Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

What Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance does

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 and headquartered at 500 W Madison St, Suite 1000 in Chicago, Illinois. DBSA operates the largest national peer-led support network for individuals living with depression, bipolar disorder, and related mood disorders, serving an addressable population of more than 21 million Americans through hundreds of in-person chapters and online Zoom support groups spanning identity-specific populations such as LGBTQ+, seniors, young adults, and culturally focused groups. The organization is led by CEO Michael Pollock and is governed by a Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Board, Associate Board, and Honorary Advisory Board. All programs are developed and delivered by people with lived experience of mood disorders, which underpins both credibility and the four-decade operating history that produced the GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency in 2026 and the 40th-anniversary milestone in 2025.

DBSA's core product surface consists of a Wellness Toolbox built around the DBSA Wellness Wheel (a seven-area visual wellness assessment), the DBSA Wellness Tracker (a daily mood and symptom logging workbook), and the DBSA Mood Crew (a child-focused emotional awareness program using animated characters), supplemented by structured courses such as Living Successfully with a Mood Disorder and Recovery Goal Setting, a Mental Health Screening Center, crisis resources tied to the 988 Lifeline and text-to-741741, and a peer inspiration content layer branded as Life Unlimited and I'm Living Proof. The organization also runs a Peer Specialist Training Course that has produced more than 600 trained peer counselors, including those deployed via the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under the Veteran PEER Act (passed as part of the MISSION Act) across 50 VA primary care locations, and co-leads advocacy for the PEERS in Medicare Act (S.3521/H.R.6841) to expand Medicare coverage of peer support services.

DBSA's revenue model is nonprofit contribution-based: services to individuals are provided free of charge, while funding is sourced from individual donations (solicited via website, newsletters, and year-end campaigns), corporate and foundation grants (recognized through a Leadership Donors page), and managed-services-style public-health and Medicaid-related funding streams tied to peer-support advocacy and workforce development. Go-to-market is community-led rather than sales-led, leveraging the chapter network, the dbsalliance.org website as a self-serve digital hub, organic social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn), podcasts and webinars, advocacy email alerts, and community events such as NAMI walks. Strategic technology and integration partners include HeyPeers, Vervocity Interactive, Switchfast Technologies, EveryAction, and Blackbaud, while GTM partnerships include Optum (Recognizing Bipolar Mania & Hypomania campaign) and a national coalition with Mental Health America and nine other organizations.

Name

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

Legal name

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

Website

https://dbsalliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DBSA is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 that runs the largest national peer-led support network for individuals with depression and bipolar disorder, delivering free in-person and online support groups, wellness tools, crisis resources, and peer specialist training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Peer Support Services

NAICS

Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330)

akta.pro primary industry

General Mental Health Therapy Platforms (Talk Therapy) (HLALAEAA)

Keywords

• Peer support services
• Mental health education
• Mood disorder support
• Wellness tracking tools
• Nonprofit mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Contributions: DBSA relies heavily on individual donations from the public. The organization appeals to donors through its website, newsletters, and year-end giving campaigns, emphasizing the impact of contributions on serving Americans living with mood disorders.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: DBSA recognizes corporate partners and foundations whose leadership-level support enables peer-led programs, education, and advocacy. The organization maintains a Leadership Donors page and partner recognition programs.
3. Medicaid and Public Health Funding: DBSA conducts advocacy to expand Medicaid coverage for peer support services and works with state Medicaid programs to broaden access to peer-based mental health support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

DBSA is a national nonprofit that delivers free, peer-led support services for people living with depression, bipolar disorder, and related mood disorders. Its core offerings include a nationwide network of in-person and online peer support groups, free wellness tracking and educational tools (Wellness Wheel, Wellness Tracker, Mood Crew), a Peer Specialist training course, mental health screening, crisis resources, and advocacy for expanded access to peer-based mental health support.

Product overview

DBSA offers a unified portfolio of peer-led mental health support services centered around its core Wellness Toolbox products. The main offerings include the DBSA Wellness Wheel (a visual assessment tool), Wellness Tracker (symptom/mood logging tool), Mood Crew (child-focused emotional tool), and structured courses like Living Successfully and Recovery Goal Setting. These digital tools are complemented by peer-led support groups (both in-person and online), a Peer Specialist Training program, crisis resources, mental health screening tools, and educational materials. The product suite provides a layered approach: free digital tools for self-management, facilitated peer support groups for community connection, and professional training for peer specialists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DBSA Wellness Wheel: A simple, visual tool to help adults reflect on key areas of wellness—like sleep, relationships, and self-care—and identify where support or balance may be needed.
• DBSA Wellness Tracker
• DBSA Mood Crew
• Life Unlimited
• I'm Living Proof

