What Spurwink does

Spurwink Services Incorporated is a Maine-based nonprofit organization founded in 1960 that delivers behavioral health, developmental disability, and educational services to children, adults, and families throughout the state. The organization operates more than 50 active locations across all 16 Maine counties, employs nearly 1,000 staff, and serves over 10,000 people annually through a service portfolio organized under Youth & Family Services and Adult & Family Services divisions. Core offerings include outpatient therapy, residential treatment, day treatment schools, shared living arrangements, foster care, autism and intellectual disability programs, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, and crisis intervention. Specialized programs functioning as differentiated clinical assets include Trauma Systems Therapy adapted for Refugees (TST-R), the Living Room Crisis Center (the first of its kind in Maine), the Spurwink Center for Safe & Healthy Families (multidisciplinary forensic child abuse evaluations), and a federally designated Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). Technology infrastructure centers on electronic health records and telehealth for remote service delivery, with AssureSign used for online referral intake and CardPointe for online bill payment.

Spurwink's revenue model combines fee-for-service billings through Medicaid/MaineCare, Medicare, and major private insurers (Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross, Cigna, Harvard Pilgrim, United Health, Martin's Point, Maine Community Health Options, Delta Dental) with charitable donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships from a broad base of supporters. Service access is referral-driven through a centralized intake line ("The Link" at 888-889-3903), an online referral portal, and partnerships with Maine DHHS, public school districts, law enforcement/EMS (Project Support You), refugee resettlement agencies (ShifaME), and healthcare providers. The organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors chaired by Matthew G. Winch, with President & CEO Eric Meyer (LCSW, MBA) leading executive operations since 2013.

Recent strategic activity centers on regional consolidation: in April 2024, Spurwink acquired Tri-County Mental Health Services in Lewiston for $2 million, expanding into Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford counties, and the organization has been awarded a Maine DHHS grant to establish a behavioral health crisis receiving center in Androscoggin County, extending the Living Room Crisis Center model beyond Portland.

Name

Spurwink

Legal name

Spurwink Services Incorporated

Website

https://spurwink.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Spurwink Services is a Maine-based nonprofit founded in 1960 that provides behavioral health, developmental disability, and educational services to children, adults, and families across all 16 Maine counties through 50+ locations and nearly 1,000 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Health and Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Services (EDALAFAD), Benefits Counseling & Financial Literacy for Transition-Age Youth (EDAKANAJ), Special Education Resource Rooms & Pull-Out Programs (EDAKAAAJ), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Behavioral health services
• Mental health treatment
• Developmental disability services
• Residential care services
• Foster care programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Healthcare Programs: Primary revenue from Medicaid/MaineCare, Medicare, and other government healthcare programs for behavioral health services
2. Private Insurance: Accepts private insurance including Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross, Cigna, Harvard Pilgrim, United Health, and others
3. Donations and Charitable Giving: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors supporting programs and services
4. Program Service Fees: Fee-for-service arrangements for various behavioral health and educational programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Spurwink delivers community-based behavioral health and educational services for children, adults, and families throughout Maine. Its services span outpatient therapy, residential treatment, day treatment schools, autism and intellectual disability support, foster care, crisis intervention, forensic child abuse evaluations, and refugee mental health services. These are delivered across 50+ locations in all 16 Maine counties by nearly 1,000 clinical and support staff.

