Places for People

What Places for People does

Places for People is a St. Louis-based, 501(c)(3) Certified Community Behavioral Health Organization (CCBHO) founded in 1972 that delivers integrated mental health and substance use disorder treatment to underserved adults, youth, and families in the St. Louis region. Its service portfolio spans outpatient mental health therapy and psychiatry, Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT), substance use outpatient programs, crisis intervention (including 24/7 988 integration), youth and family services, employment support, HIV/AIDS case management, residential case management, integrated primary care, and on-site pharmacy—alongside the first Behavioral Health Urgent Care in St. Louis City, operated in partnership with SSM Health. The organization accesses patients through walk-in intake at its Soulard Campus, phone-based youth intake, community outreach, and a North Grand co-located site with Mission: St. Louis. Its Illume: The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence arm provides evidence-based training, research, and consultation, reaching 75 partner organizations and producing 58 research publications.

Revenue mechanics draw primarily from Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement for behavioral health services, supplemented by charitable donations and philanthropic grants, and supported by administrative resources from its parent organization. The organization operates with more than 360 employees and an annual operating budget exceeding $33 million, serving over 3,150 people per year. Customer concentration is largely diversified across thousands of individual clients, with payer concentration tilted to government healthcare programs and select municipal and state funders (Missouri Department of Mental Health, St. Louis Mental Health Board).

In July 2024, Places for People became a Brightli affiliate and the second entity under the Brightli umbrella in greater St. Louis alongside Preferred Family Healthcare; the joint footprint serves over 11,200 people across 29 clinical and residential locations and approximately 700 regional employees. In September 2025, Brightli announced a merger with Nashville-based Centerstone (closing November 2025) to form the nation's largest nonprofit behavioral health provider—nearly 250,000 clients annually, over 10,000 employees, operations across nine states—with the surviving entity adopting the Centerstone brand. Places for People now operates as a Brightli affiliate retaining its name, local governance, and St. Louis service delivery identity under broader system-level administration.

Name

Places for People

Legal name

Places for People

Website

https://placesforpeople.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Places for People is a St. Louis-based Certified Community Behavioral Health Organization (CCBHO) that provides integrated mental health, substance use, crisis, and social support services to underserved adults, youth, and families in the St. Louis region, operating as a Brightli affiliate within the Centerstone network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA), Crisis Stabilization Units & Psychiatric Emergency Services (HLAFACAH), Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL)

Keywords

• Behavioral health services
• Mental health treatment
• Substance use treatment
• Community mental health
• Outpatient therapy services

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 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: Revenue from Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement for behavioral health services provided to eligible individuals.
2. Parent Organization Support: Administrative resources and support from Brightli parent organization, allowing cost-sharing and operational efficiency across the network of behavioral health providers.
3. Donations and Philanthropy: Charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations supporting programs for people with severe mental illness and substance use disorders.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Places for People is a nonprofit behavioral health organization that delivers integrated outpatient mental health and substance use disorder services to adults, youth, and families in the St. Louis region. Core offerings include therapy, psychiatric services, Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT), crisis intervention, intake and assessment, employment support, primary care integration, and recovery-focused programming. The organization also operates the SSM Health Behavioral Health Urgent Care in partnership with SSM Health, and runs the Illume training, research, and consultation arm.

Product overview

Places for People is a behavioral health organization offering a comprehensive suite of mental health and substance use disorder services. The organization operates as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Organization (CCBHO) providing integrated outpatient care including therapy, psychiatry, medication-assisted treatment, crisis services, youth and family services, and employment support. Key services include the SSM Health Behavioral Health Urgent Care walk-in clinic, Illume training and research arm, Mental Health First Aid training programs, and on-site pharmacy services. All services are coordinated through the Soulard Campus with additional locations across the St. Louis region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Illume: The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence: Training, research, evaluation, mentorship/coaching, and consultation arm of Places for People
• The Recovery Center

