Professional Counseling Associates

What Professional Counseling Associates does

Professional Counseling Associates (PCA) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Community Mental Health Center founded in 1974 in North Little Rock, Arkansas, delivering integrated behavioral health services to children, adolescents, and adults across Pulaski, Lonoke, and Prairie counties. The organization operates five outpatient clinic locations, a 24/7 crisis hotline (800-356-3035), school-based service programs in four Central Arkansas school districts, a residential substance abuse recovery facility acquired in 2020, and a Community Support Program for adults with serious persistent mental illness. Its specialized offerings include the PROMOTE diversion program for at-risk youth in Lonoke County (funded by Arkansas Department of Youth Services), First Episode Psychosis coordination, and co-occurring substance abuse treatment.

PCA's core technology stack is operational rather than differentiating: telehealth and telepsychiatry are delivered via the Lifesize video conferencing platform (browser, desktop, mobile, phone), and Arisa Health participates in the State Health Alliance for Records Exchange (SHARE), Arkansas's Health Information Exchange, to share clinical data across providers. PCA holds the highest level of CARF accreditation, is certified by the Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services (DAABHS), and is an approved National Health Service Corps site. Compliance regimes include HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 for substance abuse records.

The business model operates as a fee-for-service community mental health center. Revenue derives from insurance billing across Medicaid, ARKids First (CHIP), Medicare, and commercial plans, supplemented by sliding-scale self-pay fees based on income and family size, professional services fees for therapy and psychiatric services, and grant funding (including a Walton Family Foundation grant of up to $300,000). PCA became an affiliate of Arisa Health, Inc. on March 1, 2020, joining three other Arkansas behavioral health providers (Counseling Associates, Mid-South Health Systems, Ozark Guidance) under a member-affiliate structure that collectively serves 41 counties with 1,200+ employees. Go-to-market is community-led and partnership-driven, anchored by court, school, and self-referral pipelines rather than traditional sales motion.

Name

Professional Counseling Associates

Legal name

Professional Counseling Associates

Website

https://pca-ar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Professional Counseling Associates is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Community Mental Health Center founded in 1974 in North Little Rock, Arkansas, providing outpatient therapy, psychiatric services, school-based programs, crisis care, and substance abuse treatment to children, adolescents, and adults across five Central Arkansas clinics as an affiliate of Arisa Health.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists (621112), Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outpatient Mental Health & Counseling Clinics (HLAFABAC), Residential Mental Health Treatment Centers (HLAFACAC), School Counseling Services (EDAJAIAA), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Outpatient mental health
• Community mental health
• Behavioral health services
• Psychiatric services
• Substance abuse treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

North Little Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Insurance Billing: Revenue from accepted insurance plans including Medicaid, ARKids First (CHIP), Medicare, and many other commercial insurance forms.
2. Sliding Scale Self-Pay: Self-pay patients are charged on a sliding scale based on income and number of dependents.
3. Behavioral Health Services: Outpatient therapy (individual, group, family), psychiatric services, medication management, case management, and crisis services for children, adolescents, and adults.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Professional Counseling Associates is a non-profit Community Mental Health Center providing outpatient behavioral health services to children, adolescents, and adults in Central Arkansas. Core offerings include individual, family, and group therapy, psychiatric evaluation, medication management, the Community Support Program for serious mental illness, the PROMOTE youth diversion program, First Episode Psychosis coordination, substance abuse treatment with residential recovery, school-based services, and 24/7 emergency/crisis services delivered across five clinic locations and via telehealth.

Product overview

Professional Counseling Associates (PCA) is a non-profit nationally accredited Community Mental Health Center offering a comprehensive portfolio of behavioral health services for children, adolescents, and adults. PCA operates as an affiliate of Arisa Health, Inc. following a 2020 affiliation that created one of Arkansas' premier integrated behavioral health systems. The core offering consists of outpatient clinical services (individual/family/group therapy, psychiatric services, medication management) supplemented by specialized programs including the Community Support Program for serious mental illness, Child and Adolescent Services with school-based delivery, First Episode Psychosis coordination, Substance Abuse Treatment with residential recovery options, Emergency/Crisis Services, Telehealth via Lifesize video platform, and the PROMOTE Youth Program for at-risk youth in Lonoke County. Services are delivered through five clinic locations in Pulaski, Lonoke, and Prairie counties, with administrative support from Arisa Health's network spanning 41 counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Outpatient Services
• Community Support Program (CSP)
• Child and Adolescent Services
• School-Based Services
• Substance Abuse Treatment Services
• First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Services
• Emergency Services
• Telehealth / Telepsychiatry Services
• PROMOTE Youth Program
• Arisa Health Recovery at Mills (Residential Substance Abuse Treatment)
• Crisis Hotline

