Cal Voices
Cal Voices is a Sacramento-based peer-run nonprofit, founded in 1946, that provides mental health advocacy, recovery, and peer support services and runs WISE U, a free training program preparing peers for California's Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersSacramento, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Cal Voices does
Cal Voices is a Sacramento-based, peer-run nonprofit founded in 1946 that operates as the oldest consumer advocacy agency in California's public mental health system. The organization delivers advocacy, recovery, and peer support services alongside workforce development programs, with its flagship being WISE U (Workforce Integration Support & Education), a free 10-day virtual hybrid training program that prepares participants for the California Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification administered by CalMHSA under SB 803. Complementary programs include ACCESS California (advocacy and training initiatives), INSPIRE ECM (Enhanced Care Management services), SacMap (Sacramento-area mental health resource mapping), and a telephone Warmline operating weekdays from the Sacramento headquarters. Over 90% of Cal Voices' 1-10 employees identify as mental health consumers, family members, or both, and lived experience is a hiring prerequisite for most positions, making lived-experience-based support the organization's defining operational feature. Cal Voices distributes services through its own website, a WISE Job Portal connecting graduates to California behavioral health employers, annual conferences (Virtual Peer Empowerment Conference, ACCESS California Conference), webinars, podcasts, and social channels. Revenue is sourced primarily from California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) grants under the voter-approved Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63), supplemented by tax-deductible donations processed through Network for Good; no tuition is charged for WISE U training and no revenue figure is publicly disclosed.
Cal Voices firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cal Voices
- Legal name
- Cal Voices
- Website
- https://calvoices.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Cal Voices is a Sacramento-based peer-run nonprofit, founded in 1946, that provides mental health advocacy, recovery, and peer support services and runs WISE U, a free training program preparing peers for California's Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cal Voices industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health Peer Support Services
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)
Keywords
Where Cal Voices is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sacramento
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cal Voices business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Funding: WISE is funded by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) through the voter approved Mental Health Service Act (MHSA). Operates as a nonprofit organization receiving public funding.
- Donations: Accepts tax-deductible donations through Network for Good platform. Offers one-time and recurring donation options.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time | Free training for peer certification candidates |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cal Voices product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cal Voices is a nonprofit organization providing peer-run mental health advocacy, recovery, and peer support services in California. Its core offerings include the WISE U (Workforce Integration Support & Education) certification training program for peer support specialists, along with peer support, advocacy, and recovery programs delivered by staff with lived experience of mental health conditions.
Product overview
Cal Voices is a peer-run mental health advocacy organization offering a unified portfolio of services centered on peer support. The primary product is WISE U (Workforce Integration Support & Education), a comprehensive training program that includes peer certification preparation for California's Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification and National Certified Peer Specialist (NCPS) credential. WISE U is structured as a virtual hybrid 10-day course with career mentorship and job portal access. Complementary services include advocacy and recovery programs (ACCESS California, INSPIRE ECM, SacMap), a Warmline telephone support service, and various resource toolkits (Peer Employer Toolkit, Peer Toolkit for Workplace Success). The organization is funded by HCAI through Prop 63 (MHSA) and partners with CalMHSA for certification administration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WISE: Workforce Integration Support & Education - a program of Cal Voices that provides training and technical assistance to employers and peer employees in the Public Mental Health System. WISE helps employers recruit and retain peer support specialists through workforce integration.
Products and services
- WISE U (Workforce Integration Support & Education) A workforce development and certification training program that prepares individuals with lived mental health experience to become certified peer support specialists in California.
- Peer Support Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Hundreds of peers have received education on core competencies of peer support through WISE U
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Cal Voices
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cal Voices technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cal Voices partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Mental Health America (MHA)coreCal Voices works closely with Mental Health America on shared initiatives including Back to School Toolkits, mental health screening resources, and state-level mental health advocacy. Cal Voices shares MHA resources and participates in their national initiatives.
- California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA)coreCalMHSA is the certifying agency for California's Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification Program. They are responsible for certification, examination, and enforcement of professional standards.
- Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)coreDHCS establishes standards for the Medi-Cal statewide certification program and provides oversight. SB 803 created statutory authority for DHCS to establish the certification program.
- California Association of Peer Professionals (CAPP)minorCAPP is California's first peer professional membership program for certified and non-certified behavioral health peer professionals. WISE U assists graduates with job placement through CAPP's network.
- National Association of Peer Supporters (NAPS)minorNAPS is a national community where peer supporters work together to learn, grow, and advocate for the profession. Offers free educational webinars, learning communities, and job board access.
- Network for GoodminorNetwork for Good processes tax-deductible donations for Cal Voices through their platform.
- Temple University Collaborative for Community InclusionminorPartnered with Mental Health America and Doors to Wellbeing on college mental health peer support research report.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cal Voices competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mental Health America (MHA): National mental health advocacy and peer support organization that co-develops toolkits and screening resources with Cal Voices and operates a broader portfolio of programs, including the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health that Cal Voices has earned.
- California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA): Joint powers authority that administers the Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification program in California, working closely with Cal Voices as a training pathway provider while also overseeing exam administration and professional standards.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): The largest U.S. grassroots mental health advocacy organization offering peer-led support groups, family-to-family education, and state-level affiliates (including NAMI California) that overlap with Cal Voices' advocacy, family support, and training missions.
Direct peers
- Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA): Peer-run organization providing support groups, resources, and peer specialist training for individuals living with mood disorders, with a recovery-oriented, lived-experience model closely aligned to Cal Voices' peer support and recovery approach.
- California Association of Peer Professionals (CAPP): California's first peer professional membership program for certified and non-certified behavioral health peer professionals, which WISE U graduates join for job placement and networking, making it a near-direct peer in workforce development.
- National Association of Peer Supporters (NAPS): National community of peer support professionals offering webinars, learning communities, and a job board that directly mirrors Cal Voices' WISE U job portal, workforce development, and training activities for behavioral health peer specialists.
Others
- SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration): Federal agency that funds and sets national standards for peer support and recovery-oriented services, including BRSS TACS, shaping the policy and funding environment in which Cal Voices and similar peer-run organizations operate.
- Optum (UnitedHealth Group) - Behavioral Health Peer Support Services: Large-scale behavioral health managed care provider that employs certified peer support specialists in California and other states, representing a major employer-side counterpart and competitor for the peer workforce that Cal Voices' WISE U program trains.
Emerging players
- Intentional Peer Support: Training and consulting organization that offers peer support training curricula and certification pathways, overlapping with Cal Voices' WISE U training and serving a similar population of behavioral health peer specialists across multiple states.
Regional players
- NAMI California: California state chapter of NAMI providing peer-led support, advocacy, and education programs within the same California county mental health system where Cal Voices operates, competing for similar family and consumer audiences and contracts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cal Voices social profiles
Digital presenceCal Voices compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Cal Voices financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cal Voices leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Cal Voices funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cal Voices M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cal Voices
What does Cal Voices do?
Cal Voices is a nonprofit organization providing peer-run mental health advocacy, recovery, and peer support services in California. Its core offerings include the WISE U (Workforce Integration Support & Education) certification training program for peer support specialists, along with peer support, advocacy, and recovery programs delivered by staff with lived experience of mental health conditions.
Is Cal Voices a public or private company?
Cal Voices is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cal Voices founded?
Cal Voices was founded in 1946. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Cal Voices based?
Cal Voices is headquartered in Sacramento, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cal Voices make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations.
Who are Cal Voices's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mental Health America (MHA), California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Direct peers are Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), California Association of Peer Professionals (CAPP) and National Association of Peer Supporters (NAPS). Others are SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and Optum (UnitedHealth Group) - Behavioral Health Peer Support Services. Intentional Peer Support is listed as an emerging player. NAMI California is listed as a regional player.
Does Cal Voices have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cal Voices.
What industry is Cal Voices in?
Cal Voices's product category is Mental Health Peer Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFACAN, Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services, with a secondary code of BPAGACAG, Disability Services & Independent Living Support. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8300.