What Burning Tree does

Burning Tree Programs is a privately held, founder-owned addiction treatment organization operating from a 2,000-acre residential ranch in Kaufman, Texas, with a secondary operations site in Kaufman and a clinical outreach presence in Los Angeles. Founded in 1999 by David Elliott, the company exclusively treats chronic relapsers — individuals who have failed multiple prior treatment attempts — through a 4-phase, progress-based continuum of care spanning intensive residential, supportive residential, tailored aftercare with supportive living, and independent living with a sober peer. Clinical programming integrates dual-diagnosis treatment for co-occurring mental health disorders (anxiety, bipolar, depression, personality disorders, trauma, OCD, neurodevelopmental disorders) with evidence-based modalities including CBT, DBT, EMDR, neurofeedback, equine therapy, Gestalt therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and 12-step facilitation. The company operates two principal product lines: Burning Tree Ranch, a private-pay long-term residential program, and Burning Tree Lodge, a wholly-owned subsidiary offering 30–90 day short-term treatment accepted as in-network care with multiple insurance carriers.

The business model combines fee-for-service residential treatment with professional referral-driven acquisition. Long-term Ranch pricing is quote-based and structured as multi-year, progress-driven contracts rather than fixed-length programs; short-term Lodge revenue runs through insurance billing. Ancillary revenue streams include a published family guide book ('You're Waiting On You' by CEO Brook McKenzie), alumni events and community programming, and a family education program that treats addiction as a family disease. Go-to-market runs through three channels: direct family intake via phone and website, professional referral networks (attorneys, physicians, financial advisors, CPAs, family office executives), and reciprocal referrals from hundreds of partner treatment centers nationwide. The organization is licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services and holds memberships with NAATP and ASAM. Burning Tree reports no funding rounds, no parent company, and no institutional ownership, remaining entirely founder-controlled with a management team in which multiple senior leaders are alumni of the program itself.

Name

Burning Tree

Legal name

Burning Tree Programs

Website

https://burningtree.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Burning Tree Programs operates a 2,000-acre residential addiction treatment ranch in Kaufman, Texas, delivering long-term and short-term care exclusively for chronic relapsers through a 4-phase, progress-based treatment system serving clients from all 50 US states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Long-term Residential Treatment Services: Extended residential addiction treatment programs with duration based on individual progress milestones rather than fixed timeframes. Revenue generated through fee-for-service treatment delivery covering clinical care, housing, meals, therapy, and aftercare planning.
2. Short-term Treatment (Burning Tree Lodge): 30-90 day residential treatment covered by insurance. Burning Tree Lodge operates as an in-network provider contracted with multiple health insurance carriers for shorter-term treatment episodes.
3. Family Education Materials: Sale of family education books and guides including 'You're Waiting On You' by Brook McKenzie, available in digital and print formats through Amazon and book retailers.
4. Alumni Services and Community Events: Alumni reunion events, golf tournaments, and ongoing community activities for program graduates. Events include the Annual Alumni Reunion, Christmas party, and regular social gatherings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Burning Tree provides long-term and short-term residential treatment for chronic addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders at a 2,000-acre ranch facility in Kaufman, Texas. The organization operates a 4-phase, progress-based continuum of care (intensive residential through independent living) specifically designed for individuals who have failed multiple prior treatment attempts, with an integrated dual-diagnosis approach and a family systems therapy program. Its subsidiary Burning Tree Lodge offers 30-90 day insurance-covered short-term treatment as an entry-point offering.

