Serenity Behavioral Health Systems

What Serenity Behavioral Health Systems does

Serenity Behavioral Health Systems (SBHS) is a private, non-profit-equivalent community behavioral health provider founded in 1974, headquartered at 3421 Mike Padgett Highway in Augusta, Georgia. The organization delivers a multi-service behavioral health, substance abuse, and developmental disability portfolio across seven East Central Georgia counties (Richmond, Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie, Taliaferro, Warren, and Wilkes), serving more than 5,000 children, adolescents, and adults annually with approximately 300 staff members. Its core programs include Adult and Child/Adolescent Behavioral Health Outpatient Treatment, Addictive Disease and Substance Abuse Services (including a Medically Assisted Treatment program for opioid use disorder), Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services, Community Support Services / PATH for individuals experiencing homelessness, and a 16-bed Crisis Stabilization Unit providing short-term psychiatric stabilization and detoxification with an average length of stay of 7-10 days.

The company operates a multi-modal care delivery platform spanning the Augusta main campus, satellite outpatient clinics, Open Access walk-in hours starting at 7:30 AM weekdays, mobile clinics for underserved areas, telehealth appointments, and the Georgia Apex Program placing counselors directly in partner school districts. Services draw on evidence-based therapeutic modalities (CBT, DBT, EMDR, motivational interviewing, Matrix Model, 12-step facilitation, solution-focused therapy) and include an onsite Barney's Pharmacy for immediate medication access. The organization is CARF International accredited and operates as a contracted provider for the Georgia Division of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), with funding derived from Medicaid and Medicaid managed care plans, private insurance (Aetna, Cigna, Humana), Medicare, state assistance programs for uninsured patients (39% of those served), and federal grants including SAMHSA PATH funding and a $4 million national grant received in 2023.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid mix of insurance reimbursement, sliding-scale fees, state and federal grants, and charitable contributions via the affiliated Hearts of Serenity nonprofit foundation established in 2013. The customer base is highly fragmented across individual patients, with payer concentration in Medicaid and Georgia state agencies. Geographic expansion is internally funded rather than venture-backed, with a new dedicated Serenity Behavioral Health Crisis Center facility scheduled to open in May 2026 as the most significant recent growth initiative.

Name

Serenity Behavioral Health Systems

Legal name

Serenity Behavioral Health Systems

Website

https://serenitybhs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Serenity Behavioral Health Systems is a private community behavioral health provider founded in 1974 in Augusta, Georgia, serving 5,000+ children, adolescents, and adults annually across seven East Central Georgia counties with outpatient mental health, substance abuse, developmental disability, crisis stabilization, and school-based counseling services funded by Medicaid, state contracts, insurance, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Child and Youth Services (62411), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

School-Based Mental & Behavioral Health Services (EDAJAIAB), Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Mental Health Counseling & Psychotherapy Services (EDALAFAB), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Behavioral health services
• Substance abuse treatment
• Developmental disability services
• Mental health outpatient
• Crisis stabilization care

Headquarters

HQ city

Augusta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Healthcare Services Revenue: Revenue generated from behavioral health treatment services, substance abuse treatment, developmental disability services, and psychiatric care for adults and children/adolescents. Services billed through insurance (co-payments, deductibles), Medicaid, Medicare, and state assistance programs. A significant portion (39%) of patients are uninsured, with services provided on a sliding scale fee basis or through state programs.
2. Insurance Reimbursement: Services rendered are billed to insurance providers including Aetna, Cigna, various CMOs (Amerigroup, Cenpatico, Wellcare, CareSource), Humana One, Humana National POS, Humana PPO, Medicaid, Medicaid QMB, Peachcare for Kids, and TRI-Care. Patients pay co-payments or fees toward deductibles based on their insurance plan.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Hearts of Serenity Foundation, established in 2013, raises funds and charitable gifts for initiatives and services. Brick purchases available for memorial garden ($100 for 4x8, $225 for 8x8, $500 for 8x8 Corporate).
4. Government Grants: Received a $4 million national grant (reported 2023). Services funded through SAMHSA grants, Georgia DBHDD state contracts, and Medicaid waivers for IDD services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Serenity Behavioral Health Systems provides community-based behavioral health, substance abuse, and intellectual/developmental disability services to children, adolescents, and adults across seven East Central Georgia counties. Core services include outpatient mental health counseling, Medically Assisted Treatment for opioid addiction, crisis stabilization, IDD residential and community support, school-based counseling through the Georgia Apex Program, and supportive services for homeless individuals via PATH.

