Yellowstone Boys And Girls Ranch, Inc

What Yellowstone Boys And Girls Ranch, Inc does

Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR) is a Billings, Montana-based nonprofit founded in 1956/1957 that delivers a full continuum of mental health care for children and adolescents across Montana. Its core service is a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) on a 410-acre ranch campus between Billings and Laurel, supplemented by therapeutic group homes in Boulder, Billings, Helena, and Great Falls, and statewide community-based services (school-based, home support, outpatient therapy, therapeutic foster care) reaching offices in Kalispell and Polson. Specialized therapeutic programs include EAGALA equine therapy, recreational therapy at the Uihlein Center, an on-campus chemical dependency program, a Native American Services Program, a vocational technologies program tied to Yellowstone Academy (its on-site school), and an optional faith-based spiritual life program.

YBGR's business model combines third-party-payer clinical revenue (Medicaid-approved PRTF reimbursement plus Pacific Source and Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance) with charitable fundraising via the Yellowstone Foundation, the Homes for Heifers livestock donation program, and events such as the annual Chili Cook-Off and Yellowstone Conference. Referrals are accepted from healthcare providers, social services, schools, and families through a centralized admissions line. The organization is COA-accredited, HIPAA- and COPPA-compliant, and in October 2024 unified with Youth Dynamics to expand statewide reach.

Leadership is headed by CEO Mike Chavers (since 2016), with a deep tenured bench including the COO, CFO, and long-serving Executive Directors of Residential, Community-Based, and Business Development functions. The organization operates as a community-governed nonprofit with a Board of Directors and Yellowstone Foundation fundraising arm, and has no parent company or equity ownership.

Name

Yellowstone Boys And Girls Ranch, Inc

Legal name

Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, Inc

Website

https://ybgr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch is a Billings, Montana-based nonprofit founded in 1957 that delivers a full continuum of children's mental health care statewide, including residential PRTF treatment on a 410-acre ranch campus, therapeutic group homes, community-based services, and the on-site Yellowstone Academy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Mental Health Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (62322), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Other Residential Care Facilities (62399), Child and Youth Services (62411), Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals (622210)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Mental Health Treatment Centers (HLAFACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Outpatient Mental Health & Counseling Clinics (HLAFABAC), Adventure Therapy & Therapeutic Wilderness Programs (THAAAOAG)

Keywords

• Residential mental health treatment
• Therapeutic group homes
• Youth community-based services
• Psychiatric residential treatment
• Equine-assisted therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Billings

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Healthcare Service Fees: YBGR provides mental health services billed through Medicaid reimbursement (approved by State of Montana for Psychiatric Residential Treatment Services), private insurance, and potentially self-pay. The organization was approved to pilot Medicaid reimbursement for PRTF services in the 1990s.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Homes for Heifers livestock donation program generates revenue through calf sales. Yellowstone Foundation manages fundraising including the annual Chili Cook-Off event. Donations support youth programming and ranch-based therapy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch provides a full continuum of mental health care for children and adolescents in Montana, anchored by a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) on its 410-acre Billings campus, therapeutic group homes in multiple Montana cities, and statewide community-based mental health services. The organization also operates the Yellowstone Academy, equine-assisted therapy, recreational therapy, chemical dependency treatment, Native American cultural services, vocational training, and a voluntary Spiritual Life Program. Services are funded through Medicaid reimbursement, private insurance, and charitable donations.

Product overview

Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR) is a nonprofit mental health services organization offering a continuum of care for youth across Montana. The organization operates a unified service model centered on its Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) in Billings, supplemented by therapeutic group homes in multiple Montana cities and statewide community-based services. YBGR's programs integrate therapeutic treatment, education (Yellowstone Academy), and experiential programming including equine therapy, recreational therapy, and vocational training. The portfolio includes specialized services such as Chemical Dependency Treatment, Spiritual Life Programming, Native American Services, and the Homes for Heifers donor program. All services are designed to prepare youth for life through trauma-informed care, with programming spanning residential, community, and educational settings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) - Residential Care at the Ranch

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 3,600 youth annually across Montana
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Montana Psychiatry & Brain Health CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2025Co-hosting 'Beyond Medication' continuing education event on depression and suicidality in clinical practice at YBGR Chapel.
• NASW MontanaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 October 2025Sponsor of 'Beyond Medication' continuing education event for mental health professionals.
• Charlie HealthminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 October 2025Sponsor of 'Beyond Medication' continuing education event for mental health professionals.
• The Producer PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to process donated livestock at no cost into high-quality protein for youth in care. Supports Homes for Heifers program by turning rancher generosity into nutritious meals. Direct community benefit through local food security.
• Many Rivers Whole HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to strengthen youth transitions from YBGR care to adult mental health services. Located in Great Falls, helps bridge the gap between youth and adult behavioral health systems.
• Copy Right in BillingsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered to produce YBGR Challenge Coins recognizing youth graduating from therapeutic group home care. Coins feature YBGR values - Faith, Integrity, Relationship, and Stewardship.
• Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council (MRTLC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with YBGR through SAMHSA grant to create educational video 'History of Native Americans & the Montana Reservation System' featuring CEO Bill Snell.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Boys Town: National nonprofit operating residential treatment, family services, and community-based programs for at-risk youth with behavioral and mental health needs. Highly comparable mission, residential model, and continuum of care structure.
• Eckerd Connects: National nonprofit providing residential treatment, foster care, and community-based services for at-risk youth, including behavioral health programming. Operates at significantly larger scale across multiple states with similar service lines.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: One of the largest U.S. nonprofits operating residential treatment, group homes, and community-based behavioral health programs for children and adolescents across multiple states. Comparable operating model and continuum of care, but at much larger national scale.

Direct peers

• JRI (Justice Resource Institute): Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing residential treatment, group homes, outpatient mental health, and community-based services for children and adolescents with behavioral health challenges. Comparable operating model with state-level concentration.
• Starr Commonwealth: Michigan-based nonprofit providing residential treatment, group homes, and community-based mental health services for youth with trauma and behavioral challenges. Shares the model of integrating therapeutic programming with experiential/rural-campus activities.
• Youth Dynamics (now part of YBGR): Montana-based nonprofit providing youth mental health and behavioral services that unified with YBGR in October 2024. Operates similar community-based and therapeutic group home services across Montana, making it the closest pre-merger peer.
• Nexus Family Healing: Multi-state nonprofit operator of residential treatment facilities, group homes, and community-based services for youth with mental and behavioral health needs - including Indian Oaks Academy, where YBGR's CEO previously served 22 years. Directly comparable operating model and service mix.

Emerging players

• Charlie Health: Tech-enabled virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP) provider for adolescents with mental health and substance use needs - co-sponsored YBGR's 'Beyond Medication' CE event. Represents the emerging virtual/hybrid care competitive threat to traditional residential providers.

Regional players

• Crittenton Services: Regional nonprofit providing residential treatment, group homes, and behavioral health services for youth, primarily in West Virginia and the Appalachian region. Comparable residential and community-based youth services model in a different geographic market.
• Northwest Youth Services: Pacific Northwest nonprofit providing youth mental health, housing, and crisis services across Washington State. Comparable community-based youth services model and similar rural/small-city service delivery context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OfficialYBGRsite
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yellowstone-boys-and-girls-ranch
• Instagraminstagram.com/ybgr_cares
• Xx.com/OfficialYBGR

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Yellowstone Boys And Girls Ranch, Inc