CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services

What CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services does

CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit social services agency headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, founded in 1970 as the Corner Drug Store and renamed in 2007. It operates a portfolio of youth and family programs in North Central Florida: the Interface Youth Program (three 24/7/365 emergency shelters for youth ages 10-17 in Gainesville, Lake City, and Palatka), the Family Action Program (free short-term counseling for ages 6-17), Prevention Services (Too Good for Drugs, Too Good for Violence, Project Success delivered in elementary and middle schools), the SNAP Program (STOP NOW AND PLAN, an evidence-based cognitive behavioral model licensed from the Child Development Institute for ages 6-11), and Safe Place (local agency for the national youth crisis network across Alachua and Putnam counties). The organization holds 501(c)(3) status, is governed by a volunteer board of directors, and is led by a CEO and COO structure formalized in 2022.

The underlying service technology consists of evidence-based cognitive behavioral curricula (SNAP, Too Good for Drugs/Violence, Project Success) and an embedded school-based delivery model where prevention staff sit inside school systems. CDS is also the licensed local implementer of the National Safe Place network, activating hundreds of partner sites (libraries, YMCAs, fire stations, public buses) as youth crisis access points. The organization has no proprietary software platform, mobile application, API, or disclosed AI capabilities; the technology footprint is limited to Wix-hosted web properties and a basic Data Systems Manager function.

CDS operates a hybrid funding model with no fee-for-service revenue: services are delivered free of charge to youth and families. Revenue is assembled from government grants and contracts (Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and Florida Network fund SNAP; FYSB supports Runaway Prevention Month programming), foundation and corporate support (United Way), individual and business donations, in-kind gifts, volunteer time, and planned giving. Customer segments are end beneficiaries (youth ages 6-17 and their families) and referral sources (schools, law enforcement, social workers, parents, and self-referrals) rather than paying customers, and the organization serves eleven to fourteen counties with approximately 115 total staff.

Name

CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services

Legal name

CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services, Inc.

Website

https://cdsfl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services is a Gainesville, Florida-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that operates emergency youth shelters, free family counseling, school-based prevention, and a Safe Place crisis network for youth ages 6-17 and their families across eleven to fourteen North Central Florida counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth and Family Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Youth behavioral health
• Family counseling services
• Emergency youth shelter
• Community prevention programs
• Social services agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: CDS receives funding from Department of Juvenile Justice and Florida Network to fund SNAP program services. All SNAP services are completely free to youth and families with no cost to participants.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: CDS accepts monetary donations, in-kind donations, volunteer time, business sponsorships, and planned giving/bequests to support shelter operations and programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services is a 501(c)(3) social services agency that has served North Central Florida families for over 55 years (originating as the Corner Drug Store). It operates the Interface Youth Program emergency shelter for youth ages 6-17, the Family Action counseling program, the SNAP (STOP NOW AND PLAN) behavior-management program, community Prevention Services, and participation in the Safe Place national youth-shelter network. Services are provided free of charge to participants and funded through government contracts, grants, and charitable donations.

Product overview

CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services is a nonprofit social services organization offering a portfolio of youth and family support programs. The core offerings include: Interface Youth Program (emergency shelter for ages 10-17), Family Action Program (non-residential counseling for ages 6-17), Prevention Services (evidence-based school programs), SNAP Program (cognitive behavioral program for ages 6-11), and Safe Place (national youth outreach network). All services are provided free of charge to youth and families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Interface Youth Program: Short-term youth shelter program for children ages 10-17 who have runaway, are truant, ungovernable, or need a safe place. Operates 24/7 with three shelters in North Central Florida.
• Family Action Program
• SNAP Program
• Prevention Services
• Safe Place

Products and services

• Interface Youth Program Emergency youth shelter and short-term residential program for at-risk youth ages 6-17 in North Central Florida, providing a safe, temporary alternative to detention or running away.
• Family Action Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,383 elementary students completed 'Too Good for Drugs' and 'Too Good for Violence' in 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• National Safe PlacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS is the local agency for National Safe Place in Alachua and Putnam counties. National Safe Place is a national youth outreach and prevention program that designates businesses and organizations as Safe Place locations where youth can access immediate help. CDS oversees hundreds of Safe Place sites including libraries, YMCAs, fire stations, public buses, and businesses.
• National Runaway SafelinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS partners with the National Runaway Safeline for National Runaway Prevention Month activities. The National Runaway Safeline leads the annual prevention and awareness campaign with support from Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) and local partners like CDS.
• Alachua County Health Promotion and Wellness Coalition (HPW Coalition)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS is active in the HPW Coalition which addresses issues such as underage drinking and changing social norms that put young people at risk for engaging in dangerous and unhealthy activities through community-wide needs assessments and public education.
• Levy County Prevention CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS partners with the Levy County Prevention Coalition dedicated to addressing substance abuse prevention and changing social norms through community-wide needs assessments and resource development.
• Child Development Institute (CDI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS operates the SNAP (STOP NOW AND PLAN) program powered by the minds at Child Development Institute. SNAP is an evidence-based cognitive behavioral model that helps troubled children and their parents learn how to effectively manage their emotions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Covenant House: National nonprofit operating youth shelters, crisis services, and runaway/homeless youth programs across more than 30 cities in the US. Comparable to CDS's Interface Youth Shelters and Safe Place work, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Boys Town: National youth-services organization offering residential care, in-home family services, behavioral health, and evidence-based programs. Comparable to CDS's mix of shelter + family counseling + SNAP-style behavioral programming, with a much larger national footprint.

Direct peers

• PACE Center for Girls: Florida-based nonprofit providing prevention, counseling, and education services for at-risk girls and young women. Operates statewide with multiple centers and uses evidence-based curricula; directly comparable to CDS in mission, Florida geography, and program mix (prevention + counseling + family engagement).
• Children's Home Society of Florida: Florida's largest child welfare nonprofit, providing adoption, foster care, family preservation, and youth counseling across the state. Comparable to CDS in Florida footprint, family/youth services mix, and government-contract funding model.
• Camelot Community Care: Florida-based (Tampa HQ) nonprofit providing residential, behavioral health, and family preservation services for at-risk youth statewide. Comparable to CDS's shelter + counseling + family services model, with broader Florida coverage and similar government funding streams.
• Youth Crisis Center (Jacksonville): Florida-based nonprofit operating runaway/homeless youth shelters and counseling services in the Jacksonville area. Directly comparable to CDS's Interface Youth Shelters and Family Action counseling model with overlapping Florida geography (Northeast Florida).
• Children of Inmates (Ibiley Initiatives): Florida-based nonprofit providing supportive services for children of incarcerated parents, including counseling, mentoring, and family reunification. Comparable to CDS's family counseling and youth-support mission, with similar Florida service area and grant-based funding.

Regional players

• National Runaway Safeline: National 24/7 helpline and youth-crisis organization that runs National Runaway Prevention Month and partners with local Safe Place agencies including CDS. Comparable in mission and youth-crisis focus, though operates at national scale via hotline rather than shelter-based delivery.
• Kids Central, Inc. Florida community-based care lead agency serving Marion, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter, and Lake counties with child welfare, family preservation, and youth services. Comparable to CDS in family/youth support scope and Florida region, though operating in central Florida rather than North Central Florida.

Others

• Florida Network of Youth and Family Services: Statewide association of youth-shelter and family-services providers that funds CDS's SNAP program. Directly comparable as a peer funding entity and convener of Florida runaway/homeless youth services, including member agencies running similar shelter programs.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cdsfl5
• Facebookfacebook.com/CDSFamily
• Instagraminstagram.com/cdsfamilyandbehavioralhealth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services