Bear River Health

What Bear River Health does

Bear River Health is a private, for-profit substance use disorder (SUD) recovery operator founded in 2012 and headquartered in Boyne Falls, Michigan. The company delivers an integrated continuum of care spanning medically supervised withdrawal management (ASAM 3.7 and 3.2), residential treatment at gender-separated campuses (Walloon Lake and Boyne Falls for men, Gaylord for women), intensive outpatient and outpatient programs, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) integrated with counseling (excluding methadone), and MARR-certified transitional recovery housing. Core clinical methodology is the proprietary SURF (Substance Use Recovery Focused) framework layered onto the Hazelden Living in Balance curriculum (12 core sessions over 4 weeks, relapse prevention twice weekly), with a reported clinical staffing ratio of approximately 7 to 1 and a 24/7 medically supervised detox capability.

The company generates revenue primarily through insurance billing — accepting a broad commercial panel (Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, HAP, Humana, McLaren, Meridian, Molina, Priority Health, Tricare, United Healthcare) plus Michigan Medicaid in regions 2, 4, 5, and partial 3 — and self-pay. Recovery housing generates additional revenue at $600/month or $150/week plus a $250 deposit. Bear River Health operates four MARR-certified recovery houses (56 total beds), four outpatient offices (Gaylord, Harbor Springs, Cheboygan, Jenison), and has extended into Mt. Pleasant. Regulatory standing includes Joint Commission accreditation, ASAM certification through the State of Michigan, Michigan LARA licensure, DEA licensure, and Medicaid compliance across all programs. The affiliated Bear River Health Foundation (My Recovery Life Network) and partner MI Better Health & Wellness provide alumni support and post-discharge primary care, supporting long-term patient continuity beyond the treatment episode.

Name

Bear River Health

Legal name

Bear River Health

Website

https://bearriverhealth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bear River Health is a private, for-profit substance use disorder recovery facility in northern Lower Michigan operating an integrated continuum of care — detox, residential, outpatient, MAT, and recovery housing — serving insured, Medicaid, and self-pay adult patients across multiple campuses and outreach offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Addiction Treatment Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (62322), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (62142)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Substance Use Rehabilitation (Inpatient Rehab) (HLAFACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN), Outpatient Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Programs (HLAFABAD)

Keywords

• Substance use disorder treatment
• Addiction recovery services
• Residential treatment programs
• Medication-assisted treatment
• Outpatient counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boyne Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Residential Treatment Services: Revenue generated from inpatient/residential treatment services billed through insurance or self-pay. Includes 24/7 medically supervised withdrawal management and residential care.
2. Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Services: Outpatient counseling and intensive outpatient programs (IOP) generating revenue through insurance billing or self-pay.
3. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): FDA-approved medication treatments (except methadone) integrated with counseling, provided through affiliations with Better Health & Wellness.
4. Recovery Housing Fees: $600 Monthly or $150 Weekly participation fees plus $250 recovery deposit. Clients may stay up to one year. Fees for counseling sessions billed separately from housing.
5. Medicaid Contracts: Direct contracts with Michigan Medicaid regions (Regions 2, 4, 5, and partial Region 3) for behavioral health services. Also accepts Medicare clients with other insurance or self-pay.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bear River Health operates an integrated continuum of substance use disorder recovery services spanning medically supervised withdrawal management, gender-specific residential treatment campuses for men and women, outpatient and intensive outpatient programs, medication-assisted treatment, and MARR-certified transitional recovery housing. Programs are delivered through the SURF (Substance Use Recovery Focused) methodology using the Hazelden Living in Balance curriculum across multiple Northern Michigan campuses.

