The Council on Recovery

What The Council on Recovery does

The Council on Recovery is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1946 in Houston, Texas, providing a comprehensive continuum of substance use prevention, education, treatment, and recovery services across the Greater Houston area. Its core clinical offerings include outpatient counseling and therapy through the Center for Recovering Families, children and adolescent services, family support (including the Wayfinders Group), ARISE-model intervention services, and state-funded Discovering Choices outpatient treatment. The organization's prevention and education arm delivers evidence-based curricula — Botvin LifeSkills Training, CBSG, Positive Action, IHCP, and the Choices Program — directly in partner school districts such as Spring Branch ISD, and operates the Cradles Project for parents and expectant caregivers, a Recovery Support Peer Specialist Training program, and the Behavioral Health Training Institute for emerging clinicians. The campus at 303 Jackson Hill also serves as a community hub hosting 15+ weekly recovery support meetings and offers free Narcan distribution through an on-site vending machine.

The Council operates a mixed-revenue non-profit model combining individual, corporate, and foundation donations, government and state contracts (including a contract placing 30 chemical dependency professionals at The Harris Center), insurance reimbursement (Medicaid, Medicare, private, Gold Card, VA), special-event fundraising through the Petersen Family Speaker Series, and ancillary venue rental. It does not turn clients away for inability to pay, with two-thirds of treatment services offered at reduced or no cost. Reach is significant — 40,000+ individuals served annually and more than 1 million over four decades — supported by 251–500 employees and a three-year CARF accreditation awarded in 2024.

The organization is currently navigating a leadership transition: Judy M. Chavez was appointed President & CEO in August 2025 after serving as Interim since March 2025, succeeding Mary Beck. Under Chavez, the Council has executed a strategic reorganization and expanded its partnership footprint into the criminal justice diversion vertical (Harris County DA partnership, 2025) and culturally competent Hispanic/Latine services (El Centro de Corazón, 2024). Recent capital investments include the 2026 renovation of the Hamill Foundation Conference Center. Geographic focus remains regional (Greater Houston / Harris County), with telehealth expansion since 2020 as the principal channel-extension lever.

Name

The Council on Recovery

Legal name

The Council on Recovery

Website

https://councilonrecovery.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Council on Recovery is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) non-profit, founded in 1946, delivering prevention, education, outpatient treatment, and recovery support services for substance use disorders to individuals, families, and youth across the Greater Houston region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (62142)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE), Substance Use Prevention & Student Assistance Programs (School-Based) (EDAKAMAJ)

Keywords

• Substance abuse treatment
• Addiction recovery services
• Outpatient counseling programs
• Recovery peer support
• Prevention education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Non-profit organization funded significantly through generous contributions from donors. Individual, corporate, and foundation donations support operations and treatment services for those who cannot pay.
2. Publicly Funded Programs: State-funded contracts including Discovering Choices outpatient treatment services. Government grants support substance use treatment services regardless of ability to pay.
3. Insurance Payments: Accepts many insurance plans including Medicaid, Medicare, Gold Card, VA Benefits. Insurance accepted to reduce out-of-pocket costs for clients.
4. Special Event Fundraising: Major annual luncheon events (Petersen Family Speaker Series) serving as premier fundraising events. Over 41 years, has raised more than $24 million.
5. Venue Rental: Campus venues available for rent including Hamill Foundation Conference Center (285 capacity), McCullough Lecture Hall (85 capacity), and meeting rooms (10-65 capacity). Revenue-generating ancillary services including A/V, beverages, and personnel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Council on Recovery delivers outpatient substance use treatment, family counseling, intervention services, and recovery support for individuals and families affected by addiction in Greater Houston. It also provides school-based prevention education, peer specialist training, and behavioral health workforce development, with services offered regardless of ability to pay through donations, government contracts, and insurance reimbursements.

Product overview

The Council on Recovery is Houston's oldest and largest non-profit organization providing a comprehensive suite of substance abuse prevention, education, treatment, and recovery services. The organization operates as a single unified non-profit entity offering multiple integrated programs including outpatient treatment services through the Center for Recovering Families, children and adolescent clinical services, family support, intervention services using the ARISE model, and telehealth. Its education and prevention arm includes in-school initiatives (Choices Program, LifeSkills Training, CBSG, Positive Action, IHCP), the Cradles Project for expectant parents, Recovery Support Peer Specialist Training, and the Behavioral Health Training Institute for students. The organization also provides recovery support through peer specialists, recovery activities including support groups and yoga, and distributes free Narcan. Services are provided regardless of ability to pay through state-funded programs and generous contributions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outpatient Services
• Children & Adolescent Services
• Family Support Services
• Intervention Services (ARISE Model)
• Recovery Support Peer Specialist Training
• Behavioral Health Training Institute
• In-School Initiatives
• Choices Program
• Cradles Project (PADREs)
• Summer Adolescent Group Therapy
• Discovering Choices
• Center for Recovering Families
• Recovery Activities
• Telehealth Services
• Wayfinders Group
• Free Narcan Distribution