Product overview

Burning Tree operates as a dual-brand addiction treatment organization consisting of Burning Tree Ranch (long-term treatment) and Burning Tree Lodge (short-term treatment). The core offering is Burning Tree Ranch, the nation's only authentic long-term treatment program exclusively serving chronic relapsers who have failed multiple treatment attempts. The program employs a 4-phase, progress-based treatment system rather than time-based discharge. Clinical services include multiple therapeutic modalities (CBT, DBT, EMDR, Neurofeedback, Equine Therapy, Family Therapy, 12-Step Facilitation, and others), delivered through dual-diagnosis treatment addressing co-occurring mental health conditions. Post-treatment support is provided through an Alumni Network, while families receive guidance through a dedicated Family Program and the published book 'You're Waiting On You'. Burning Tree Lodge provides short-term residential treatment as an alternative for those requiring less intensive care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Burning Tree Ranch Long-Term Treatment The nation's only authentic long-term residential addiction treatment program exclusively serving chronic relapsers who have failed multiple treatment attempts. Delivered on a 2,000-acre ranch with a 4-phase progress-based continuum of care.
• Burning Tree Lodge Short-Term Treatment Short-term residential treatment program (30-90 days) for alcohol and substance use disorders. Operates as an in-network insurance provider with contracts across multiple health insurance carriers.
• Dual Diagnosis Treatment Integrated treatment addressing co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders including anxiety, bipolar, depressive, personality, trauma-related, OCD, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
• 4-Phase Treatment System A milestone-based continuum of care with four phases: Intensive Residential, Supportive Residential, Tailored Aftercare with supportive housing, and Independent Living with sober peer. Progression based on behavioral change milestones rather than time.
• Family Program Family therapy and education services treating addiction as a family disease, helping families identify enabling patterns, develop boundaries, and learn to step out of enabling roles.
• You're Waiting On You Family Guide Book A published family guide book written by CEO Brook McKenzie offering families practical tools for understanding why their efforts often fail and how to really help their addicted loved one. Available in print and digital formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients complete a 4-phase program and transition to independent living with demonstrated behavioral change, accountability, and sober peer relationships
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Association for Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAATP membership provides industry advocacy, standards development, and professional network connections. Burning Tree is listed as a member organization with the NAATP Hero's Addiction Crisis recognition for Peter Piraino's work with Burning Tree Programs.
• American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASAM membership connects Burning Tree with the professional organization for addiction medicine physicians and practitioners. Membership supports clinical standards alignment and professional credibility.
• Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed and regulated by Texas DSHS, the state health agency overseeing substance use disorder treatment facilities. Compliance with state licensing requirements ensures operational legitimacy and regulatory standing.
• Hundreds of Treatment Centers (Nationwide)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partnerships with hundreds of treatment centers across the United States that do not offer long-term chronic relapse programs. These centers refer clients who have exhausted short-term options to Burning Tree for extended treatment.
• NAATP Hero's Addiction Crisis Recognition (Peter Piraino)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRecognition of an individual associated with Burning Tree Programs as a hero in the addiction crisis, featured in NAATP member news and serving as marketing credibility for the organization's impact.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: One of the largest and most established U.S. addiction treatment providers operating residential programs with a specialty in chronic cases and co-occurring disorders. Comparable in serving patients who require extended care across the country and in operating an alumni/community model.
• Passages Malibu: Premium private-pay residential addiction treatment center serving HNW clients with a non-12-step clinical model. Comparable in targeting affluent families, self-pay pricing, and one-to-one clinical staffing ratios.
• Cirque Lodge: High-end residential addiction treatment center in Utah with clinical and trauma-focused programming. Comparable in private-pay model, chronic/complex case focus, and multi-modal therapeutic offerings.
• Cliffside Malibu: Luxury residential addiction treatment provider in California with private-pay pricing and individualized programming. Comparable in serving HNW clients with chronic/complex presentations.
• The Meadows: Long-term residential treatment provider focused on trauma, addiction, and co-occurring disorders with extended-stay programming. Comparable in treating chronic relapse cases with dual diagnosis and a progressive phase model.
• Gratitude Lodge: Long-term residential addiction treatment provider in Southern California emphasizing extended-stay programming for chronic cases. Comparable in long-duration, private-pay residential care model.
• Caron Treatment Centers: Nonprofit addiction treatment operator with a legacy long-term residential program, family program, and chronic relapse specialization. Directly comparable in serving high-acuity patients including professionals, and in emphasizing family-systems therapy.

Broad incumbents

• Promises Behavioral Health: Multi-site residential and outpatient addiction treatment operator serving chronic and acute populations. Comparable in residential service model and chronic care focus, though broader in scope and less specialty-narrow than Burning Tree's chronic-relapse-only positioning.
• Talbott Recovery Campus (Acadia Healthcare): Historic long-term addiction treatment program now part of Acadia Healthcare; historically focused on professionals and chronic relapse. Comparable in serving impaired professionals and offering extended residential care.

Emerging players

• Pelago (QuitGenius): Digital substance use treatment platform serving employers and health plans with telehealth and coaching. Represents the emerging virtual-care competitive threat to traditional residential programs serving chronic relapse populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BurningTreeTx
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BurningTreePrograms
• Facebookfacebook.com/burningtreeprograms
• Instagraminstagram.com/burning_tree_programs

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Burning Tree