time. Provides information, support, and intensive wraparound services including medical professionals, therapists, case managers, and peer support specialists through a five-phase clinical program.
• Addiction Treatment Services Full continuum of substance use services including outpatient treatment, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), residential treatment at Park Place Recovery Center, medications for opioid use disorder, and prevention services for individuals and families affected by drug and alcohol problems.
• Park Place Recovery Center 35-bed CARF Certified ASAM Level of Care 3.5 residential treatment facilities for individuals with advanced or chronic chemical addiction. Separate facilities for men and women, offering non-medical detoxification, individualized treatment planning, family sessions, and 12-step recovery groups.
• Adult Foster Care (AFC) Premier provider of Adult Foster Care service in Western and South Central Kentucky. AFC providers offer family-centered living situations providing personal care, relationship building, medication assistance, and community living support for adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
• Vocational Services Vocational evaluation, time-limited job placement, Pre-ETS (Pre-Employment Transition Services), supported employment, and adult day training to help people with disabilities assess and develop vocational skills and find competitive employment.
• Supports for Community Living (SCL) Flexible array of community-based supports for Medicaid-eligible adults with intellectual disabilities, including residential supports, community access, adult day training, and supported employment.
• KEIS (Kentucky Early Intervention System) First Steps Point of Entry Office for families with children from birth to 3 years with developmental concerns. Coordinates screenings, evaluations, developmental intervention, speech therapy, and occupational therapy services.
• Crisis Services 24-hour crisis support including crisis hotline (800-223-8913 and 988), walk-in crisis services, Adult and Children's Crisis Stabilization Units, mental health jail triages, community trainings, and mobile crisis response.
• Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Services CCBHC coordination of whole-person care including crisis stabilization, primary care coordination, and expanded behavioral health services for all ages. Delivered in collaboration with Pennyroyal Center across 18 counties with increased staff, extended hours, and 24/7 mobile crisis services.
• Regional Prevention Center Professional assistance to communities in the Barren River Region for planning and implementing substance abuse prevention activities, including community development, consultation, training, and the Kentucky Moms MATR program.
• Wellness Connection Peer support center dedicated to helping people in their recovery journey through support, education, and resources. Offers one-on-one support, housing resources, connection to services, support groups, and computer lab access.
• Haven4Change 25-bed residential transitional living facility for women in recovery and their children (ages 12 or younger). Provides comprehensive substance use and mental health assessment, individual therapy, group therapy, parenting groups using the Celebrating Families curriculum, and pregnancy case management.
• KY IMPACT Service coordination and targeted case management program exclusively available through LifeSkills. Includes High-Fidelity Wraparound, family/peer support, Regional Youth Council, and Transition Age Youth Coordination services.
• Children's Crisis Stabilization Unit (CCSU) 24/7 organized therapeutic environment providing short-term acute crisis care to children and families. Includes crisis assessment, brief stabilization (1-7 days), intensive assessment/treatment (7-30 days), and placement/linkage services.
• Supported Housing Housing assistance programs including Permanent Supported Housing TBRA grant, medium-term rental assistance, Rapid Re-Housing program, affordable housing units, and PATH/SOAR homeless outreach services for individuals with serious mental illness.

Quantifiable outcome

• 155,000 Medicaid-covered lives served
• +3 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

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supportive.

• Pennyroyal CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2026Following merger of Pennyroyal Center and LifeSkills, the combined organization now operates as CAYA Collaborative Care, serving as the region's leading Community Mental Health Center across south central and western Kentucky. The merger created expanded services and organizational strength.
• Kentucky Department for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Addiction ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government contracting partner providing approximately 30% of organizational funding. Contract for Community Mental Health Center services across Region IV.
• Fairview Community Health (FQHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Promoting Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health (PIPBHC) program, providing bidirectional primary and behavioral health care integration. Fairview Community Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center.
• Kentucky Housing CorporationsupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Emergency Rental Assistance Program (KyERA2-PP) providing rental and utility assistance to eligible households to ensure housing stability.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis LifelinecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline providing 24/7 crisis support via call, text, or chat. ASL services available 24/7 through ASL Now partnership.
• Kentucky State Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for vocational evaluation and Pre-ETS (Pre-Employment Transition Services) serving students with disabilities age 14-21 in school settings.
• Western State HospitalsupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral relationship for mental inquest evaluations and voluntary hospital referrals for consumers requiring intensive psychiatric care.
• CrowdSouthsupportiveImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDigital agency partner that developed and executed the Adult Foster Care social media campaign, including creative production support from Forerunner.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seven Counties Services (Centerstone of Kentucky): Largest Community Mental Health Center in Kentucky, providing mental health, addiction, and developmental disability services across multiple counties. Directly comparable multi-county CMHC model with similar payor mix and CCBHC participation.
• NorthKey Community Care: Northern Kentucky CMHC offering outpatient mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services. Closely comparable CMHC operating model serving a multi-county region with similar Medicaid dependency.
• RiverValley Behavioral Health: Western Kentucky behavioral health provider operating across multiple counties with outpatient, residential, and crisis services. Comparable regional CMHC with overlapping service lines in addiction and mental health.
• Compass Health Network: Multi-state nonprofit behavioral health provider delivering mental health, substance use, and IDD services across Missouri and surrounding states. Comparable integrated platform serving Medicaid populations with a CCBHC-equivalent model.
• Centerstone: National nonprofit behavioral health provider operating across multiple states with integrated mental health, addiction, and IDD services. Closely comparable scale, payor mix, and integrated CMHC delivery model.
• BrightView Health: Outpatient addiction treatment provider with locations across multiple states including Kentucky, offering medication-assisted treatment and IOP. Comparable addiction services vertical with overlapping Medicaid contracts.
• Camelot Care Centers: Multi-state behavioral health provider specializing in services for children and adolescents including residential and outpatient programs. Comparable youth and family services platform with similar payor mix.
• Spero Health: Outpatient addiction treatment provider operating across multiple states with medication-assisted treatment and counseling services. Comparable SUD outpatient model with overlapping Kentucky footprint and Medicaid contracts.

Broad incumbents

• Acadia Healthcare: Public for-profit behavioral health operator with a large portfolio of residential treatment facilities and psychiatric hospitals. Comparable in addiction and behavioral health services but operates a for-profit, equity-funded model at national scale.

Others

• Volunteers of America: National nonprofit human services organization providing behavioral health, housing, and developmental disability programming. Comparable as a nonprofit social services peer but operates at much broader geographic and programmatic scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LifeSkillsInc1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@lifeskillsinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/LifeSkillsInc1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lifeskills-inc.

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 LifeSkills