LA Frontera Center

What LA Frontera Center does

La Frontera Arizona, Inc., doing business as La Frontera Center, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) community behavioral healthcare organization founded in 1968 and headquartered at 504 W. 29th St., Tucson, Arizona. It is the largest nonprofit community behavioral health provider in Southern Arizona and ranks in the top 10% nationally among community behavioral health organizations, operating more than 30 facilities statewide with approximately 1,500 employees. The organization provides mental health, substance abuse, crisis intervention, foster care, and prevention services to children, adolescents, adults, families, veterans, and foster youth, with geographic reach across Pima County, metropolitan Tucson, Phoenix, Southeastern Arizona, and — via La Frontera New Mexico — a multi-state footprint.

Services are delivered through a family of operating subsidiaries and member organizations: EMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center (outpatient behavioral health and crisis intervention in Phoenix), Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services / SEABHS (Southeastern Arizona facilities), La Paloma Family Services (foster care and therapeutic group homes in Pima County), Rally Point Arizona (veteran crisis hotline, peer support, and navigator services), and La Frontera New Mexico (Treatment Foster Care, Multisystemic Therapy, and Assertive Community Treatment). Adjacent operations include Stonecorner Real Estate and Development (affordable housing) and the Tucson International Mariachi Conference (cultural programming). Patient access runs through a Netsmart Connect patient portal, and after-hours demand is routed to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. There is no evidence of proprietary AI/ML platforms or differentiated technical IP — the technology layer is conventional healthcare IT.

Revenue is generated primarily through clinical service delivery on a sliding-fee scale (with no denial of access for inability to pay), funded substantially by Arizona Medicaid / AHCCCS reimbursement, supplemented by federal demonstration and research grants from CSAP, CSAT, and NIDA, and by charitable donations including Arizona tax-credit donations. Go-to-market is community-based rather than commercial: referrals from healthcare providers, community partners, and the 988 crisis line drive demand, with no traditional marketing spend and no B2B sales motion. Leadership comprises President & CEO Dan Ranieri, CFO Alicia White (effective January 1, 2025), and EVP for Affordable Housing Michael Prudence.

Name

LA Frontera Center

Legal name

La Frontera Arizona, Inc.

Website

https://lafronteraaz.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La Frontera Arizona is a Tucson-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) operating the largest community behavioral health network in Southern Arizona, serving children, adults, families, veterans, and foster youth across 30+ facilities with mental health, substance abuse, crisis, and foster care services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

Keywords

• Behavioral health services
• Mental health treatment
• Substance abuse treatment
• Foster care services
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Healthcare Services Revenue: Revenue generated from providing behavioral health services including outpatient counseling, substance abuse treatment, crisis intervention, and prevention services. Services are provided on a sliding fee scale based on family size and income, ensuring access regardless of ability to pay.
2. Donations and Tax Credit Donations: Charitable donations including tax credit donations from individuals and organizations supporting nonprofit behavioral health services.
3. Federal Research Grants: Comprehensive program evaluation and federal demonstration and research grants from CSAP, CSAT, NIDA for specialized programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

La Frontera Center is a nonprofit community behavioral healthcare organization providing outpatient mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorder treatment to children, adolescents, adults, and families in Pima County, Arizona. The organization also delivers foster care, therapeutic foster care, group home services, suicide prevention, veteran crisis and peer support, and affordable housing development through its statewide family of companies.

Product overview

La Frontera Arizona operates as a nonprofit community behavioral healthcare organization offering a network of integrated services through multiple sub-brands. The portfolio includes the core La Frontera Center providing mental health and substance abuse treatment; EMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center offering counseling and crisis intervention; SEABHS operating multiple behavioral health facilities in Southeastern Arizona; La Paloma Family Services providing foster care and therapeutic group homes for children; La Frontera New Mexico delivering treatment foster care and Assertive Community Treatment; Rally Point Arizona serving veterans with crisis and peer support; and Stonecorner Real Estate supporting affordable housing development. The organization serves children, adolescents, adults, veterans, and families experiencing substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, serious mental illness, homelessness, and foster care needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• La Frontera Center Flagship behavioral health organization providing mental health and substance abuse treatment to children, adolescents, and adults in Pima County, Arizona. Services cover substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, and serious mental illness for economically disadvantaged and culturally diverse populations.
• EMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center Provides outpatient behavioral health services including counseling, substance abuse treatment, crisis intervention, and prevention programs for children, adults, and families in Phoenix and surrounding areas.
• SEABHS (Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services) Operates multiple behavioral health care facilities in Southeastern Arizona providing community-based mental health and substance abuse services.
• La Paloma Family Services Provides foster care, therapeutic foster care, and group homes for children and youth in Pima County.
• La Frontera New Mexico Provides Treatment Foster Care, Multisystemic Therapy, and Assertive Community Treatment programs in New Mexico.
• Rally Point Arizona Provides crisis hotline, peer support, and navigator services for veterans and military service members and their families.

