The Counseling Team International

What The Counseling Team International does

The Counseling Team International (TCTI) is a San Bernardino, California-based mental health services provider founded in 1985 that delivers culturally competent counseling, critical incident stress management, peer support training, and POST-compliant pre-employment psychological evaluations to public safety agencies. TCTI operates as the legacy counseling and crisis-response program within the FR Health family of companies, which also includes First Responder Wellness (residential and intensive outpatient treatment licensed by DHCS and accredited by the Joint Commission) and Shift Wellness (retreats and multi-day workshops). Together, the three programs span both reactive crisis intervention — 24/7 CISM response, critical incident debriefings, short-term counseling — and proactive wellness services, including peer support certification, annual wellness visits, and departmental mental performance training.

The company's service model is built around direct contractual relationships with hundreds of municipal, county, state, and federal law enforcement, fire, EMS, corrections, and dispatch agencies nationwide, with operational programs currently delivered in California and Washington. TCTI has accumulated four decades of clinical domain expertise specific to first responder culture and is vetted and approved by the Fraternal Order of Police, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, and the California State Firefighters Association. Under the FR Health umbrella, the residential and IOP treatment line has reportedly served more than 1,600 public safety professionals since 2018, reporting a 94% return-to-work rate and a 70% average reduction in PCL-5 trauma scores.

Revenue is generated exclusively through professional services contracts with public safety agencies and, more recently, federal partners such as the DEA Employee Assistance Program. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated on a contract basis per agency. The company is privately held within the FR Health parent structure, with no external funding rounds, M&A activity, or AI/technology platforms disclosed. The underlying technology is fundamentally human-delivered clinical expertise rather than software, with no proprietary digital products, apps, or AI capabilities referenced.

Name

The Counseling Team International

Legal name

The Counseling Team International

Website

https://thecounselingteam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Counseling Team International, founded in 1985 and based in San Bernardino, California, provides culturally competent mental health counseling, 24/7 critical incident stress management, peer support training, and POST-compliant pre-employment psychological evaluations to hundreds of public safety agencies nationwide, operating under the FR Health parent alongside residential treatment and wellness retreat programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Safety Mental Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Crisis Stabilization Units & Psychiatric Emergency Services (HLAFACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• First responder counseling
• Critical incident stress management
• Public safety mental health
• Pre-employment psychological testing
• Peer support training

Headquarters

HQ city

San Bernardino

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Agency Contracts for Public Safety Services: TCTI generates revenue through contractual relationships with public safety agencies for counseling, crisis response, training, and pre-employment testing services. Services include 24/7 critical incident response, peer support training, and department-wide wellness programming.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

The Counseling Team International provides culturally competent mental health and crisis response services for U.S. public safety agencies, including POST-compliant pre-employment psychological evaluations, short-term counseling, peer support training and certification, annual wellness visits, departmental wellness programming, and 24/7 critical incident stress management (CISM) for police, fire, EMS, corrections, dispatch, and command staff. Services are delivered as part of the FR Health family of companies, alongside the First Responder Wellness residential/IOP treatment program and Shift Wellness retreats.

