Positive Directions

What Positive Directions does

Positive Directions (legal name: Positive Directions - The Center for Prevention and Counseling, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit behavioral health organization headquartered at 90 Post Road West, Westport, Connecticut. Founded in the mid-1970s by people in recovery from alcohol use disorder, it provides an integrated continuum of three service lines — community prevention, outpatient counseling, and peer/recovery support — to children, teens, adults, and families in Connecticut struggling with mental health and substance use concerns. Primary customers include individual clinical clients (served in person at the Westport clinic, via Doxy.me teletherapy statewide, and through counselors embedded at two local high schools), teens and young adults seeking peer support, mid-Fairfield County residents reached through prevention coalitions, and educators/parents/community leaders receiving certified training.

Core products and technology stack center on a state-licensed outpatient clinic (licensed by the CT Department of Public Health and the CT Department of Children and Families) supported by a HIPAA-compliant Doxy.me teletherapy deployment, free weekly peer-led support groups hosted on Zoom (SMART Recovery, SMART Recovery Family & Friends, Alternatives to Suicide, SMART Teens, Alzheimer's Caregivers Support), and a youth-focused digital layer comprising the CT Support Group Discord community (launched January 2025), the ctsupportgroup.org website, and TurningPointCT.org (housed at Positive Directions since January 2021). Prevention programming follows the Strategic Prevention Framework and is delivered through six Local Prevention Council coalitions in Norwalk, Westport, Weston, New Canaan, Wilton, and Fairfield, including the Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project launched February 2025 across five towns. The training portfolio — QPR suicide prevention, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Narcan administration, SPORT Prevention Plus Wellness, Hidden in Plain Sight, and Johnny's Ambassadors cannabis curriculum — is delivered on demand to schools, workplaces, and community groups, often in partnership with Kids in Crisis, Liberation Programs, Norwalk Health Department, TPAUD, MADD, NAMI Connecticut, PAVE, The Hub, and Wilton Youth Council.

The revenue model is a multi-stream non-profit mix: (1) insurance reimbursements from commercial payors (Aetna, Anthem BCBS, Cigna, Golden Rule, Harvard Pilgrim, Oxford Health Plans, UMR, United Healthcare), HUSKY Health/Connecticut Medicaid, and Medicare, supplemented by a sliding-fee scale and private pay; (2) a donor-supported Treatment Fund that allows the organization to never turn anyone away for inability to pay; (3) recurring and project-based government grants (CT DMHAS pilots funded by cannabis tax revenues, federal Drug-Free Communities grant via CDC, Local Prevention Council and State Opioid Response grants administered via SAMHSA through The Hub, CT Strategic Prevention Framework Coalitions grant); and (4) charitable contributions through an Annual Fund, designated funds (Prevention, Support Groups, CT Support Group, Treatment Fund, General), AmazonSmile affiliate donations, and community fundraising events including an annual Spinathon and the NYC Marathon charity partnership. Go-to-market combines community-led coalition work, direct-to-consumer outpatient intake (within 48 hours for HUSKY, Cigna, and uninsured clients), sales-led institutional training delivery, and event-driven fundraising and awareness.

Name

Positive Directions

Legal name

Positive Directions - The Center for Prevention and Counseling, Inc.

Website

https://positivedirections.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Positive Directions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit behavioral health organization in Westport, CT, delivering an integrated continuum of community prevention, outpatient counseling, and peer/recovery support to children, teens, adults, and families with mental health and substance use needs across Connecticut.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (62142)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Outpatient Mental Health & Counseling Clinics (HLAFABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs & Supports (EDAJAIAC)

Keywords

• Outpatient mental health
• Substance use counseling
• Suicide prevention training
• Peer support groups
• Community prevention coalitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Westport

