New Beginnings Counseling Center

What New Beginnings Counseling Center does

New Beginnings Counseling Center (NBCC) is a Santa Barbara-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1968 that delivers an integrated portfolio of community mental health and homelessness services across Santa Barbara County. Its core offerings are the Donald J. Willfong Community Counseling Clinic (individual, couples, family, and group counseling), the Safe Parking and Rapid Re-Housing Program (operating since 2004 and providing 133+ nightly safe parking spaces), the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, and a Life Skills and Parenting Education program. The organization has expanded into adjacent service lines including the Encampment Resolution Project (CERF), the CalAIM Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports program delivered in coordination with CenCal Health, and a Supportive Services partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara. Three physical offices in Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Santa Maria serve as the delivery footprint, supported by a client portal built on Vertical Change (with a Spanish-language version), DonorPerfect for fundraising CRM, Constant Contact for email outreach, Fulcrum for field data collection, and HMIS for HUD reporting.

The business model is that of a community-based nonprofit social services provider rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue is derived from federal grants (notably the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs SSVF program and HUD-aligned Encampment Resolution funding), foundation grants (Santa Barbara Foundation, Zegar Family Foundation, Mowrer Homeless Justice Fund, among others), corporate sponsorships (Community West Bank, CenCal Health, Cottage Health, Montecito Bank & Trust, American Riviera Bank), individual donations, recurring annual fundraising events (Changing Lives Gala, Educational Luncheon Series, benefit concerts, and the 2025 Annual Fundraiser), and a growing share of Medi-Cal managed care reimbursements through the CalAIM program. Pricing is not a meaningful commercial dimension because services are delivered at subsidized rates or no cost to low-income clients; financial sustainability instead depends on grant pipeline continuity, donor cultivation, and reimbursement contract management. In FY2024-25 the organization served 2,174 people, housed or prevented eviction for 277 individuals, delivered 140,000 case management and counseling hours, and disbursed $3,436,755 in direct client financial assistance.

Name

New Beginnings Counseling Center

Legal name

New Beginnings Counseling Center

Website

https://sbnbcc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Beginnings Counseling Center is a Santa Barbara-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1968 delivering subsidized mental health counseling, Safe Parking, SSVF veteran homelessness services, and Life Skills and Parenting education to 2,174 low-income residents annually across three county offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health and Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)

Keywords

• Mental health counseling
• Homeless services
• Veteran family support
• Parenting education
• Community social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and Government Funding (SSVF): Federal funding through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, supplemented by foundation grants from entities such as the Santa Barbara Foundation

Go-to-market motion1 record

Core offering

New Beginnings Counseling Center (NBCC) is a Santa Barbara County 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers affordable mental health counseling, life skills and parenting education, veteran family support, and homeless/housing stabilization services. Its core service line is the Donald J. Willfong Community Counseling Clinic, supported by the Safe Parking & Rapid Re-Housing Program, the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program, the Life Skills Parenting & Education Program, the Encampment Resolution Project (CERF), and CalAIM Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports. The organization is funded through grants, government contracts, and donations, and serves more than 2,000 clients annually across three county office locations.

Product overview

New Beginnings Counseling Center — also styled "New Beginnings: Santa Barbara Family Counseling Center" — is a non-profit social-services organization operating a portfolio of community-based programs under a unified counseling-and-support umbrella rather than a single software product. The core service line is the Donald J. Willfong Community Counseling Clinic, around which sit several specialized programs: the Safe Parking & Rapid Re-Housing Program (est. 2004), the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program, the Life Skills Parenting & Education Program, Group Counseling (anger management, anxiety skills), the Supportive Services Program (with the Santa Barbara Housing Authority), the Encampment Resolution Project (CERF), and the CalAIM Program (Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports). The single technology product offered to clients is the Client Portal, a web portal built on the Vertical Change platform (with a Spanish-language version), through which program participants access their personal accounts. The center is funded through donations, grants, and annual benefit events (annual galas/fundraisers, educational luncheon series, and benefit concerts), and operates from offices at 530 E. Montecito St., Suite 101, Santa Barbara.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Safe Parking Program: New Beginnings' branded overnight safe parking and rapid re-housing program for individuals and families living in their vehicles; trademarked as Safe Parking Program™ and operating since 2004.
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program
• Clínica de Counseling de la Comunidad Donald J. Willfong