Product overview

Bear River Health operates as a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) recovery facility offering an integrated continuum of care with multiple programs and pathways. The core offerings include: Withdrawal Management (Detox) for medically supervised detoxification; Residential Programs with separate men's and women's campuses providing inpatient treatment; Recovery Housing for transitional sober living; Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) for continuing care; Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) integrating FDA-approved medications with counseling; and Alumni Aftercare through the My Recovery Life Network. Programs are delivered through the SURF (Substance Use Recovery Focused) approach using the evidence-based Living in Balance curriculum. The facility also provides partner services including MI Better Health & Wellness for primary care and a free substance use screening tool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bear River Health (BRH): Primary substance use disorder recovery services brand offering withdrawal management, residential programs, and outpatient services
• Bear River Outreach (BRO)
• BRH Recovery Housing

Products and services

• Withdrawal Management (Detox)
• Residential Treatment Programs
• Outpatient Services
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
• Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
• Recovery Housing
• SURF (Substance Use Recovery Focused) Residential Programming
• Alumni Aftercare Program

Quantifiable outcome

• ASAM 3.7, 3.2, 3.5, and 3.1 levels of care certified
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MI Better Health & WellnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner nonprofit organization specializing in ongoing care for people living in recovery. Open to all patients with or without insurance as a community health center. Provides healthcare services to Bear River Health residential clients during treatment and continues care for those in recovery beyond BRH doors.
• Bear River Health Foundation (My Recovery Life Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner nonprofit organization that runs an alumni network to help support Bear River Health alumni in their continued recovery journey. Provides ongoing peer support and community connections for past graduates.
• SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)minorOthersFederal agency referenced as a resource partner for finding substance use disorder treatment facilities. BRH website links to FindTreatment.gov for treatment options.
• National Institute on Drug AbuseminorOthersFederal research agency providing educational resources about addiction that BRH uses on their resources page. Content includes DrugFacts and preferred language guidance for talking about addiction.
• Partnership to End AddictionminorOthersFamily helpline partner providing free, confidential support for parents, grandparents, and caregivers of individuals struggling with substance use. Offered as resource for families and friends of BRH clients.
• Courage to SpeakminorOthersOrganization providing Courageous Parenting 101 online video and resources for parents to keep children safe. Offered as resource for families affected by addiction.
• FDA (Food and Drug Administration)minorOthersFederal agency referenced for safe drug disposal information and guidelines provided on BRH resources page.
• DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration)minorOthersFederal agency referenced for drug disposal drop site locations and disposal guidelines on BRH resources page.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bradford Health Services: Regional for-profit SUD treatment operator with residential, partial hospitalization, IOP, and outpatient services across the Southeast — comparable in scale, modality mix, and private-pay/insurance commercial model.
• Caron Treatment Centers: Nonprofit residential SUD treatment operator with gender-specific programming, MAT, and family services — comparable in clinical positioning and gender-segregated residential model.
• Gateway Foundation: Large nonprofit SUD treatment provider with residential, outpatient, MAT, and recovery housing — closely aligned multi-modality model to BRH's continuum of care.
• CleanSlate Centers: Multi-state outpatient SUD treatment operator with a heavy focus on Medication-Assisted Treatment and intensive outpatient programming — directly comparable to BRH's outpatient/MAT arm and continuum-of-care positioning.
• Pyramid Healthcare: Pennsylvania-based integrated behavioral health provider offering residential, outpatient, MAT, and recovery housing — a closely comparable multi-modality SUD treatment model to BRH.

Emerging players

• Workit Health: Michigan-headquartered digital SUD treatment platform offering telehealth MAT and online therapy — emerging digital competitor to BRH's outpatient services with overlap in Michigan geography.

Broad incumbents

• American Addiction Centers: Publicly-traded national SUD treatment operator with detox, residential, outpatient, and MAT across multiple states — comparable modality mix at significantly larger scale than BRH.
• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: Largest nonprofit SUD treatment provider in the U.S., offering the Living in Balance curriculum that BRH licenses. Comparable as a residential + outpatient SUD operator and a content licensor.
• Recovery Centers of America: Multi-state, scaled residential and outpatient SUD treatment chain — comparable in service mix (detox, residential, outpatient, MAT) but operating at substantially larger footprint than BRH.

Regional players

• Brighton Center for Recovery: Michigan-based residential SUD treatment provider — directly comparable to BRH as a same-state regional competitor in the residential treatment segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCE9t69GdhQYveJwn4AgkqAw
• Facebookfacebook.com/bearriverhealthatwalloonlake
• Instagraminstagram.com/mibearriverhealth
• Xx.com/brh_mi

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Bear River Health