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EMPACT-Suicide Prevention CentercoreOthersEMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center is a member of La Frontera Arizona, providing outpatient behavioral health services including counseling, substance abuse, crisis intervention, and prevention to children, adults, and families in Phoenix, Arizona and surrounding areas.
• Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services (SEABHS)coreOthersSoutheastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services, Inc. operates multiple behavioral health care facilities in Southeastern Arizona as a member of La Frontera Arizona.
• La Paloma Family ServicescoreOthersLa Paloma Family Services provides foster care, therapeutic foster care, and group homes for children and youth in Pima County as a member of La Frontera Arizona.
• Rally Point ArizonacoreOthersRally Point Arizona provides a crisis hotline, peer support, and navigator services for veterans and military service members and their families as a member of La Frontera Arizona.
• Tucson Mariachi (Tucson International Mariachi Conference)minorOthersThe Tucson International Mariachi Conference provides mariachi and baile folklórico workshops, concerts, and a daylong Fiesta de Garibaldi as a cultural program under La Frontera Arizona.
• Stonecorner Real Estate and DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStonecorner Real Estate and Development is committed to meeting the needs of residents, clients, developers and investors by providing a full service suite of creative, results-oriented solutions to the affordable housing industry as La Frontera Partners.
• Greater Tucson LeadershipminorOthersAlicia White, CFO, serves on the board of directors for Greater Tucson Leadership.
• United Way of Southern ArizonaminorOthersAlicia White, CFO, serves on the board of directors for United Way of Southern Arizona.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aspiranet: California nonprofit providing behavioral health, foster care, adoption, and residential services to children, youth, and families; directly comparable in foster care + behavioral health + wraparound services model.
• Vinfen: Massachusetts nonprofit providing mental health, intellectual/developmental disability, and behavioral health community services including residential and Assertive Community Treatment; comparable scale and clinical model.
• Merakey: Large nonprofit operating behavioral health, intellectual/developmental disability, and autism services including residential and community programs across multiple states; comparable integrated behavioral health portfolio and Medicaid reliance.
• Mental Health Systems (MHS): San Diego-based nonprofit operating outpatient behavioral health, residential, and community-based programs for adults and children; comparable community mental health delivery and sliding-fee operation.
• HealthRIGHT 360: California-based nonprofit operating residential and outpatient behavioral health, substance use treatment, and reentry programs; comparable population focus, sliding-fee access, and integrated care delivery.
• Telecare Corporation: Private nonprofit behavioral health provider operating inpatient psychiatric facilities, residential programs, and outpatient services across multiple states; closely comparable to La Frontera in mission, payor mix, and community mental health center model.
• Bay Cove Human Services: Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing mental health, substance use, developmental disability, and homeless services including residential and community programs; comparable integrated service portfolio and sliding-fee model.
• Camelot Community Care: Nonprofit providing foster care, behavioral health, and family preservation services across multiple states; directly comparable in foster care + behavioral health + at-risk youth focus.

Broad incumbents

• Universal Health Services: Large public for-profit hospital and behavioral health operator with a national behavioral health division; competes for behavioral health referrals and workforce in overlapping Southwest markets.
• Acadia Healthcare: Public for-profit behavioral health operator with a national network of psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment centers, and outpatient clinics; broader and well-capitalized incumbent competing for the same Medicaid and commercial behavioral health demand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/La-Frontera-Empact-Suicide-Prevention-Center-384359095070514

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 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 LA Frontera Center