Product overview

FR Health operates as a unified platform offering three distinct but complementary programs for first responder wellness: The Counseling Team International (TCTI) provides core crisis response, counseling, pre-employment testing, and training services; First Responder Wellness delivers residential and intensive outpatient treatment programs; and Shift Wellness offers strategic retreats and multi-day workshops. The portfolio spans reactive crisis intervention (24/7 CISM response, critical incident debriefings) and proactive wellness solutions (peer support training, retreats, annual wellness visits), with services available in California and Washington. TCTI has operated since 1985, while First Responder Wellness reports a 94% return-to-work rate and 70% average reduction in trauma scores (PCL-5/PTSD).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Counseling Team International (TCTI) Culturally competent pre-employment psychological testing, short-term counseling, critical incident debriefings, trainings, and 24/7 crisis response services designed to support public safety agencies.
• First Responder Wellness Specialized residential and intensive outpatient treatment programs (IOP) for first responders experiencing operational stress, burnout, substance use, and post-traumatic stress injury.
• Shift Wellness Strategic wellness retreats and multi-day workshops for public safety leaders, teams, and families, including custom agency retreats, command staff workshops, and peer support team retreats.
• Residential Treatment Program Inpatient residential treatment program for first responders with DHCS-licensed and Joint Commission-accredited facilities in California and Washington.
• Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) Virtual and in-person intensive outpatient programs available in California or Washington for first responders requiring flexible treatment options.
• Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) 24/7 crisis response and critical incident stress debriefings for public safety agencies during mass casualty events, line-of-duty deaths, natural disasters, and officer-involved shootings.
• Peer Support Training and Certification Peer support training and certification programs for public safety personnel.
• Pre-Employment Psychological Testing POST-compliant pre-employment psychological evaluations for law enforcement and public safety agencies.
• Public Safety Trainings Departmental wellness and mental performance training programs for public safety agencies.
• Wellness Visits Annual wellness visits and department-wide wellness programming for public safety personnel.
• DEA Employee Assistance Program Employee assistance program services provided in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported hundreds of agencies nationwide
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)coreOthersThe Fraternal Order of Police has vetted and approved TCTI/FRW residential programs. This endorsement indicates that the FOP has reviewed and confirmed the quality and appropriateness of the residential treatment programs for first responders.
• Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC)coreOthersPORAC has vetted and approved TCTI/FRW residential programs. This approval indicates that the organization meets PORAC's standards for first responder treatment services.
• California State Firefighters Association (CSFA)coreOthersCSFA has vetted and approved TCTI/FRW residential programs for firefighters. This endorsement confirms the programs meet the needs of fire service professionals.
• Polyvagal Equine InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with Polyvagal Equine Institute suggests integration of polyvagal theory and equine-assisted therapy into treatment approaches.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Magellan Health: Major behavioral health managed care organization providing EAP, behavioral health, and specialty programs including those for federal public safety and military populations. Comparable to TCTI's broader services but as an incumbent with diversified payer mix.
• Alliant Health Plans: Behavioral health and integrated care organization providing services including to public sector employee populations. Comparable to TCTI on the managed behavioral health services side for agency contracts.
• ComPsych: World's largest EAP provider serving thousands of employers including public sector clients. Operates at much larger scale than TCTI but lacks first-responder cultural specialization; competes head-to-head on municipal and agency EAP contracts.
• Deer Oaks EAP Services: Leading EAP provider specializing in public sector clients including municipal government, law enforcement, and public safety agencies. National footprint with first responder client base; competes with TCTI for agency EAP contracts.
• Optum Behavioral Health: Largest US behavioral health platform offering EAP, telehealth, and managed care services across employer and public sector populations including public safety agencies. Massive scale incumbent competing for similar agency contracts.

Direct peers

• First Responder Support Network: Nonprofit organization providing peer support, counseling, and training specifically for first responders and their families dealing with PTSD and operational stress. Most direct comparable peer to TCTI's culturally competent service model and first responder specialization.
• 1st Step Behavioral Health: Florida-based treatment program offering specialized outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for first responders, military, and healthcare professionals. Directly comparable niche behavioral health services for the same population.
• Heroes' Village: Organization providing confidential peer support, resources, and crisis intervention specifically for first responders and their families. Comparable peer support and counseling service focus on the same target audience.

Emerging players

• Code Green Campaign: Awareness and support initiative focused on first responder mental health, providing peer resources, education, and referral pathways to treatment providers. Direct cultural peer that funnels clients toward first responder treatment services like TCTI's.
• Lexipol (Cordico Wellness): Lexipol acquired Cordico, a wellness app platform built specifically for first responder agencies offering confidential self-assessments, peer support, and resource directories. Competes with TCTI on the digital wellness side for agency contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Counseling Team International