Product overview

Spurwink is a nonprofit healthcare organization providing behavioral health and education services throughout Maine. The organization operates a comprehensive portfolio of interconnected programs organized under Youth & Family Services and Adult & Family Services divisions. Youth services include autism and intellectual disability programs, behavioral health treatment, the Spurwink Center for Safe & Healthy Families (forensic child abuse evaluations), ShifaME refugee services, and foster care programs including the A Family for ME initiative. Adult services encompass similar autism/ID support, behavioral health treatment, Shared Living arrangements, and community outreach including Project Support You. The organization also operates specialized programs such as the Living Room Crisis Center (a voluntary crisis alternative to emergency departments), a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, Assertive Community Treatment teams, Veterans' services, day treatment schools, residential facilities, and Spurwink ALLTECH assistive technology. These services are delivered through over 50 locations across Maine, supported by nearly 1,000 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth & Family Services Comprehensive behavioral health and developmental disability services for children and families, including outpatient therapy, case management, residential treatment, and foster care programs across Maine.
• Adult & Family Services Behavioral health and intellectual disability services for adults, including outpatient therapy, residential support, shared living arrangements, and community outreach programs.
• Autism & Intellectual Disabilities Programs Specialized services for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities, including case management, outpatient therapy, consultation, and residential support.
• Spurwink Center for Safe & Healthy Families Forensic child abuse evaluation and treatment program providing medical evaluations, psychosocial assessments, and multidisciplinary team services for children who may have been abused.
• ShifaME – Refugee Services Culturally appropriate services for refugee and immigrant youth and families in Maine, providing care coordination, cultural brokerage, and trauma-focused counseling using the TST-R clinical model.
• Foster Care Programs Treatment foster care, resource family recruitment through the A Family for ME partnership, and adoption matching services supporting children and families throughout Maine.
• Living Room Crisis Center (LRCC) Voluntary crisis care center in downtown Portland providing an alternative to emergency departments for individuals experiencing mental health or substance use crises, operating 24/7; the first program of its kind in Maine.
• Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Federally designated clinic serving low-income individuals lacking VA access, homeless individuals, and asylum seekers with complex trauma-informed needs in Cumberland County.
• Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Community-based psychiatric treatment team providing comprehensive services including medication management, case management, and intensive support for adults with serious mental illness.
• Veteran's Services Trauma-informed mental health services for Veterans and their families, including suicide prevention, connection to VA benefits, housing assistance, and substance use disorder counseling.
• Shared Living Community-based living arrangement matching adults with developmental disabilities or autism with Shared Living Providers who offer personalized support in a home setting, with providers earning an annual stipend plus room and board.
• Project Support You (PSY) Community partnership program with law enforcement and EMS responding to calls involving substance misuse, homelessness, and mental illness to connect individuals with support services.
• Residential Services Group home and residential treatment settings for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across York, Cumberland, and Androscoggin counties, including intermediate care facilities. 22 residential homes statewide.
• Day Treatment Programs Therapeutic educational programs from preschool to high school for children with autism spectrum disorders and behavioral challenges, including vocational services at Chelsea and Glickman Academy schools.
• Spurwink ALLTECH Assistive technology program providing devices and support to help individuals with disabilities increase independence and communication abilities.
• Behavioral Health Home Coordinated care model integrating physical and behavioral health services for individuals with serious mental illness, providing wraparound support and care coordination.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1,000 employees serving 10,000+ people annually across 16 Maine counties
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tri-County Mental Health ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Portland-based Spurwink acquired the financially troubled Tri-County Mental Health Services in Lewiston for $2 million amid a fiscal crisis. The deal aimed to preserve services and almost all staff, with some needing to apply for new positions within Spurwink. The acquisition was contingent on securing $2 million from the state to cover related costs. Tri-County served Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford counties.
• Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for A Family for ME program - recruiting resource families for foster/adoptive care statewide; also partnered for Living Room Crisis Center and other programs
• Cumberland County Children's Advocacy Center (Partner Agencies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with law enforcement, child protection, prosecution, medical, mental health and advocacy organizations for child abuse forensic evaluations and coordinated response
• MaineHealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Positive Approach to Care training session focused on enhancing memory care skills using Positive Physical Approach
• Refugee Resettlement AgenciesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with refugee resettlement agencies to provide culturally appropriate services for refugee and immigrant youth and families through ShifaME program
• Law Enforcement and Emergency Medical ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject Support You (PSY) - community partnership responding to calls involving individuals with substance misuse, homelessness, and mental illness

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sweetser: Maine-based nonprofit behavioral health provider offering outpatient therapy, residential treatment, and community-based services. Directly comparable in geography, mission, and payer mix (Medicaid-heavy), competing for state contracts and clinical talent in the same Maine market as Spurwink.
• Community Care Maine (CCM): Maine-based nonprofit providing community mental health, developmental disability, and substance use services. Comparable as a regional behavioral health and IDD provider with similar payer mix and population focus; competes with Spurwink for state contracts and clinical talent.
• The Opportunity Alliance: Maine-based nonprofit providing behavioral health, educational, and social services for children, adults, and families. Closely comparable to Spurwink in mission, population served, geography, and nonprofit structure, including a shared lineage (Youth Alternatives merged into The Opportunity Alliance; Spurwink's CFO began her career there).
• Day One Early Intervention & Outpatient Services: Provides behavioral health and substance use services to Maine youth and families. Comparable as a regional nonprofit behavioral health provider with overlapping child, adolescent, and family service offerings, though smaller in scale than Spurwink.

Regional players

• Ascentria Care Alliance: New England-based nonprofit providing social services, refugee resettlement, and behavioral health programs. Comparable in mission and refugee services (overlapping with Spurwink's ShifaME program), though broader in scope and based in Massachusetts with a multi-state footprint.
• Bay Path Education / Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School district (special education): Special education and therapeutic day school programs in Massachusetts. Comparable in day-treatment private school model serving students with autism and behavioral health needs, but operating outside Maine in a different regional market.

Broad incumbents

• Maine Behavioral Health (MaineHealth): The behavioral health arm of Maine's largest health system, providing inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services statewide. Comparable in therapeutic modality and geography but operates as part of a broader hospital system rather than as a community nonprofit specialist; Spurwink partners with MaineHealth on training.
• Pathways Human Services: National nonprofit behavioral health and human services provider operating across 24 states. Comparable in clinical service model and population focus, and is the prior employer of Spurwink's COO; serves as a national-scale reference for the type of operations Spurwink operates in Maine.
• Northern Light Behavioral Health: Maine-based behavioral health provider operating within a broader hospital system (Northern Light Health). Comparable in Maine geography and behavioral health services, but with health-system scale and infrastructure not available to community-based Spurwink.

Others

• Riverview Psychiatric Center: State-operated psychiatric hospital in Maine providing inpatient behavioral health services. Not a direct competitor but represents the public-sector complement to Spurwink's community-based crisis and residential services, and a key referral/discharge partner in Maine's behavioral health continuum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/spurwink
• Facebookfacebook.com/135762027945
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spurwink
• Instagraminstagram.com/spurwinkme

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spurwink