Peer Health Exchange
Peer Health Exchange is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 that delivers peer-led health education and its selfsea digital platform to Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ youth aged 13-18 in under-resourced U.S. communities, supported primarily by foundation grants and corporate donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Peer Health Exchange does
Peer Health Exchange is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 and headquartered in Oakland, California, that delivers peer-led health education to young people aged 13-18, with deliberate concentration on Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ youth in under-resourced U.S. communities. The organization emerged from a 1999 Yale undergraduate initiative to fill gaps in underfunded public school health programs and now operates programming across 19+ states with a national staff of 51-100. Since inception, PHE reports training over 15,000 college students as peer educators and reaching over 188,000 high school-aged youth via its evidence-based curriculum on mental health, sexual health, and substance use.
PHE's product portfolio pairs in-person programming with a digital platform. The flagship selfsea is a web application and mobile app co-designed with young people, providing anonymous, identity-affirming health resources, PHE-moderated community discussion forums, crisis support integration via Crisis Text Line, and Headspace sign-up pathways (10,000+ Headspace registrations reported). selfsea 2.0 is in development with personalized gamified learning, micro-communities, parent/caregiver resources, and real-time anonymous insights. In-person offerings include a Peer-to-Peer Program training high school students as Peer Facilitators, Community Health Advocacy Groups, the 70+ member Youth Advisory Board, and a 16-member Youth Design Group across 11 states. Following an FY2025 pivot, PHE discontinued Fellow-led school workshops in favor of community-based organizations, the Peer-to-Peer model, and training teachers/community facilitators as curriculum deliverers.
PHE's revenue is philanthropic, comprising individual donations (including employer-matching gifts), corporate partnerships (Pinterest, Headspace, Twilio, Cigna), and foundation grants (The Schultz Family Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Blue Meridian, Gilead Sciences, Rare Impact Fund). Distribution occurs through direct school and community partnerships for curriculum delivery, self-serve digital access on selfsea, and the Youth Mental Health Corps channel serving approximately 250-500 AmeriCorps members across 11 states. Core programming remains free to beneficiaries; the FY25-FY26 strategic plan explores earned-revenue streams including fee-for-service adult training and mission-aligned data-sharing agreements.
Peer Health Exchange firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Peer Health Exchange
- Legal name
- Peer Health Exchange, Inc.
- Website
- https://peerhealthexchange.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Peer Health Exchange is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2003 that delivers peer-led health education and its selfsea digital platform to Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ youth aged 13-18 in under-resourced U.S. communities, supported primarily by foundation grants and corporate donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Peer Health Exchange industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Health Education Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Assistance (624)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Health, Wellness & Patient Communities (MPACAJAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Health & Support Communities (BPAMABAL), Peer Feedback, Discussion Forums & Social Learning Communities (EDAFAGAH), Student Support Hotlines & Digital Wellbeing Tools (EDAJAIAL)
Keywords
Where Peer Health Exchange is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Peer Health Exchange business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting youth health education programs. Donors can give online, by check, or by stock. Matching donations from employers are encouraged.
- Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with corporations for matching gifts, corporate grants, and pro bono services. Companies can become corporate partners or bring PHE to their communities.
- Foundation Grants: Funding from philanthropic foundations including major partners listed in the 2025 Impact Report such as The Schultz Family Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and others supporting youth mental health initiatives.
- Fee-for-Service Products: Strategic plan mentions exploring fee-for-service products including adult training as well as data sharing agreements with mission-aligned organizations.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Peer Health Exchange product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Peer Health Exchange delivers peer-based health education and operates selfsea, a co-designed web and mobile platform providing identity-affirming resources on mental health, sexual health, and substance use for young people ages 13-18. The organization combines an evidence-based curriculum delivered through trained Peer Facilitators and community partnerships with a moderated digital community offering anonymous discussion forums, gamified learning, and integrated crisis support.
Product overview
Peer Health Exchange operates a dual-track offering: (1) A suite of digital products centered on selfsea, a web-based platform and mobile app providing identity-affirming health resources on mental and sexual health, with selfsea 2.0 in development; and (2) In-person programming including the PHE Curriculum delivered through Peer-to-Peer Facilitators and Community Health Advocacy Groups. The Youth Advisory Board serves as a cross-cutting engagement mechanism connecting youth to both digital and in-person offerings. All products are co-designed with young people ages 13-18 and target Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ youth in under-resourced communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- selfsea: A web app co-designed with young people to provide youth with safe, inclusive, evidence-based, and identity-affirming health resources and information about mental health, sexual health, and beyond. selfsea is a digital community platform for young people ages 13-18.
Products and services
- selfsea (Web and Mobile App) Co-designed web and mobile platform providing safe, inclusive, evidence-based, and identity-affirming health resources and information on mental health, sexual health, and related topics for young people ages 13-18. The mobile app includes anonymous moderated 'communities' discussion forums organized around shared identity and content topics.
- PHE Health Education Curriculum Evidence-based, skills-based, and youth-informed health education curriculum covering mental health, sexual health, and substance use. Designed to build social-emotional learning competencies, advocacy, and decision-making skills in young people. Delivered through trained Peer Facilitators, teachers, and community facilitators in schools and community settings.
- Peer-to-Peer Program Peer leadership program that trains high school-aged young people (under 18) to become Peer Facilitators who deliver PHE's health education curriculum on mental health, sexual health, and substance use to their peers. Focuses on building advocacy, self-reflection, accessing resources, and decision-making skills among youth leaders.
- Youth Advisory Board (YAB) National youth engagement program with 70+ active members ages 13-18 who advise on health information dissemination, contribute to branding and evaluation, and build leadership and professional development skills. Includes Youth Brand Ambassadors, Community Youth Advocates, Advisory Design Team, and Youth Design Group roles, with paid opportunities.
- Community Health Advocacy Groups In-person youth advocacy groups operating in Midwest (Chicago), Northeast (New York, Boston), and California (Los Angeles, Bay Area) that meet to identify and address community health needs. Offers paid opportunities for youth to develop leadership and project management skills.
- Youth Mental Health Corps (YMHC) Support and Learning Management System Service package supporting the Youth Mental Health Corps, an AmeriCorps initiative for young adults aged 18-24. Includes facilitating Virtual Networking Gatherings for 500 members, managing a Learning Management System with on-demand training modules, providing monthly synchronous/asynchronous trainings, and operating a Fellows Leadership Program.
Quantifiable outcome
- 94% of students correctly define health as complete physical, mental, and social well-being
- +13 more outcomes
Companies that use Peer Health Exchange
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Peer Health Exchange technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
Peer Health Exchange partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BrightlinecoreBrightline, a virtual behavioral health solution for children, teenagers, and families, partners with PHE to tailor services and resources directly to teens, ensuring more young people get tools, coaching, and clinical care for mental health wellbeing.
- Headspace HealthcoreHeadspace Health partners with PHE on Headspace For Teens social impact initiative, focusing on acceptance, access, and action. Youth ages 13-18 can sign up for free Headspace accounts through selfsea with unlimited access to guided meditations, breathing exercises, and mindful videos. Over 10,000 young people signed up and spent 1+ million minutes engaging with mindfulness resources.
- Room to Breathe ProjectminorPartnership began in 2016 with shared commitment to improving mental health and social-emotional well-being of youth. Room to Breathe supports organizations delivering SEL well-being programs for youth in schools and adults who support young people.
- Crisis Text LinecoreCrisis Text Line partnership provides immediate, professional crisis support through a prominent banner on selfsea platform directing youth to text HEALTH to 741741. 68% of texters disclosed something to a Crisis Counselor they had never shared before. Partnership has helped identify and address suicidal ideation in young people.
- Youth Mental Health Corps (YMHC)coreMulti-sector initiative launched in 2024 by The Schultz Family Foundation and Pinterest in partnership with AmeriCorps. PHE creates collective experiences for YMHC members through virtual gatherings, manages the Learning Management System, and developed the Fellows Leadership Program. Approximately 250 YMHC members serve in 50+ organizations across 11 states.