Quantifiable outcome

• 2021 Satisfaction Survey: 2,957 responses received with overwhelmingly positive ratings (all Spanish ratings were Satisfied or Very Satisfied except 6 that were Neutral)

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wilbur D. Mills Treatment CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2020Arisa Health purchased the Wilbur D. Mills Treatment Center in Searcy, Arkansas. The 46,486 sq ft facility includes residential facility, outpatient clinic, and small apartment complex. Renamed Arisa Health Recovery at Mills.
• Craighead County Regional Crisis Stabilization Unit (Mid-South Health Systems)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2020Four Regional Crisis Stabilization Units operated by counties and staffed by behavioral health professionals offer tele-health support groups for Arkansas residents who tested positive for COVID-19
• Northwest Arkansas Regional Crisis Stabilization Unit (Ozark Guidance)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2020Operated by Ozark Guidance as affiliate of Arisa Health; offers tele-health support groups for COVID-19 positive Arkansas residents
• Arisa HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2020PCA became an affiliate of Arisa Health as of March 1st, 2020. Arisa Health is a non-profit organization that brings together four of Arkansas' leading behavioral health providers: Counseling Associates, Mid-South Health Systems, Ozark Guidance, and Professional Counseling Associates. The affiliation provides access to resources supporting and enhancing the work of dedicated staff.
• Counseling AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2020One of the four founding affiliates of Arisa Health along with Mid-South Health Systems, Ozark Guidance, and Professional Counseling Associates
• Mid-South Health SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2020One of the four founding affiliates of Arisa Health providing behavioral health services in East/Northeast Arkansas regions
• Ozark Guidance CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2020One of the four founding affiliates of Arisa Health providing behavioral health services in Northwest Arkansas regions; operates Northwest Arkansas Regional Crisis Stabilization Unit
• Arkansas Department of Youth Services (DYS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPROMOTE program is funded through Arkansas Department of Youth Services; provides diversion program for at-risk youth to prevent progression toward juvenile justice system

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Counseling Associates (Arkansas): A founding affiliate of Arisa Health alongside PCA, providing outpatient mental health services in Central Arkansas. Directly comparable as a non-profit CMHC with shared leadership (Brian Davis serves as CEO of both entities).
• Ozark Guidance Center: Founding Arisa Health affiliate delivering behavioral health services in Northwest Arkansas, including the Northwest Arkansas Regional Crisis Stabilization Unit. Mirror image of PCA's role in Central Arkansas.
• Mid-South Health Systems: Founding Arisa Health affiliate serving East/Northeast Arkansas with the Craighead County Regional Crisis Stabilization Unit. Direct peer as a non-profit CMHC affiliate under shared governance.

Regional players

• Centers for Youth & Families: Little Rock-based non-profit providing mental health and family services to children and youth in Central Arkansas. Comparable outreach, school-based partnerships, and youth diversion program model.
• Youth Home, Inc. Arkansas non-profit offering residential and outpatient behavioral health services for youth and adolescents. Comparable specialty residential program and PROMOTE-like diversion model.
• The BridgeWay: North Little Rock-based behavioral health hospital providing inpatient and outpatient mental health services. Competes for the same Arkansas patient population in close geographic proximity.

Broad incumbents

• Centerstone: National non-profit mental health provider operating across multiple states with a comprehensive outpatient, residential, and crisis services portfolio. Comparable CMHC operating model and CARF accreditation profile.
• Compass Health Network: Missouri-based non-profit CMHC providing outpatient mental health, substance use, and crisis services across a multi-county service area. Comparable scale (~1,500+ employees) and integrated service portfolio.
• Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services: Large non-profit behavioral health system in the Midwest offering outpatient, residential, and hospital-based mental health services. Comparable scope of services including specialty FEP and school-based programs.

Others

• Arisa Health (parent organization): The parent 501(c)(3) network of which PCA is an affiliate. Provides centralized administrative, IT, and shared-service infrastructure across 41 counties; relevant as the upstream platform owner rather than a competitive peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 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 Professional Counseling Associates