Mental Health Systems

What Mental Health Systems does

Mental Health Systems, Inc. (MHS) is a privately held, for-profit Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) specialty clinic founded in 2002 and headquartered in Minnesota. The firm operates five physical locations across the Twin Cities metro area — Plymouth (NW), Roseville (Central), Woodbury (East), Edina (West), and Apple Valley (South) — supplemented by the Virtu-Clinic, a statewide virtual delivery platform that enables nearly all MHS programs to be completed online with the same clinical staff. MHS is led by founder/President/CEO/owner Dr. Mark R. Carlson, who has personally served over 6,000 clients with co-morbid disorders and previously served as Vice-President of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy National Certification and Accreditation Association (DBTNCAA), and co-founder Dr. Lane Pederson, who has trained more than 20,000 mental health professionals internationally and co-owns Acacia Therapy and Health Training in South Africa.

MHS delivers an 11-program portfolio of evidence-based DBT organized along two axes: life stage (Adult, Early Adolescent, Adolescent, College) and population-specific need (Waypoint and Waypoint for Teens for addiction; Boost for healthcare providers/first responders; Horizons for developmental disorders; Rise for PTSD/trauma; Roots for perinatal mental health; Thrive for chronic pain; Pride for LGBTQIA+ adults; Vision for psychotic disorders; DBT-U for college students). All programs teach the four core DBT skill modules — mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness — and meet State-Certified Adherent DBT standards in Minnesota. The Virtu-Clinic platform extends this offering to clients statewide, with new programs (Thrive, Pride, Vision, Waypoint for Teens) launched in 2024.

MHS makes money through three primary revenue streams. The dominant stream is fee-for-service clinical therapy delivered through DBT programs (individual therapy, group skills training, intensive outpatient) reimbursed by most major commercial insurance carriers, Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP), Medicare, Medical Assistance, and MinnesotaCare, plus self-pay — with MHS providing free pre-appointment insurance verification. A secondary stream is professional training and continuing education (CEU) for mental health practitioners, schools, and organizations, priced from free lunch-and-learns to $85+ full-day workshops. A third stream is the Caregiver Education Series, $20 monthly webinars targeting families of adolescents that also function as a top-of-funnel for adolescent program enrollment. The company operates with 101–250 employees, is independently owned with no external institutional investors or funding rounds disclosed, and has no active M&A activity or public listing.

Name

Mental Health Systems

Legal name

Mental Health Systems, Inc.

Website

https://mhs-dbt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Mental Health Systems is a privately held, Twin Cities-based specialty clinic operating since 2002 that delivers evidence-based Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) through five physical clinics and the statewide Virtu-Clinic telehealth platform, serving adults, adolescents, and population-specific groups via an 11-program portfolio reimbursed primarily by insurance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

General Mental Health Therapy Platforms (Talk Therapy) (HLALAEAA)

Keywords

• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Mental health services
• Addiction recovery programs
• Behavioral therapy clinics
• Adolescent mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Henning

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Clinical Therapy Services: Fee-for-service therapy revenue from DBT programs including individual therapy, group skills training, and intensive outpatient services. Clients pay through insurance or self-pay. MHS accepts most major insurance plans and many state-funded plans.
2. Professional Training & CEUs: Continuing education and professional development training for mental health professionals, schools, and organizations. Includes lunch-and-learn sessions and formal CEU-approved trainings with fees ranging from free to $85+ per session.
3. Caregiver Education Series: Monthly webinars for caregivers of adolescents covering DBT skills and parenting strategies, priced at $20 per session.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mental Health Systems delivers evidence-based Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) through population-tailored programs for adults, adolescents, and individuals with co-occurring conditions, available in-person across five Twin Cities clinics and statewide via the Virtu-Clinic telehealth platform. The organization combines clinical therapy services (individual therapy, group skills training, and intensive outpatient programs) with professional training/CEU programs for other clinicians and a monthly Caregiver Education Series for families.

Product overview

Mental Health Systems (MHS) operates a multi-program Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) clinic with both in-person and virtual (Virtu-Clinic) delivery options. The core offering is evidence-based DBT organized into specialized programs tailored to specific populations: general Adult DBT, Adolescent DBT, and Early Adolescent DBT for different age groups. Specialized tracks address specific needs including addiction recovery (Waypoint programs), healthcare provider stress (Boost), developmental disorders (Horizons), trauma (Rise), perinatal health (Roots), psychotic disorders (Vision), chronic pain (Thrive), LGBTQIA+ identity challenges (Pride), and college students (DBT-U). All programs share the foundational DBT skills of mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, with variations adapted to each population's unique needs. MHS also provides professional training and a monthly Caregiver Education Series for families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Virtu-Clinic: Virtual clinic providing online access to nearly all MHS DBT programs via video conferencing.
• Waypoint
• Waypoint for Teens
• Thrive
• Pride
• Rise
• Roots
• Vision
• Boost
• Horizons