Products and services

• DBSA Wellness Wheel A visual wellness assessment tool that helps adults reflect on key areas of wellness, including sleep, relationships, and self-care, and identify where support or balance may be needed across seven areas of life.
• DBSA Wellness Tracker A daily mood and symptom tracking workbook that enables individuals to monitor moods, symptoms, medications, and habits over time, prepare for medical appointments, and understand what supports their well-being.
• DBSA Mood Crew A child-focused emotional awareness and coping skills program using animated characters, designed for kids and families to build emotional literacy together with trusted adults.
• DBSA Support Groups Peer-led support groups available both online and in-person, providing a safe space for individuals with mood disorders and their loved ones to share experiences, discuss coping skills, and offer mutual support.
• DBSA Peer Specialist Training Course A recognized training program that prepares individuals with lived experience of mood disorders to become Peer Support Specialists who facilitate support groups and provide peer-based mental health assistance.
• Living Successfully with a Mood Disorder An online course providing structured educational content to help individuals develop skills and strategies for managing mood disorders and building a personalized path to wellness.
• Recovery Goal Setting Course A guided course that helps individuals set and track wellness goals using the Wellness Wheel framework, supporting structured recovery planning.
• Mental Health Screening Center An online screening tool that provides individuals with confidential assessments for depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety to help determine whether they should seek professional evaluation.
• Crisis Support Resources Crisis preparation and management resources including hotline information (988 Lifeline), crisis planning tools, hospitalization guidance, and suicide prevention information.
• Recognizing Bipolar Mania & Hypomania Resources Educational video series and downloadable resources featuring lived experience, caregiving perspectives, peer support insights, and clinical expertise to help recognize early signs of hypomania and mania.
• Life Unlimited A peer inspiration program featuring empowering stories of individuals whose lives have been touched but not limited by a mood disorder, providing hope and connection for those on their wellness journey.

Quantifiable outcome

• Individuals attending DBSA support groups for more than one year were less likely to have been hospitalized for their mood disorder during that year, per a DBSA survey.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OptumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDBSA partnered with Optum to develop the 'Recognizing Bipolar Mania & Hypomania' educational campaign, which includes a video series and downloadable handout. Optum is a healthcare services and technology company. The partnership is campaign-specific and educational in nature.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDBSA contributed expertise and training curriculum development to support the Veteran PEER Act (passed as part of the MISSION Act), which integrates peer support specialists into VA primary care teams at 50 locations. DBSA has trained over 600 peer counselors as part of this effort. This is a flagship advocacy-driven partnership aimed at expanding mental health access for Veterans.
• Mental Health America and Nine Other National Mental Health Organizations (Coalition for PEERS in Medicare Act)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDBSA joined a coalition of national mental health organizations in supporting the PEERS in Medicare Act (S.3521/H.R.6841), bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senators Cortez Masto and Cassidy and Representatives Chu and Smith to expand Medicare coverage of peer support services at community health centers, rural health clinics, and mental health centers nationwide.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): NAMI is the largest US grassroots mental health nonprofit, providing peer-led support groups, family education, and advocacy. It is DBSA's most direct peer: similar peer-led model, similar advocacy priorities (parity, peer support), overlapping chapter network, and overlapping donor base.
• Mental Health America: Mental Health America operates screening tools, education, and advocacy for mental health conditions including depression and bipolar disorder. It directly competes with DBSA's screening center, educational content, and federal advocacy agenda, and serves a similar patient/caregiver audience.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: AFSP is the leading US nonprofit focused on suicide prevention — a key downstream outcome of the mood disorders DBSA addresses. Both organizations run awareness campaigns, survivor/peer networks, and federal advocacy, and overlap significantly in donor, volunteer, and policy channels.
• The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and peer support for LGBTQ+ young people. It overlaps with DBSA's identity-focused support groups (LGBTQ+, young adults) and shares the peer-led delivery model and youth mental health agenda, though with a narrower population focus.
• The Jed Foundation: The Jed Foundation focuses on emotional health and suicide prevention for teens and college students. It overlaps directly with DBSA's young adult, teen, and parental support resources, and shares a similar content-and-advocacy distribution model.
• Active Minds: Active Minds is a nonprofit focused on mental health awareness and peer support among college and high school students. It competes with DBSA for young-adult audience attention and shares peer-led program delivery and donor overlap.
• Bring Change to Mind: Bring Change to Mind is a peer-led mental health awareness nonprofit that runs youth programs, peer storytelling, and school-based conversations. It overlaps with DBSA's Life Unlimited/I'M Living Proof storytelling programs and youth mental health resources.
• Crisis Text Line: Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 text-based crisis support and is a natural complement/competitor to DBSA's crisis resources and 988 Lifeline promotion. Both organizations serve individuals in emotional distress via digital channels and share donor and volunteer pools.

Broad incumbents

• National Council for Mental Wellbeing: The National Council represents mental health and substance use provider organizations across the US. It is a broader-incumbent peer that overlaps with DBSA on peer specialist workforce development, federal advocacy, and Medicaid policy, but operates at the provider-association level rather than direct-to-consumer.

Emerging players

• Hope for the Day: Hope for the Day is a nonprofit focused on mental health education, suicide prevention, and peer-led outreach, including among youth and underserved communities. It represents a smaller, more outreach-driven peer with overlapping audience and content strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DBSAlliance
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DBSAlliance
• Facebookfacebook.com/DBSAlliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/depression-and-bipolar-support-alliance-dbsa-
• Instagraminstagram.com/dbsalliance

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 Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance