Behavioral Health Response

What Behavioral Health Response does

Behavioral Health Response, Inc. (BHR) is a Missouri-domiciled nonprofit behavioral health services organization founded in 1994 and headquartered in St. Louis. It provides 24/7 crisis intervention, telephone counseling, mobile outreach, telehealth, and community training to individuals experiencing mental health crises. BHR is Missouri's largest 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provider — a designation it has held since 1994 — and is named in SAMHSA's National Guidelines as a leader in crisis care. The organization answers crisis calls routed through the national 988 network and operates a Youth Connection Helpline, an intimate partner violence line, a dedicated text channel (BHEARD to 31658), and community-based mobile outreach.

BHR's technology stack centers on a HITRUST CSF Certified Electronic Health Record platform (certified January 2021), telehealth infrastructure, mobile outreach tooling, and — as of May 2026 — the Response mobile app for students and school districts. The 911 Crisis Call Diversion program embeds BHR specialists alongside St. Louis Metropolitan 911 Communication operators to redirect non-emergency mental health calls, and BHR also runs Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, and trauma-informed care training programs for community organizations and schools. The product portfolio spans the 988 Crisis Lifeline, Response App, Youth Connection Helpline, local crisis lines, 911 Crisis Call Diversion, Mobile Outreach, START (Stabilizing Treatment Activated Response Team), and Y.E.A.H. (Youth Excelling and Aiming Higher).

BHR operates as a nonprofit with services provided free of charge to end users. Revenue is derived from government grants and contracts — including 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline contracts, MO HealthNet managed-care contracts, and state and federal behavioral health funding — plus charitable donations. Distribution is primarily direct via 24/7 crisis lines, text, and the Response app, with a national reach across 32 states for telephonic services and physical operations concentrated in St. Louis. Customers/beneficiaries include individuals in crisis, youth and families, students and school districts, emergency services, and community organizations. Tiffany Lacy Clark became President & CEO in May 2023 after serving as COO since 2020, succeeding 26-year leader Pat Coleman.

Name

Behavioral Health Response

Legal name

Behavioral Health Response, Inc.

Website

https://bhrstl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Behavioral Health Response is a St. Louis-based nonprofit providing 24/7 behavioral health crisis support, telephone counseling, mobile outreach, and community training as Missouri's largest 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provider across 32 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Health Crisis Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health Crisis Services Management (988/Hotlines/Mobile Crisis Coordination) (HLAEAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health Care Management & Case Management (HLAEAHAE), Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI), Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Services (EDALAFAD)

Keywords

• Crisis intervention services
• Mental health support
• Suicide prevention hotline
• Behavioral health counseling
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

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, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: Primary funding from government sources including 988 suicide and crisis lifeline contracts, MO HealthNet managed care contracts, and state/federal behavioral health funding.
2. Donations: Nonprofit accepts charitable donations from individuals and organizations. The organization states that 100% of donations go toward supporting behavioral health care needs.
3. Free Services Model: All crisis hotline, mobile outreach, and community services are provided free of charge to individuals in need, funded through government grants and donations rather than service fees.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Behavioral Health Response (BHR) is a nonprofit organization providing 24/7 crisis intervention, telephone counseling, and mental health support through trained behavioral health clinicians. The organization operates as Missouri's largest 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provider since 1994, delivering trauma-informed crisis care, mobile outreach, telehealth services, and community training programs to individuals across 32 states.

Product overview

Behavioral Health Response (BHR) is a nonprofit behavioral health services organization offering a portfolio of crisis support products and training programs. The core offerings include the 988 Crisis Lifeline (24/7 telephone crisis support across 32 states), the Response mobile app for students, the Youth Connection Helpline, and 911 Crisis Call Diversion services. Additional services include mobile outreach, mental health training programs (Mental Health First Aid, ASIST), and community resources. The organization serves Missouri as the largest 988 provider and maintains physical operations in St. Louis, Missouri.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Response: A mental health app designed for students and school districts that provides resource content, grounding tools, and peer specialist connections.