Products and services

• Intake and Assessment Initial screening, assessment, and care-pathway connection for adults starting services at Places for People, including walk-in intake at the Soulard Campus and phone-based intake for youth and families.
• Outpatient Mental Health Services Comprehensive outpatient mental health care including individual therapy, psychiatric services, medication management, and assessment for adults and youth.
• Substance Use Programs Substance use disorder treatment including Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT), outpatient substance use services, and stage-based treatment based on individual readiness.
• Nurturing Children and Youth Behavioral health services for children and adolescents including therapy, family counseling, and developmental support.
• Medical Care Integrated medical services including on-site pharmacy and primary care through satellite Family Care Health Centers at the Soulard Campus.
• Employment Services Vocational support helping individuals with mental health conditions and substance use disorders find and maintain employment.
• Outreach Community-based outreach services to engage individuals not yet connected to care, including unhoused populations and those in crisis.
• The Recovery Center Recovery-focused programming and support services for individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders.
• Parenting Program Support services for parents managing mental health challenges while caring for their families.
• HIV/AIDS Services Specialized case management and support services for individuals living with HIV/AIDS, with behavioral health integration.
• Residential Case Management Case management services supporting individuals in residential settings, including supported housing programs.
• Zero Suicide Suicide prevention initiative ensuring comprehensive care transitions and follow-up support for individuals at risk.
• SSM Health Behavioral Health Urgent Care Walk-in behavioral health urgent care facility providing crisis stabilization, diagnostics, and assessment for adults 18 and older, operating Monday-Saturday 9am-7pm; offered at no charge.
• Illume: The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence Training, research, evaluation, and consultation services providing evidence-based practice trainings to partner organizations across Missouri and beyond.
• Mental Health First Aid Training Evidence-based training program teaching participants to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness, offered in Adult, Youth, and Older Adults versions.
• QPR Suicide Prevention Training Question, Persuade, Refer suicide prevention training teaching warning sign recognition and referral skills.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 3,150 people annually with behavioral health services
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Illume Integration with Brightli ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Illume: The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, the training, research, evaluation, and consultation arm of Places for People, formally integrated with the Brightli Research Team on July 1, 2025. This merger strengthens shared mission to improve behavioral health outcomes system-wide through centralized research, innovation, and advanced practice training.
• SSM HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2024Places for People partnered with SSM Health and the City of St. Louis to create the first Behavioral Health Urgent Care in St. Louis City. PFP provides behavioral health diagnostic and assessment services at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital location, with financial support from Missouri Department of Mental Health and St. Louis Mental Health Board.
• City of St. LouiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2024City of St. Louis partnered with Places for People and SSM Health for the Behavioral Health Urgent Care initiative. The City Department of Behavioral Health partner supports ongoing care linkages.
• BrightlicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2024Places for People announced partnership with Springfield, Missouri-based Brightli, Inc. in February 2024 to expand behavioral healthcare for the St. Louis region. PFP became the second entity under the Brightli umbrella in greater St. Louis. The partnership was anticipated to finalize in summer 2024 with go-live effective July 1, 2024. PFP joined a network of behavioral and community health providers receiving administrative resources and support from Brightli.
• Preferred Family HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2024Places for People and Preferred Family Healthcare work together within Brightli's Greater St. Louis Region to significantly increase behavioral healthcare services. Together the organizations serve over 11,200 people, operate 29 clinical and residential locations in six counties, and employ approximately 700 people in the St. Louis region. Both organizations remain independent, operating under their same names.
• Family Care Health CentersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA satellite site of Family Care Health Centers operates at Places for People's Soulard Campus to improve access to primary care in a project funded by Missouri Foundation for Health.
• Missouri Department of Mental HealthcoreOthersState government department providing financial support for the Behavioral Health Urgent Care project.
• St. Louis Mental Health BoardminorOthersLocal mental health board providing financial support for the Behavioral Health Urgent Care project.
• ARCO ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the 24th Annual Golf Tournament fundraiser supporting programs for people living with severe mental illness and substance use disorders.
• Mission: St. LouisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Mission: St. Louis for co-located site at North Grand providing outpatient substance use disorder services to expand care access in North City.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Compass Health Network: Missouri-based Certified Community Behavioral Health Organization providing integrated mental health, substance use, and primary care services across the state. Closest direct peer to PFP as a fellow Missouri CCBHO with comparable service mix and target populations.
• Burrell Behavioral Health: Sister organization within the Brightli network providing community-based behavioral health services in Springfield, Missouri and surrounding regions. Direct peer operating under the same parent platform with similar CCBHO designation and integrated care model.
• BJC Behavioral Health: St. Louis-based behavioral health provider affiliated with BJC Health System, offering outpatient mental health, substance use, and crisis services in the same metro market as PFP. Directly competes for St. Louis clients and referrals.
• Preferred Family Healthcare: Behavioral health and substance use provider operating alongside PFP within Brightli's Greater St. Louis Region. Together the two organizations serve 11,200+ clients across 29 locations and ~700 staff in six counties, making Preferred Family PFP's closest operational partner and peer.
• Family Guidance Center: Missouri-based behavioral health and substance use treatment provider serving the Kansas City region with CCBHO-equivalent services. Comparable community-based CMHC with similar mission and service mix to PFP in a different Missouri market.
• Adapt of Missouri: Missouri-based community mental health and substance use treatment provider serving individuals with severe mental illness. Comparable in target population, recovery-focused approach, and CCBHO-like community mental health delivery model.
• Chestnut Health Systems: Illinois-based behavioral health and substance use treatment provider serving the greater St. Louis metro region with outpatient, residential, and MAT services. Direct regional competitor with similar integrated model and target populations.

Regional players

• Crider Health Center (now Compass Health): Missouri behavioral health and primary care provider serving rural communities, now part of Compass Health Network. Comparable in CCBHO designation and integrated care delivery, but primarily serves a different Missouri geography outside the St. Louis metro.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Behavioral Health: St. Louis-based behavioral health services within Mercy health system, providing outpatient and inpatient mental health care across the region. A larger, established health-system-affiliated provider with overlapping services but as part of a broader multi-state health system portfolio.

Others

• Behavioral Health Network of Greater St. Louis: St. Louis-area behavioral health advocacy and coordination organization connecting providers, funders, and policymakers in the regional behavioral health ecosystem. Adjacent ecosystem participant relevant for understanding PFP's competitive landscape and referral environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/placesforpeople
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pfpstl
• Instagraminstagram.com/pfpstl
• Xx.com/PfPSTL

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Places for People