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Insurance reimbursements and clinical fees: Reimbursement from commercial insurance (Aetna, Anthem BCBS, Cigna, Golden Rule, Harvard Pilgrim, Oxford Health Plans, UMR, United Healthcare), HUSKY Health/Connecticut Medicaid, Medicare, plus private pay and a sliding-fee scale for outpatient mental health and substance use counseling.
2. Government and foundation grants: Recurring and project-based grants from CT DMHAS (cannabis tax revenues), federal Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant via the CDC, CT Strategic Prevention Framework Coalitions (CSC) grant, Local Prevention Council (LPC) grants, State Opioid Response (SOR) grant via SAMHSA, and partner-administered funding through The Hub to support prevention, coalitions, training, and the Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project.
3. Donations and Treatment Fund contributions: Charitable giving through a donor-supported Treatment Fund (created during COVID-19 to subsidize counseling for those unable to pay), Annual Fund, designated funds for prevention, support groups, and the CT Support Group project.
4. AmazonSmile affiliate donations: Passive fundraising via AmazonSmile charity designation, where 0.5% of eligible Amazon purchases by supporters are donated to Positive Directions (EIN 06-0935732).
5. Fundraising events: Community fundraising events including the 2nd Annual "I Ride for Mental Health" Spinathon at the Westport Weston Family YMCA with a $50,000 goal, and three NYC Marathon runners each with a $3,000 fundraising goal through the New York Road Runners charity partnership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Positive Directions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit behavioral health organization providing an integrated continuum of community prevention, outpatient mental health and substance use counseling, and peer/recovery support to children, teens, adults, and families in Connecticut. Services are delivered in person at its Westport clinic, virtually via Doxy.me teletherapy statewide in CT, and at two local high schools; the organization also sells evidence-based training workshops (QPR, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Narcan, etc.) to schools, employers, and community groups. All counseling accepts HUSKY/Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial insurance with a sliding-fee scale and donor-supported Treatment Fund so no one is turned away for inability to pay.

Product overview

Positive Directions–The Center for Prevention and Counseling is a non-profit behavioral health organization providing a unified continuum of three integrated service lines: Community Prevention (including the Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project and Community Surveys), Outpatient Counseling (with Teletherapy Services delivered via doxy.me), and Peer & Recovery Support (including the Support Groups, One-on-One Peer Support, CT Support Group Project on Discord, and TurningPointCT.org). Founded over 50 years ago and headquartered at 90 Post Road West, Westport, CT, the organization extends its reach through Training Workshops (QPR, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Narcan administration, etc.) and is licensed by the CT Department of Public Health and CT Department of Children and Families. The CT Support Group Project and TurningPointCT.org serve as the digital community platforms connecting the peer support service line with teens and young adults across Connecticut, while the Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project represents the flagship regional prevention initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CT Support Group Project: Online, peer-developed resource for young people in Connecticut, including a Discord platform, website (ctsupportgroup.org), and free one-on-one peer support for teens and young adults.
• TurningPointCT.org
• Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained ~600 middle and high school faculty at Norwalk Public Schools via 19 QPR trainings delivered in 3 days
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship regional partner, core coalition partner, core training partner, core community partner, adjacent community partner, flagship charity partner, minor sponsorship partner, minor creative partner, minor partner, core strategic platform and adjacent government partner.