Products and services

• DBT for Adults Dialectical Behavior Therapy programs for adults experiencing emotional and social challenges, including 1-Day DBT, 3-Day DBT, and State-Certified Adherent DBT Intensive Outpatient Program formats.
• DBT for Adolescents DBT program for teenagers ages 14-18 meeting twice weekly in-person or online, teaching mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and life balance skills with monthly parent involvement.
• Early Adolescent DBT DBT program for early adolescents ages 12-14 providing skills training and therapy tailored to younger developmental needs.
• Waypoint: DBT for Addictions DBT program for adults addressing addiction recovery and mental health wellbeing, helping people find a new route through and beyond the power of addiction.
• Waypoint for Teens DBT program for adolescent addiction recovery and mental health, adapted from the adult Waypoint program for teenage mindset and situation.
• Boost: DBT for Healthcare Providers DBT program designed for first responders and healthcare providers addressing occupational stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, and pressures of helping others.
• Horizons: DBT for Developmental Disorders DBT program designed for adults with developmental disorders looking to improve their quality and way of life.
• Rise: DBT for Trauma Skills-based DBT program designed to specifically target PTSD symptoms and trauma-related challenges.
• Roots: DBT for Perinatal Health DBT program providing therapy for expecting and new parents in the Twin Cities area, addressing increased mental health symptoms during pregnancy and early parenthood.
• Vision: For Psychotic Disorders DBT program designed to help individuals with psychotic disorders manage, control, and enrich their mental health wellness.
• DBT U: DBT for College Students DBT program specifically designed for college students navigating mental health challenges during higher education.
• Thrive: DBT for Chronic Pain Innovative skills-based DBT treatment for individuals navigating chronic pain alongside emotional distress, addressing the interplay between physical discomfort and mental health symptoms like anxiety, depression, and trauma.
• Pride: DBT for LGBTQIA+ 6- to 12-month virtual DBT program designed for LGBTQIA+ adults navigating everyday stressors, identity-based challenges, and the emotional toll of living in an often-hostile political climate.
• Virtu-Clinic Virtual clinic platform enabling clients to access MHS DBT programs online via video conferencing, offering the same therapists and programs as in-person services.
• Professional Training Professional training programs including lunch-and-learns, continuing education credits, and formal trainings on DBT skills, psychoeducation on BPD, trauma-informed care, and related mental health topics for mental health professionals.
• Caregiver Education Series Monthly educational webinars for families and caregivers of adolescents covering DBT skills, validation, safety concerns, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and other topics to help support loved ones with mental health challenges.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,000 clients with co-morbid disorders served by Dr. Carlson alone.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• HP Psychological AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner providing evidence-based mental health care for individuals, families, and communities with a holistic approach honoring personal strengths, spirituality, and individual life experiences. Located in Minnesota.
• Synergy eTherapyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner offering goal-oriented individual, couple and family mental health counseling online with licensed therapists. Many insurances accepted. Provides psychotherapy and psychological testing for kids and adults.
• Acacia Therapy and Health Training (South Africa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-owned by Dr. Lane Pederson, one of MHS's founders. Located in South Africa, indicating international reach and collaboration in DBT training.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Charlie Health: Virtual intensive outpatient and outpatient mental health programs for adolescents and young adults with depression, anxiety, and substance use, employing DBT and other evidence-based modalities. Comparable to MHS's IOP-adherent DBT and Waypoint for Teens positioning.
• Two Chairs: Outpatient therapy clinic combining in-person and virtual care with multi-modal therapy (including DBT) targeting adult mental health populations. Comparable on hybrid delivery, clinical specialization, and payer mix.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy Center of Michigan: Specialized outpatient DBT clinic serving adults, adolescents, and families across Michigan. Most direct overlap with MHS: same modality, similar population segmentation, and hybrid in-person/virtual delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Lyra Health: Enterprise-sponsored mental health platform offering therapy, coaching, and medication management across many modalities and populations. Overlaps MHS in outpatient therapy delivery, particularly employer-sponsored demand (Boost program parallels Lyra's provider-wellness offerings).
• Rogers Behavioral Health: National specialty behavioral health provider with strong OCD, anxiety, and eating disorder focus operating residential, PHP, and IOP programs. Comparable on intensive outpatient programming structure and population-specific care tracks (Rise, Thrive parallel Rogers' specialty niches).
• Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services: Large regional behavioral health system operating outpatient clinics, partial hospitalization, and specialty programs across Michigan. Comparable to MHS on multi-site outpatient DBT/IOP delivery and community-based specialization, but with broader service line and inpatient capacity.
• Talkspace: National telehealth therapy and psychiatry platform serving employer, payer, and direct-pay markets. Competitor to Virtu-Clinic at the virtual DBT-adjacent therapy layer; broader modality portfolio but less clinical depth per modality.

Regional players

• Psychiatry & Behavioral Health at Hennepin Healthcare: Twin Cities-based health system providing outpatient mental health, addiction, and integrated behavioral services. Direct geographic competitor to MHS in the same Minneapolis-St. Paul market with overlapping patient mix.

Emerging players

• Brightside Health: Telehealth psychiatry and therapy platform delivering medication management plus therapy for anxiety and depression. Comparable to MHS's virtual Virtu-Clinic delivery and behavioral health focus, though MHS specializes more narrowly in DBT.

Others

• DBT-Linehan Board of Certification (training ecosystem): Accrediting body for DBT programs and source of training/consultation that underpins the U.S. DBT provider ecosystem. Not a peer but an enabler/standards body shaping every adherent DBT clinic including MHS.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mhspc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Mental Health Systems