Product overview

Serenity Behavioral Health Systems is a community behavioral health provider offering a unified, multi-service portfolio organized around outpatient treatment programs. The core offering includes Addictive Disease/Substance Abuse Services (with MAT), Adult Behavioral Health Outpatient Treatment, Child/Adolescent Behavioral Health Outpatient Treatment, Intellectual Developmental Disability (IDD) Services, Community Support Services/P.A.T.H., and a 16-bed Crisis Stabilization Unit. All programs share a common intake and assessment infrastructure (Open Access) and are complemented by the Hearts of Serenity nonprofit foundation for fundraising and community support. Services are delivered at the Augusta campus, via mobile clinics, and through telehealth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hearts of Serenity: A nonprofit foundation established in 2013 to help children, adolescents, and adults regain their lives by supporting the full continuum of behavioral health, substance abuse, and developmental disability services provided by Serenity Behavioral Health Systems.

Products and services

• Addictive Disease / Substance Abuse Services
• Adult Behavioral Health Outpatient Treatment
• Child / Adolescent Behavioral Health Outpatient Treatment
• Intellectual / Developmental Disability (IDD) Services
• Community Support Services / P.A.T.H.
• Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU)
• Admissions to Treatment (Open Access)
• Hearts of Serenity Foundation

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ individuals served annually across all programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Barney's PharmacycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnsite pharmacy partnership at the Augusta campus providing patients immediate access to medications after appointments. Prescriptions can also be sent to preferred pharmacies via e-prescribe program.
• Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing provider under the Division of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Works with DBHDD Region 2 Field Office for IDD service intake and evaluation. State contracted services for Medicaid waivers.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness) program funded through SAMHSA grant in collaboration with Georgia DBHDD to provide services for homeless individuals.
• Georgia School Districts (Georgia Apex Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local school districts to place counselors in schools providing mental health services, counseling, and support for youth through the Georgia Apex Program.
• Behavioral Health Link (BHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide collaboration since 2006 for Georgia Crisis & Access Line. Patients and providers can call a single number for access to care or crisis help. BHL connects callers with local agencies including Serenity BHS.
• Georgia Community Service Boards (GACSB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Georgia Association of Community Service Boards, a network of CSBs providing public mental health, developmental disability, and substance use services across Georgia.
• TRX Development Solutions, LLCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting partner that collaborated with SBHS to complete the Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment between January and March 2024.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• McIntosh Trail CSB: Multi-county Georgia CSB delivering behavioral health, IDD, and substance abuse services across a regional catchment. Directly comparable in scope, population served, and funding structure.
• Highland Rivers CSB: Multi-county Georgia Community Service Board providing behavioral health, IDD, and SUD services across a comparable regional footprint. Operates crisis services, outpatient clinics, and community-based programs similar to SBHS.
• View Point Health: Georgia Community Service Board serving a multi-county region with behavioral health, developmental disability, and substance use services under contract with DBHDD. Closely matches SBHS's CSB operating model, payor mix, and service continuum.
• Aspire Behavioral Health (formerly Cobb CSB): Georgia CSB offering integrated mental health, addiction, and developmental disability services under DBHDD contracts. Mirrors SBHS's full-continuum, county-based service delivery model.
• Oconee CSB: Georgia Community Service Board providing outpatient mental health, crisis stabilization, and IDD services. Comparable CSB operating model and DBHDD-contracted service mix.
• DeKalb Community Service Board: Large Georgia CSB delivering behavioral health, developmental disability, and substance use programs across DeKalb County under DBHDD contracts. Comparable operating model with greater urban scale.

Broad incumbents

• Universal Health Services (Behavioral Health Division): Large publicly-traded health system with one of the largest U.S. behavioral health footprints, including acute inpatient and residential facilities. Represents the broader incumbent option for psychiatric stabilization referrals.
• Acadia Healthcare: National operator of psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment centers, and outpatient behavioral health programs. Competes with SBHS for higher-acuity residential referrals and Medicaid psychiatric beds in the Southeast.

Regional players

• Ridgeview Institute: Private psychiatric hospital and addiction treatment provider in metro Atlanta serving Georgia residents. Competes with SBHS for adult and adolescent psychiatric inpatient and residential placements within the broader Georgia market.

Emerging players

• Charlie Health: Digital-first intensive outpatient and virtual mental health provider focused on adolescents and young adults — the same population SBHS serves via the Georgia Apex Program and Child/Adolescent outpatient services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SerenityBehavioralHealthSystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/serenity-behavioral-health-systems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Serenity Behavioral Health Systems