- Surgo HealthminorPHE is working with Surgo Health to build a Youth Mental Health Tracker (YMHT), a comprehensive tool to monitor and improve youth mental health. Surgo Health conducted a survey of over 5,000 young people, and PHE is gathering additional youth perspectives through interviews with young people aged 13-19.
- AmeriCorpscoreFederal agency partner for Youth Mental Health Corps initiative, providing framework for national service program creating pathways for young adults to support youth mental health.
- The Health GapminorCommunity-based organization partner in Cincinnati where PHE has trained community facilitators to deliver PHE curricula as part of programming pivot.
- Metropolitan State UniversityminorUniversity partner in Denver where PHE has trained community facilitators to deliver PHE curricula as part of programming pivot to community-based delivery.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Peer Health Exchange competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Born This Way Foundation: Founded by Lady Gaga to support youth mental health and kindness, with peer-led programming and digital resources; comparable mission around youth mental health and identity-affirming content for young people.
- DoSomething.org: Youth-driven nonprofit mobilizing young people around social and health causes through digital campaigns; comparable on youth-led engagement model and identity-driven content targeting teens.
- Active Minds: National nonprofit focused on youth and young adult mental health awareness and education on college and high school campuses; closely comparable to PHE's peer-led youth mental health mission and school/community delivery model.
- Common Sense Media: Provides ratings and educational resources on youth-appropriate digital content; has rated selfsea 4 stars. Comparable as a youth-facing digital health/safety content intermediary serving parents and teens.
- Crisis Text Line: 24/7 crisis text support integrated directly into the selfsea platform; comparable as a youth mental health safety partner with overlapping end-user base and crisis-support mission.
- TeenLine: Peer-support hotline and youth-driven emotional support service operated by teens for teens; directly comparable to PHE's Peer-to-Peer health education model and youth-helping-youth delivery approach.
- Brightline: Virtual behavioral health provider for children, teens, and families; current PHE strategic partner. Comparable mission of providing youth mental health access and a likely integration/distribution partner.
- The Jed Foundation: Nonprofit protecting teen and young adult emotional health and preventing suicide through school-based programs and digital resources; comparable to PHE on youth mental health programming and school partnership channels.
Emerging players
- 7 Cups: Digital platform providing on-demand emotional support and peer listener chat, including teen-facing services; comparable as a youth-friendly digital mental health community with moderated peer interaction.
Broad incumbents
- Headspace Health: Large-scale consumer mental health platform with a dedicated Headspace for Teens product; a current PHE partner via selfsea and a broader incumbent competing for the same teen mental health audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Peer Health Exchange social profiles
Digital presencePeer Health Exchange compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Peer Health Exchange financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Peer Health Exchange leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Peer Health Exchange funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Peer Health Exchange 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 Peer Health Exchange
What does Peer Health Exchange do?
Peer Health Exchange delivers peer-based health education and operates selfsea, a co-designed web and mobile platform providing identity-affirming resources on mental health, sexual health, and substance use for young people ages 13-18. The organization combines an evidence-based curriculum delivered through trained Peer Facilitators and community partnerships with a moderated digital community offering anonymous discussion forums, gamified learning, and integrated crisis support.
Is Peer Health Exchange a public or private company?
Peer Health Exchange is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Peer Health Exchange founded?
Peer Health Exchange was founded in 2003. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Peer Health Exchange based?
Peer Health Exchange is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Peer Health Exchange make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships, foundation Grants and fee-for-Service Products.
Who are Peer Health Exchange's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Born This Way Foundation, DoSomething.org, Active Minds, Common Sense Media, Crisis Text Line, TeenLine, Brightline and The Jed Foundation. 7 Cups is listed as an emerging player. Headspace Health is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Peer Health Exchange have an API?
No public API is recorded for Peer Health Exchange.
What industry is Peer Health Exchange in?
Peer Health Exchange's product category is Youth Health Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAJAL, Health, Wellness & Patient Communities, with a secondary code of BPAMABAL, Health & Support Communities. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8000.