• The Hub (Catalyst CT)flagship regional partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hub is the state-designated Regional Behavioral Health Action Organization (RBHAO) serving Southwestern CT. Positive Directions works closely with The Hub, which administers state Local Prevention Council (LPC) and State Opioid Response (SOR) grants, provides resources, coordinates quarterly regional meetings, and helps disseminate information regionally.
• The Norwalk Partnership (TNP)core coalition partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPositive Directions leads TNP's data collection, alcohol and marijuana strategies, and website/communications after securing the federal Drug-Free Communities grant in December 2019 and partnering with the Human Services Council.
• Westport Together / Westport Prevention Coalitioncore coalition partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPositive Directions coordinates the Westport Prevention Coalition and serves as fiduciary for the Local Prevention Council (LPC) and State Opioid Response (SOR) grants, operating within a town-school-community partnership.
• Fairfield CARES Community Coalitioncore coalition partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPositive Directions managed the state's CT Strategic Prevention Framework Coalitions (CSC) grant for Fairfield CARES for six years, focused on underage drinking, until the grant closed in June 2021.
• Alcohol & Drug Awareness Program of Weston (ADAP)core coalition partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPositive Directions helped ADAP identify data needs and plan for a youth survey in Weston.
• New Canaan CAREScore coalition partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Canaan CARES (represented by Executive Director Colleen Prostor) participated in the launch of the Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project and is part of the regional prevention coalition network.
• Wilton Youth Councilcore training partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborates with Positive Directions and Catalyst CT | The Hub to offer the free Youth Mental Health First Aid certification training.
• Kids in Crisiscore community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides the TeenTalk program in Norwalk schools, listed as a free counseling resource for students. Also partnered with Positive Directions on QPR trainings at Norwalk Public Schools.
• Liberation Programsadjacent community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered on QPR trainings for Norwalk Public Schools faculty, supporting 19 trainings in 3 days for ~600 faculty.
• Norwalk Health Departmentadjacent community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCoordinated QPR suicide prevention training delivery to almost 600 Norwalk Public Schools faculty.
• TPAUD (The Prevention Alliance Under Drugs, Norwalk)adjacent community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated with Positive Directions on QPR training delivery to Norwalk Public Schools faculty.
• Westport Youth Servicesadjacent community partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartners with Positive Directions to deliver quarterly QPR training to students at Staples High School in junior health classes.
• New York Road Runners (NYRR)flagship charity partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerPositive Directions is one of three official charity partners of New York Road Runners for the TCS New York City Marathon. Three runners (Cam Gaylord, Brian McGarvey, Gianna Affi) each raised funds on behalf of Positive Directions in 2025 with a $3,000 goal per runner; 100% of funds raised support mental health and substance misuse services.
• Rhoneminor sponsorship partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerApparel brand Rhone partnered with Positive Directions to support the NYC Marathon runners raising funds for the organization.
• Habby Design Co.minor creative partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGraphic design partner that designed the revamped CT Support Group website (ctsupportgroup.org), which won a GDUSA Health+Wellness Design Showcase award in 2025.
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)minor partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides Power of Parents presentations to Positive Directions' local prevention coalitions and joint Power of Parents parenting handbooks for high school and middle school parents.
• NAMI Connecticutminor partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presents educational programming and NAMI CT Out of the Abyss suicide support groups; Positive Directions promotes the NAMI CT Educational Conference and Out of the Abyss groups.
• Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes (PAVE)minor partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint vaping prevention webinars and resources promoted through Positive Directions' vaping educational content.
• TurningPointCTcore strategic platformStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurningPointCT.org (Connecticut's online mental wellness resource by and for young people) is housed at Positive Directions, providing a Q&A guide, media room, resource map, podcast, and social platforms, plus an intern team led by Peer Leader Ella Moore.
• Office of the Connecticut Attorney General William Tongadjacent government partnerOthersAttorney General William Tong participated in the Law Enforcement Sector Summit organized through the Mid-Fairfield Youth Cannabis Prevention Project.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Rushford (Hartford HealthCare): Connecticut-based behavioral health provider (part of Hartford HealthCare) offering outpatient and residential substance use treatment, mental health, and prevention. Comparable service lines to Positive Directions but operates as part of a much larger hospital system with broader geographic reach and payor contracts.
• Southwest Community Health Center: Federally Qualified Health Center in Bridgeport, CT providing integrated primary care, behavioral health, and substance use services. Comparable on integrated outpatient behavioral health delivery to underserved populations, but operates at much larger scale and within primary-care infrastructure.

Direct peers

• The Connection Inc. Connecticut non-profit providing behavioral health, substance use, housing, and community justice services statewide. Comparable as a CT community-based non-profit operating outpatient mental health and addiction services with similar state grant funding exposure.
• Family & Children's Aid: Connecticut-based non-profit providing outpatient mental health, substance use, and family services for children and adolescents. Comparable as a CT community mental health non-profit with overlapping youth-focused counseling, prevention, and peer support offerings.
• Clifford Beers Clinic: New Haven, CT-based non-profit outpatient mental health clinic serving children, youth, and families with therapy, prevention, and school-based services. Comparable as a CT community mental health non-profit with similar service lines (counseling, prevention, school-embedded care) and payor mix including HUSKY/Medicaid.
• Liberation Programs: Norwalk, CT-based non-profit providing outpatient and residential substance use treatment, mental health services, and prevention. Directly comparable as a CT-based community behavioral health non-profit operating in the same geography and overlapping on prevention coalition work, counseling, and Norwalk Public Schools partnerships.
• Child & Family Guidance Center: Connecticut-based non-profit outpatient mental health clinic serving children and families. Comparable as a CT outpatient behavioral health non-profit with similar school-embedded service models and DCF-licensed programs.
• Catholic Charities of Fairfield County: Bridgeport, CT-based non-profit providing outpatient mental health counseling, substance use services, and prevention programming in Fairfield County. Comparable as a regional non-profit delivering counseling and prevention services with overlapping geography and payor mix.
• Wheeler Clinic: Connecticut-based non-profit providing outpatient behavioral health, substance use treatment, prevention, and primary care across multiple sites. Comparable as a CT community mental health non-profit with integrated counseling, prevention, and peer support services, plus DCF-licensed programming.

Others

• Turnbridge (now part of Divergent Solutions Group / Boca Recovery Center): Connecticut-origin behavioral health provider offering outpatient and residential substance use and mental health treatment. Comparable on substance use treatment delivery in CT but operates for-profit with broader service lines; serves as adjacent reference point for the CT behavioral health market structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PositiveDirections
• Instagraminstagram.com/positivedrctns
• Xx.com/posdirections

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Positive Directions