Mental Health America

What Mental Health America does

Mental Health America (legal name: Mental Health Association) is a community-based nonprofit founded in 1950 in Newark, NJ, that provides comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services across Northern New Jersey. It serves consumers in Essex, Morris, Sussex, Passaic, Hudson, and Middlesex counties through 12+ physical office locations, a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform, crisis hotlines (988, Peer-to-Peer Support Line, Teen Connect), and school-based programming (NJ4S). The organization served 20,000+ consumers in the most recent fiscal year across 40+ programs spanning clinical outpatient care, substance use treatment, housing and homelessness services, supported employment, crisis response, suicide prevention, peer support, and justice-involved diversion.

The service portfolio is organized into modular program lines: clinical (Center for Behavioral Health, Riskin Children's Center, SURE Intensive Outpatient Program), community support (PATH outreach, Community Support Services, Edna's Haven, Community Wellness Centers/The Gathering Place), crisis (988 MCORT mobile teams, Mental Health Urgent Care/Wellness HUB, Co-Response Initiative embedded in 10+ police departments), peer support (Peer-to-Peer warmline, Teen Connect), and education/prevention (NJ4S, Suicide Prevention, Mental Health First Aid). Notable proprietary or specialized offerings include the 988 Mobile Crisis Outreach Response Teams deployed in Essex and Hudson Counties, the Co-Response Initiative pairing clinicians with law enforcement, and the Riskin Children's Center's strength-based and culturally appropriate therapy for ages 6–18.

MHA operates a hybrid revenue model combining government grants and contracts (NJ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Department of Children and Families for NJ4S, county governments in Morris and Essex), insurance billing (Medicaid, Medicare), sliding-scale fees for clinical services, individual and corporate donations, planned giving (Dorothea Dix Society), and training fees for Mental Health First Aid certification. Services are provided free or on a sliding scale with a stated no-turn-away policy. The go-to-market is community-led and partnership-driven, relying on school referrals, healthcare provider referrals, government contracts, and word-of-mouth across Northern New Jersey. MHA is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, led by CEO Robert N. Davison, MA, LPC, and holds continuous CARF accreditation (2016, 2019, 2022, 2026).

Name

Mental Health America

Legal name

Mental Health Association

Website

https://mhainspire.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Mental Health America is a community-based nonprofit founded in 1950 that provides mental health and substance use disorder services—including clinical care, crisis response, housing, peer support, and school-based programs—across 12+ offices serving 20,000+ consumers annually in Northern New Jersey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (62142), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Behavioral & Mental Health Virtual Care (EAP/Teletherapy) (HLALADAB)

Keywords

• Mental health services
• Substance use treatment
• Crisis intervention
• Community mental health
• Behavioral health support

Headquarters

HQ city

East Orange

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: MHA receives significant funding from government sources including the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), county governments (Morris County Commissioners, Essex County), and the Department of Children and Families (which funds the NJ4S program at $43M statewide). These contracts support specific programs including MCORT, PATH, suicide prevention, and AOT services.
2. Insurance Billing: MHA's Center for Behavioral Health and other clinical programs accept Medicaid, Medicare, and uninsured clients. The organization bills insurance for outpatient treatment, psychiatric evaluation, and medication management services.
3. Sliding-Scale Fee for Services: Most services are provided on a sliding scale based on ability to pay. MHA explicitly states it will never turn anyone away due to inability to pay. This ensures access regardless of insurance status or financial means.
4. Individual and Corporate Donations: MHA raises funds through individual donations (including the President's Giving Society with tiers from $500 to $2,500+), workplace giving programs, memorial and tribute gifts, major gifts, and special events such as Derby Day With MHA and Legislative Breakfasts.
5. Planned Giving (Dorothea Dix Society): MHA offers planned giving options including bequests, retirement asset designations, and life insurance beneficiary designations through the Dorothea Dix Society, providing long-term fundraising revenue from legacy donors.
6. Mental Health First Aid Training Fees: MHA charges a fee for Mental Health First Aid training courses, which cover Youth Mental Health First Aid, Adult Mental Health First Aid, Law Enforcement and First Responders, and Senior Mental Health First Aid certifications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Mental Health America (MHA) is a community-based nonprofit providing comprehensive behavioral health and substance use disorder services to individuals and families across Northern New Jersey. Its core offerings span outpatient counseling and psychiatric care, substance use treatment (IOP), crisis response (988 MCORT, Wellness HUB), housing and homelessness programs, supported employment, peer support warmlines, suicide prevention education, and Mental Health First Aid training. Services are delivered in person at 12+ offices, via telehealth, and through embedded school and law enforcement partnerships, funded by government contracts, insurance billing, sliding-scale fees, and donations.