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 40,000+ individuals annually through comprehensive programs and services
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Harris County District Attorney's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025Partnership to develop and deliver comprehensive training program on substance use, mental health, and diversion strategies for Harris County prosecutors. Aims to identify treatment-based alternatives and reduce incarceration.
• El Centro de CorazóncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 September 2024Partnership to bring culturally competent substance use services to Hispanic communities in Houston. Joint press conference for National Recovery Month and Hispanic Heritage Month to highlight recovery resources.
• Hispanic Latino Behavioral Health Center of ExcellenceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 September 2024Partnership for behavioral health equity and wellness campaign for Hispanic and Latine populations.
• Canine AssistantsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Non-profit organization that trained and provided community service dog Emmy. Graciously waived usual fees enabling Council to receive dog at no expense for use in therapy sessions.
• Family HoustonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2021Former employer of Chief Impact Officer Tracey Burnett-Greenup; nonprofit human services organization.
• The Harris CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Contracted to place 30 chemical dependency professionals at Harris Center facilities to help screen and stabilize clients with substance use and mental health disorders.
• Ben Taub HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Project MOM (Maternal Opioid Misuse) partnership providing coordinated clinical care to expectant and postpartum mothers with opioid use disorder.
• CIS of TexasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization collaborating on recovery initiatives and community services.
• Justice ForwardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization focused on justice-related recovery initiatives.
• PartySoberminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecovery-focused nonprofit partner organization.
• Santa Maria HostelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting recovery community.
• SRC (Sober Recreation Committee)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization co-hosting sober recreation events like Addicted to Comedy.
• Teens and Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-time ally; central office now housed at Council campus in strategic move to multiply impact. Maintains distinct identity while sharing space and coordinating services for families with youth impacted by substance use. Nearly century of combined experience.
• UTHealth Houston HCPCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner for consultation services through Center for Co-Occurring Disorders focusing on systemic change to ensure clients have access to substance use services.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Memorial Hermann Prevention & Recovery Center: Houston-based hospital-affiliated SUD treatment program offering prevention, outpatient and recovery services in the same metro as the Council on Recovery. Competes for the same referral sources from Ben Taub and Harris County.
• The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD: Harris County's local mental health authority that directly contracts 30 of the Council's chemical dependency counselors and refers SUD clients — a partner-counterpart relationship that mirrors regional peers' positioning.

Direct peers

• Cenikor Foundation: Texas-based nonprofit SUD treatment provider with residential, outpatient and recovery support programs. Both organizations are Houston-anchored 501(c)(3)s competing for state contracts, donor dollars and court-referred patients.
• Phoenix House: National nonprofit provider of residential and outpatient SUD treatment with prevention and recovery support services. Operates CARF-accredited programs in a similar mission-driven nonprofit structure as the Council.

Broad incumbents

• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: National nonprofit SUD treatment organization combining residential, outpatient, recovery support and a publishing arm. Competes with the Council for donor mindshare and is the dominant CARF-accredited reference standard in the field.
• Caron Treatment Centers: Large nonprofit addiction treatment organization with a full clinical continuum and significant fundraising infrastructure. Mirrors the Council's whole-family and CARF-accredited positioning at a national scale.
• Gateway Foundation: One of the largest nonprofit SUD treatment providers in the U.S., offering residential, outpatient and recovery services. Comparable on mission-driven, accredited, multi-modality delivery.
• Rosecrance: Regional nonprofit behavioral health network offering prevention, outpatient, residential and recovery services across the Midwest. Comparable scope to the Council with a more geographically distributed footprint.

Emerging players

• SMART Recovery: National nonprofit mutual-support network offering secular, science-based recovery meetings. Its meetings overlap with the 15+ recovery groups the Council hosts on its Houston campus.
• Workit Health: Virtual-first outpatient SUD and mental health provider with telemedicine, medication-assisted treatment and digital recovery support. Represents the tech-enabled outpatient competitor reshaping the Council's traditional service model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/councilrecovery
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCouncilonRecovery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-council-on-recovery
• Instagraminstagram.com/councilonrecovery

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Council on Recovery