Products and services

• Donald J. Willfong Community Counseling Clinic Flagship outpatient mental health counseling clinic of New Beginnings Counseling Center, offering individual, couples, family, and group counseling across the Santa Barbara area. Supports adults, children, families, and couples and has been the foundational program of the organization for more than 50 years.
• Safe Parking & Rapid Re-Housing Program Program providing safe overnight parking, supportive services, and rapid re-housing assistance for individuals and families experiencing vehicular homelessness in Santa Barbara County. Operating since 2004 with over 133 nightly safe parking spaces.
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program Veteran-focused program providing outreach, case management, and supportive services to very low-income veteran families across Santa Barbara County, helping them access VA benefits and achieve housing stability through short-term individualized case management and financial assistance.
• Life Skills Parenting & Education Program Provides parenting classes, co-parenting support, and life-skills education for low-income families in Santa Barbara County. Includes English and Spanish Parenting Groups and veteran-specific groups; serves more than 100 low-income families each year.
• Encampment Resolution Project (CERF) Field-based outreach and case-management program that engages people living in encampments, conducts needs assessments, and connects them to shelter, housing, and supportive services. Documentation flows through HMIS and the Fulcrum mobile data collection platform.
• CalAIM Program (Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports) Medi-Cal transformation program offering Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports for eligible Medi-Cal beneficiaries, delivered in coordination with CenCal Health and adhering to HIPAA documentation standards.
• Supportive Services Program (with Santa Barbara Housing Authority) Partnership-based program with the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara that delivers supportive services to households served through Section 8 and other subsidized housing vouchers.
• Client Portal (powered by Vertical Change) Web-based client portal hosted on the Vertical Change platform (app.verticalchange.com), enabling clients and program participants to log in and access their personal account, documentation, and program information. A Spanish-language version is also offered.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,174 people served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and flagship.

• City Housing Authority of Santa BarbaracoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic municipal partnership enabling the Safe Parking Program and coordinated housing referrals for unhoused clients across Santa Barbara County. This represents a flagship public-sector alliance for program operations.
• CenCal HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsorship and healthcare partnership with the regional Medi-Cal managed care plan, supporting integrated behavioral health service delivery in Santa Barbara County.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (SSVF Program Office)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partnership through the SSVF program, the flagship funding and programmatic relationship that funds veteran family case management, housing stabilization, and financial assistance services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara County: Santa Barbara County-based nonprofit providing counseling, case management, and family support services. Comparable to NBCC's counseling clinic and parenting/life-skills programs as a co-located regional behavioral health and family services provider.
• Catholic Charities of Santa Barbara County: Faith-based Santa Barbara County nonprofit providing housing, mental health, and emergency services to vulnerable populations. Comparable as a co-located regional nonprofit addressing overlapping client needs and competing for the same county funding pool.
• Goodwill Industries of Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara County-based nonprofit offering workforce development, mental health, and supportive services to low-income community members. Comparable as a co-located regional nonprofit competing for the same donor and corporate-sponsor pool in the same county.
• United Way of Santa Barbara County: Regional United Way affiliate operating in Santa Barbara County as a grantmaker and convener for local human-services nonprofits. Comparable as a county-level funding ecosystem participant that channels donor dollars that may flow to or compete with NBCC.

Direct peers

• Swords to Plowshares: San Francisco Bay Area-based veteran services nonprofit offering case management, housing, employment, and mental health support. Comparable to NBCC's SSVF program in veteran-focused service delivery and federal grant funding model.
• People Assisting The Homeless (PATH): California-based nonprofit providing interim housing, permanent supportive housing, and case management services for people experiencing homelessness. Comparable to NBCC in serving unhoused populations with case management plus housing-stabilization funding, though operating at larger scale across Southern California.
• U.S.VETS (United States Veterans Initiative): National nonprofit providing housing, case management, and supportive services to veterans experiencing homelessness. Comparable to NBCC's SSVF program in mission, federal funding model, and service mix, though operating at significantly larger national scale.

Others

• CenCal Health: Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo county Medi-Cal managed care plan that is both an NBCC program partner and CalAIM sponsor. Comparable as a key funding and care-coordination counterpart in NBCC's CalAIM and behavioral health service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Clinics: Large California nonprofit behavioral health provider operating counseling, housing, and wraparound services across multiple counties. Comparable to NBCC's integrated counseling-plus-housing model, though at materially larger scale and geographic breadth.
• Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services: Southern California-based nonprofit mental health provider operating counseling, suicide prevention, and substance-use programs. Comparable to NBCC's Willfong Counseling Clinic in providing community-based, subsidized mental health services to low-income populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NBCCORG
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewBeginningsCounselingCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/santa-barbara-new-beginnings-counseling-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/newbeginnings_nonprofit

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 New Beginnings Counseling Center