Product overview

Mental Health America (MHA) is a community-based nonprofit organization providing comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services across Northern New Jersey. Rather than a single unified technology product, MHA operates a multi-module service portfolio consisting of clinical services (Counseling through Center for Behavioral Health, Substance Use Disorder treatment via SURE program), specialized populations programs (Children's services through Riskin Children's Center, Senior In-Home Therapy, NJ4S student support), crisis intervention (988 MCORT, Mental Health Urgent Care/Wellness HUB), community support (Housing assistance via CSS and PATH, Community Wellness Centers/The Gathering Place, Social Clubs), peer support (Peer-to-Peer Support Line, Teen Connect), justice-involved services (AOT, CJS, CJR), employment assistance (SES), and prevention/education (Suicide Prevention, Mental Health First Aid, Arts in Mental Health). Services are delivered across Essex, Morris, Sussex, Passaic, Hudson, and Middlesex counties with a sliding fee scale payment model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Center for Behavioral Health (CBH) Comprehensive, person-centered behavioral health services for adults 18 and older, including individual counseling, psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and group therapy for conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and traumatic stress reactions. Available in-person and via HIPAA-compliant telehealth; accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and uninsured clients on a sliding scale.
• Intensive Family Support Services (IFSS) Provides supportive counseling, family support groups, psychoeducational workshops, and advocacy services for family members and caregivers of adults living with mental illness. Includes respite care and Project F.E.R.S.T. emergency room support.
• Riskin Children's Center (RCC) Comprehensive and culturally appropriate mental health services for children and teens ages 6-18, including strength-based individual and family counseling, play therapy, art therapy, drama/music therapy, psychiatric services, parenting skills training, and psychoeducational groups. Primarily serves Medicaid-insured families.
• Substance Use Recovery and Empowerment (SURE) An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) providing individual and group therapy, family therapy, and medication management for individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health concerns.
• Wellness HUB (Mental Health Urgent Care) A Mental Health Urgent Care and walk-in support center providing immediate access to treatment for adults 18+ experiencing worsening mental health symptoms, regardless of insurance coverage. Open Mon & Wed 9am-8pm; Tue, Thu & Fri 9am-5pm; Sat & Sun by appointment.
• NJ4S (New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services) A program funded by the Department of Children and Families providing social, emotional, and mental health services for students, parents/caregivers, and schools in Morris and Sussex Counties, including educational programming, brief counseling, prevention programming, family support, school staff training, and mental health awareness workshops. Offered at no cost.
• In-Home Therapy for Seniors High-quality, person-centered therapy services delivered in older adults' homes in Morris County who are unable to leave due to physical, emotional, or environmental barriers. Includes individual and family therapy, care coordination, and community resource linkage.
• Suicide Prevention Services Educational presentations designed for schools, communities, and specialized groups such as law enforcement officers and first responders on warning signs, risk factors, and how to start conversations about mental health. Provided at no cost in Essex, Passaic, Morris, and Sussex Counties.
• Community Support Services (CSS) Increases accessibility to quality, affordable housing in Essex and Morris Counties for individuals diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illness, while providing comprehensive mental health services and supportive housing case management.
• Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) Provides outreach, intensive case management, and housing services enabling homeless or at-risk adults in Essex and Morris Counties to engage with community-based services. Transitioned 88 individuals from street or shelter into permanent housing in the past year.
• Integrated Case Management Services (ICMS) An assertive case management outreach program emphasizing assessment, advocacy, empowerment, referral, linkage, and supportive counseling to help adults with mental illness gain access to medical, social, educational, housing, and other services.
• Prospect House Adult day treatment/partial care program for adults 18+ diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness, offering psycho-social rehabilitation to manage illness and reduce re-hospitalization risk.
• Prospect Primary Care Provides quality, comprehensive physical healthcare including specialists and lab work within Prospect House, integrating medical and behavioral treatment for adults with severe and persistent mental illness.
• Assisted Outpatient Treatment Services (AOT) Delivers community-based mental health services under civil commitment court order to individuals with severe and persistent mental illnesses, enabling them to live safely within their communities across Essex, Passaic, and Sussex Counties.
• Collaborative Justice Services (CJS) Provides discharge planning, linkage, and referral to community resources for non-violent offenders with mental illness re-entering the community from correctional systems in Morris County.
• Criminal Justice Reform (CJR) A voluntary mental health diversion program providing outpatient therapy, psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and connection to housing, medical, and social services for adults 18+ in Essex County pretrial monitoring.
• Supported Employment Services (SES) Assists individuals with a history of mental illness to obtain and retain employment in competitive community settings, providing job exploration, skills training, on-site coaching, and ongoing support.