Products and services

• 24/7 Crisis Lifeline Services 24/7 telephone crisis support and suicide prevention hotline operating across 32 states, providing confidential clinical intake, assessment, and care planning for individuals in mental health crises. Accessible via 988 and local numbers (314-819-8811, 314-469-4908).
• Response App Mobile mental health application for students providing three pathways to support: resource content exploration, grounding tools, and peer specialist connections. Designed for K-12 and higher education settings.
• Youth Connection Helpline 24/7 crisis support line for children and youth (19 years and under) in St. Louis City and County, offering chat with clinicians and text support via BHEARD to 31658, and phone support at 1-844-985-8282.
• 911 Crisis Call Diversion Crisis Call Diversion Specialists work alongside St. Louis Metro 911 operators to redirect non-emergency mental health calls and connect individuals to appropriate behavioral health resources, reducing unnecessary emergency responses.
• Mental Health Training Programs Community training including Mental Health First Aid, ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), suicide prevention, trauma-informed care, emotional regulation, stress management, and social-emotional growth programs for organizations, schools, and community groups.
• Mobile Outreach On-site crisis intervention and mental health response services provided in community settings, offering in-person face-to-face support during mental health crises for individuals unable to access telephonic services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80,219 crisis hotline calls answered in FY2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Community partnership expanding BHR's reach through programs like START and Y.E.A.H., reshaping how St. Louis responds to mental health.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis LifelinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Missouri's largest 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provider since 1994. BHR answers crisis calls routed through the national 988 network, providing 24/7 suicide prevention and crisis support.
• SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBHR is featured in SAMHSA's National Guidelines as a leader in crisis care, partnering with 988 and local 911 systems to de-escalate crises, reduce unnecessary emergency responses, and connect individuals to support.
• St. Louis Metro 911coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrisis Call Diversion Specialists (CCDS) work hand-in-hand with St. Louis Metropolitan 911 Communication operators to redirect non-emergency mental health calls, reducing unnecessary emergency responses.
• Youth In NeedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Support Program collaboration serving youth and families in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County areas through the Youth Connection Helpline.
• St. Louis County Safe Place NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth Support Program collaboration providing 24/7 crisis support for children, youth, and families through the Safe Place Network in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County areas.
• 21c Museum Hotel St. LouisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBHR partners with 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis to host 'The Journey' - a free monthly community conversation on mental health, healing, and personal growth held every third Wednesday.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Crisis Text Line: Provides 24/7 text-based crisis support across the US and serves as a 988 subnetwork provider. Directly comparable to BHR's Youth Connection Helpline text service (BHEARD to 31658) and national crisis hotline model.
• Vibrant Emotional Health: Administers the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline backbone and operates crisis contact centers. Most directly comparable to BHR as a fellow 988 crisis services provider competing for the same federal and state contracts.
• CONTACT USA: National network of crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotlines. Directly comparable to BHR as a peer crisis hotline operator within the broader US crisis care ecosystem.
• Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services: California-based nonprofit providing suicide prevention crisis lines, counseling, and school-based mental health programs. Closely mirrors BHR's portfolio of crisis hotline, youth services, and community-based behavioral health support.
• Lines for Life: Oregon-based nonprofit operating crisis lines, suicide prevention, and substance use helplines. Comparable to BHR as a regional 988 crisis subnetwork provider with similar hotline and community training offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Magellan Health: Managed behavioral health and specialty healthcare management company serving Medicaid and commercial plans. Comparable to BHR's MO HealthNet managed care contracts but at national scale across many states.
• Carelon Behavioral Health: Large managed behavioral health organization (formerly Beacon Health Options) serving health plans and government programs with crisis and behavioral health services. Comparable to BHR as a behavioral health crisis provider but at much larger national scale and through payer contracts.
• Optum Behavioral Health: Division of UnitedHealth Group providing managed behavioral health services, crisis care, and EAP programs nationally. Comparable to BHR as a behavioral health services provider but at vastly greater scale and as part of a diversified healthcare conglomerate.

Others

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: National nonprofit focused on suicide prevention research, education, and advocacy. Adjacent peer to BHR's crisis response mission — shares the suicide prevention thematic focus but operates as an advocacy and research organization rather than a service provider.

Emerging players

• The Trevor Project: National nonprofit providing crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ youth via phone, text, and chat. Comparable to BHR's Youth Connection Helpline as a youth-focused crisis services provider, though narrower in population served.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bhr_stl

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Behavioral Health Response