ValueOptions
Carelon Behavioral Health (formerly ValueOptions) is a managed behavioral health services company serving more than 61 million people in the U.S. through contracts with health plans, employers, government agencies, and individuals, offering specialty care, crisis, wellbeing, federal, and workforce mental health solutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersNorfolk, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ValueOptions does
ValueOptions, founded in 1983 by Ronald I. Dozoretz, operates today as Carelon Behavioral Health, a managed behavioral health services company headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, and now a subsidiary of Carelon. The company provides behavioral health specialty care, crisis intervention services through a Crisis Center of Excellence, whole-person wellbeing programs (Carelon Wellbeing), dedicated federal and state government behavioral health services (Carelon Health Federal Services), and employer-focused mental health solutions (Workforce Mental Health Complete). It serves more than 61 million people across the United States through publicly funded and commercial contracts with health plans, employers, government agencies, and individual consumers (children, teens, and adults).
The underlying operating model is a contract-based, payor-facing managed care platform built on a provider network and a digital behavioral health technology stack described as offering 'advanced digital tools.' Carelon Behavioral Health emphasizes an integrated, evidence-based, prevention- and recovery-focused system of care, with value propositions centered on scale, customization, and coordination across the care continuum. Customer segments are diversified across health plans (primary), employers (primary), government agencies, and individuals, with separate product lines targeting each segment.
Revenue mechanics are anchored in long-term contracts with health plans and government program administrators, supplemented by direct employer EAP/wellbeing sales. Specific pricing, contract terms, and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed at the subsidiary level. The company traces its lineage through Beacon Health Options and prior to that ValueOptions, having been consolidated under the Carelon brand alongside other Carelon health services to enable cross-portfolio integration with medical and pharmacy offerings.
ValueOptions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ValueOptions
- Legal name
- Carelon Behavioral Health
- Website
- https://valueoptions.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Carelon Behavioral Health (formerly ValueOptions) is a managed behavioral health services company serving more than 61 million people in the U.S. through contracts with health plans, employers, government agencies, and individuals, offering specialty care, crisis, wellbeing, federal, and workforce mental health solutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ValueOptions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Managed Behavioral Healthcare Services
- NAICS
- Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Health and Welfare Funds (525120)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Behavioral Health Benefit Administration (MBHO Core) (HLAEAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Behavioral Health Value-Based Contracting & Provider Incentives (HLAEAHAL), Behavioral & Mental Health Virtual Care (EAP/Teletherapy) (HLALADAB), Behavioral Health & Substance Use Public Health Programs (BPAIAJAK)
Keywords
Where ValueOptions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Norfolk
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
ValueOptions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
ValueOptions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ValueOptions (operating as Carelon Behavioral Health) provides managed behavioral healthcare services including mental health and substance use disorder treatment, crisis intervention, employee assistance and workforce mental health programs, wellbeing programs, and federal government behavioral health services. The company contracts with health plans, employers, and government agencies to deliver these services through a national provider network and digital tools to more than 61 million people across the United States.
Product overview
Carelon Behavioral Health offers a comprehensive portfolio of behavioral health solutions designed to address mental health and substance use disorder needs. The company provides a unified platform of services including Specialty Care Services, Crisis Solutions through a Crisis Center of Excellence, Carelon Wellbeing programs, Carelon Health Federal Services, and Workforce Mental Health Complete. These offerings serve health plans, employers, government agencies, and individuals (children, teens, and adults), with a whole-person approach backed by evidence-based solutions, prevention and recovery-focused care systems, integrated coordination, and advanced digital tools. The company leverages cutting-edge technologies to deliver customized, scalable, and affordable programs serving more than 61 million people.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use ValueOptions
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ValueOptions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ValueOptions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ValueOptions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Spring Health: Employer-focused precision mental health platform combining digital tools with provider networks; competes with Carelon BH's Workforce Mental Health Complete for net-new employer EAP contracts.
- Talkspace: Online therapy and behavioral health platform serving health plans, employers, and individuals via telehealth; an emerging digital competitor in segments adjacent to Carelon BH's EAP and specialty care services.
- Lyra Health: Digital-first mental health platform serving employers and health plans with teletherapy and EAP; an emerging competitor in the employer-sponsored workforce mental health segment where Carelon BH also operates.
Broad incumbents
- Kaiser Permanente Behavioral Health: Vertically integrated payer-provider delivering behavioral health to its health plan members at scale; a comparable incumbent in integrated, value-based behavioral health delivery though geographically concentrated.
- Anthem/Elevance Behavioral Health: Elevance Health's affiliated health plan and Carelon services, providing behavioral health coverage for tens of millions of plan members; competes with Carelon BH both as a customer relationship and through affiliated administration capabilities.
- Humana Behavioral Health: Large health plan operator with growing behavioral health offerings for Medicare Advantage and employer populations; broader incumbent that overlaps with Carelon Behavioral Health in EAP and specialty care segments.
- Aetna Behavioral Health (CVS Health): CVS Health's health plan with integrated behavioral health benefit administration and EAP offerings; competes with Carelon BH in employer-sponsored and commercial segments.
Direct peers
- Magellan Health (Centene): Long-standing MBHO now operating within Centene's government-focused managed care portfolio, serving Medicaid and commercial populations with behavioral health administration — a direct competitor in MBHO core services.
- Evernorth Behavioral Health: Cigna's health services arm that includes managed behavioral health, EAP, and specialty care solutions for health plans and employers; closely comparable product mix and customer base to Carelon Behavioral Health.
- Optum Behavioral Health: Operates one of the largest MBHO platforms in the US as part of Optum (UnitedHealth Group), directly comparable to Carelon Behavioral Health in serving health plans, employers, and government agencies with managed behavioral health products.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ValueOptions social profiles
Digital presenceValueOptions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ValueOptions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ValueOptions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ValueOptions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ValueOptions
What does ValueOptions do?
ValueOptions (operating as Carelon Behavioral Health) provides managed behavioral healthcare services including mental health and substance use disorder treatment, crisis intervention, employee assistance and workforce mental health programs, wellbeing programs, and federal government behavioral health services. The company contracts with health plans, employers, and government agencies to deliver these services through a national provider network and digital tools to more than 61 million people across the United States.
Is ValueOptions a public or private company?
ValueOptions is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was ValueOptions founded?
ValueOptions was founded in 1983. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is ValueOptions based?
ValueOptions is headquartered in Norfolk, United States, in the North America region.
Who are ValueOptions's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Spring Health, Talkspace and Lyra Health. Broad incumbents are Kaiser Permanente Behavioral Health, Anthem/Elevance Behavioral Health, Humana Behavioral Health and Aetna Behavioral Health (CVS Health). Direct peers are Magellan Health (Centene), Evernorth Behavioral Health and Optum Behavioral Health.
Does ValueOptions have an API?
No public API is recorded for ValueOptions.
What industry is ValueOptions in?
ValueOptions's product category is Managed Behavioral Healthcare Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAEAHAA, Behavioral Health Benefit Administration (MBHO Core), with a secondary code of HLAEAHAL, Behavioral Health Value-Based Contracting & Provider Incentives. Its NAICS code is 621420 and its SIC code is 8000.