• 988 Mobile Crisis Outreach Response Teams (MCORT) Provides immediate on-site support for non-life-threatening mental health, substance-related, or suicidal crises in Essex and Hudson Counties when deployed by the 988 Crisis Lifeline call centers. Teams may be dispatched without law enforcement when deemed safe for a calm, supportive response.
• Community Wellness Centers (The Gathering Place) Welcoming spaces in Morris County (Parsippany) and Sussex County (Newton) for adults experiencing mental health and substance use concerns, providing peer-led groups, support, and socialization promoting wellbeing. Free of charge.
• Peer-to-Peer Support Line A warmline providing non-crisis support, assistance, and reassurance, staffed entirely by peers who have made significant progress in their own wellness and recovery. Available 365 days a year. Also functions as a vocational rehabilitation pathway for consumers returning to the workforce.
• Teen Connect Non-crisis mental health support line for ages 13-24, staffed by trained youth (teen line workers) providing support, resources, and hope through a de-stigmatizing approach. Available via call or text Monday through Friday 5pm-10pm. Operates on complete anonymity.
• Co-Response Initiative (ARRIVE Together) Partners mental health professionals with law enforcement officers to jointly respond to calls involving individuals in mental health crises, providing de-escalation, crisis intervention, and assessment. Active within West Orange, Mount Olive, South Orange, Perth Amboy, and Morris County municipalities through the ARRIVE Together program.
• Mental Health First Aid Training An early intervention public education program teaching adults how to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, how to listen nonjudgmentally, and how to refer individuals to appropriate professional support. Certified to teach four course variants: Youth, Adult, Law Enforcement and First Responders, and Senior Mental Health First Aid. Carries a fee per participant.
• Arts in Mental Health Incorporates art therapy and arts-based initiatives to promote overall wellbeing and raise awareness and reduce stigma surrounding mental illness through expressive arts programs such as the Photo Voice Moments in Time exhibit and My Mother's Keeper traveling exhibit.
• Edna's Haven Resource Center A resource center in Dover, NJ providing information, referrals, case management, financial assistance, a charging station, computer access, soup kitchen, food pantry, peer-recovery counseling, and mail access to individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Social Clubs Weekly social activities for mental health consumers including shopping, dining, bowling, and recreation, providing a social support network and combating isolation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88 individuals transitioned from homelessness to permanent housing within one year through PATH Essex and Morris County programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NJ4S (New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services) program is funded and authorized by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, which provides an array of social, emotional, and mental health services for students, families, and schools in Morris and Sussex Counties at no cost. This is a government contract relationship central to one of MHA's major programs.
• Morris County CommissionerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorris County Commissioners provide partial funding for the In-Home Therapy for Seniors program and Edna's Haven community resource center, supporting MHA's service delivery to Morris County residents including seniors and homeless individuals.
• Morris County Prosecutors OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA has partnered with the Morris County Prosecutors Office and multiple police departments (Madison, Morristown, Morris Township, Morris Plains, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Montville, Denville, Roxbury, Hanover, Randolph) to deploy the Co-Response Initiative and ARRIVE Together program, placing mental health co-responders alongside law enforcement during mental health crisis calls.
• New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMHAS is referenced as the state agency that developed the Interim Managing Entity (IME) for addiction treatment access, and MHA operates programs under DMHAS contracts and oversight. The Strategic Plan references public funding sources including DMHAS as key stakeholders in MHA's operations.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA's 988 MCORT (Mobile Crisis Outreach Response Teams) are deployed by the 988 Crisis Lifeline call centers for Essex and Hudson Counties. This is a formal operational partnership where the national 988 system dispatches MHA's in-person mobile crisis teams for non-life-threatening mental health, substance-related, and suicidal crises.
• West Orange Township Police DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA embeds clinical co-responders (mental health professionals) within the West Orange Police Department to jointly respond to mental health crisis calls, providing de-escalation, crisis intervention, and mental health needs assessment alongside officers.
• Mount Olive Police DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA co-response program present within the Mount Olive Police Department, pairing mental health professionals with officers during mental health crisis interventions.
• South Orange Police DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA co-response program present within the South Orange Police Department, providing mental health crisis co-response alongside law enforcement.
• Perth Amboy Police DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA co-response program present within the Perth Amboy Police Department, offering mental health co-response services to residents.
• ARRIVE Together Morris County 'M-Towns' (Hanover, Madison, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Morristown Police Departments)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA participates in the ARRIVE Together initiative with five Morris County police departments (Hanover, Madison, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Morristown) through the Morris County Prosecutors Office, deploying co-response mental health professionals alongside officers for mental health crisis calls.
• ARRIVE Together Morris County 'Core-4' (Denville, Montville, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Randolph, Roxbury Police Departments)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA participates in the ARRIVE Together initiative with five additional Morris County police departments (Denville, Montville, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Randolph, Roxbury), extending co-response mental health services across the broader Morris County region.
• Aging in MontclairminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Photo Voice – Moments in Time exhibit was made possible through the partnership of MHA and Aging in Montclair, exploring the experience of growing older through photography and art by family members from IFSS and local Aging in Montclair residents.
• Montclair Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontclair Public Library hosted the Photo Voice – Moments in Time exhibit (on view in 2022 in observance of Family Caregiver's Month), providing exhibition space for the community art project developed through MHA's Intensive Family Support Services.
• The Creativity CaravanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Creativity Caravan (co-founded by Amy Tingle and Maya Stein) partnered with MHA's Intensive Family Support Services to develop the 'My Mother's Keeper' multi-media traveling exhibit, featuring 21 artists from across the U.S. and Canada exploring women's mental illness through the eyes of their daughters.
• National Council for Mental WellbeingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA's CEO and staff participate in the National Council for Mental Wellbeing's Annual Hill Day in Washington DC, joining advocates from Care Plus NJ, Integrity House, and Bright Harbor Healthcare to meet with federal legislators about mental health funding and community-based supports.
• Essex and Morris County Mental Health & Addiction CoalitionsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA co-hosts the Annual Legislative Breakfast events through the Essex and Morris County Mental Health & Addiction Coalitions, providing a forum for community members and policymakers to address mental health developments and legislation.
• Hope One (Morris County)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA is associated with the Hope One vehicle (Morris County Sheriff's program) through which 58,000+ individuals struggling with addiction accessed critical support services, according to donation page statistics.
• SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMHA's crisis contacts page references SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) as a primary referral resource. SAMHSA is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services leading public health efforts to advance behavioral health nationally.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Care Plus NJ: New Jersey-based nonprofit behavioral health provider offering outpatient mental health, substance use treatment, and co-response services. Explicitly named alongside MHA in joint Hill Day advocacy, signaling comparable scope, geography, and funding model.
• Eva's Village: Paterson, NJ-based nonprofit offering integrated behavioral health, substance use treatment, housing, and homelessness services similar to MHA's PATH and CSS programs. Comparable Medicaid-funded, sliding-scale, and community-based service model.
• Integrity House: Newark, NJ-based nonprofit providing substance use disorder treatment, mental health services, and supportive housing. Named alongside MHA in joint federal advocacy, indicating similar geographic catchment, Medicaid-funded model, and justice-involved population focus.
• Center for Family Services: Southern NJ-based nonprofit providing youth mental health, family counseling, substance use treatment, and NJ4S-equivalent school-based services. Directly comparable mission, population focus, and government-contract funding model.
• Bright Harbor Healthcare: New Jersey community mental health nonprofit providing outpatient behavioral health, crisis services, and supportive housing. Listed alongside MHA in joint legislative advocacy, indicating directly comparable service portfolio and county-level contract model.
• NewBridge Services: Community behavioral health nonprofit serving Morris, Passaic, and Sussex Counties with outpatient counseling, substance use treatment, housing, and senior services. Directly overlaps MHA's Northern NJ service area and customer segments.
• Bridgeway Rehabilitation Services: Northern NJ community behavioral health nonprofit offering outpatient mental health, supported employment, housing, and case management. Comparable CARF-accredited, county-funded service portfolio with overlapping Essex/Morris county presence.

Regional players

• Camelot of Staten Island: Northeast regional nonprofit providing outpatient behavioral health, substance use treatment, and juvenile justice diversion programs. Comparable integrated services and government-contract model, but primarily serves New York metro area rather than NJ.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) New Jersey: Statewide advocacy and family-support nonprofit providing peer-led support groups, education classes, and crisis resources. Operates as an advocacy-focused complement rather than direct clinical service competitor in the same NJ counties.

Broad incumbents

• Mental Health America (national): National nonprofit providing mental health screening tools, public education, and advocacy. MHA (Northern NJ) is independently affiliated with this national organization and uses its screening platform—representing a federal advocacy and tooling relationship rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0bRTyp45-niFvk3K313IXA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MHAInspire
• Instagraminstagram.com/nj4smorrissussex
• Xx.com/mentalhealtham

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 America