Center for Applied Research Solutions
Center for Applied Research Solutions is a Santa Rosa-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 that delivers training, technical assistance, consulting, evaluation, and event planning to government agencies, schools, and community organizations across California, Maryland, Georgia, and nationally, supported by federal and state grants plus a 600-consultant expert network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersSanta Rosa, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Center for Applied Research Solutions does
Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2001 and headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, that delivers training, technical assistance, coaching, consulting, evaluation, project management, product and resource development, and event planning for behavioral health, mental health, crisis response, school-based mental health, and community wellness initiatives. The organization operates a portfolio of distinct federally and state-funded programs rather than a unified software product, including the SAMHSA-funded National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health (NTTAC), the Medi-Cal Mobile Crisis Training and Technical Assistance Center (M-TAC), the Behavioral Health Student Services Act Statewide Technical Assistance Coordinator (STAC), the California Community Colleges Health and Wellness Program (CCC H&W), Advance Behavioral Health Prevention California (ABHPC), the California Reducing Disparities Project LGBTQ TA Center (CRDP), the Maryland Prevention Exchange (MDE), and the Georgia Comprehensive Suicide Prevention project, complemented by the CARS Learning Exchange online community and signature events such as the Life After Loss summit.
CARS generates revenue exclusively through government grants and contracts and foundation support, with primary funders including SAMHSA, the CDC, the California Department of Health Care Services, the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, the California Commission for Behavioral Health, the California Department of Public Health, the Georgia Department of Public Health, the Maryland Department of Health, and foundations such as the Gerbode Foundation, Duke Endowment, Bainum Family Foundation, and Archewell. Services are provided at no cost to funded grantees and partner organizations, distributed via direct-to-government delivery channels across all 58 California counties, 116 California community colleges, the state of Maryland, the state of Georgia, and nationally. There is no proprietary technology product; core delivery capability rests on a staff of 50+ employees supported by a network of over 600 subject-matter expert consultants who collectively deliver more than 400 training events annually.
The go-to-market motion is relationship-based business development into restricted federal and state RFP processes, with a public "Request a Call" intake form on the company website as the primary inbound channel and active outreach via organic social, newsletters, virtual conferences, and the CARS Learning Exchange community. The organization operates independently with no parent company and no subsidiaries, and audited financial statements are available on its Federal Reporting Requirements page while specific revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.
Center for Applied Research Solutions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Center for Applied Research Solutions
- Legal name
- Center for Applied Research Solutions, Inc.
- Website
- https://cars-rp.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Center for Applied Research Solutions is a Santa Rosa-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 that delivers training, technical assistance, consulting, evaluation, and event planning to government agencies, schools, and community organizations across California, Maryland, Georgia, and nationally, supported by federal and state grants plus a 600-consultant expert network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Center for Applied Research Solutions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Behavioral Health Training and Technical Assistance
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Behavioral Health & Substance Use Public Health Programs (BPAIAJAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Behavioral Health & Substance Use Program Funding (Public Health) (HLAJALAI), Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF)
Keywords
Where Center for Applied Research Solutions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Rosa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Center for Applied Research Solutions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Contracts: CARS is primarily funded through grants and contracts with federal agencies (SAMHSA, CDC), California state agencies (DHCS, Department of Public Health, Community Colleges Chancellor's Office), and other government entities. These fund various initiatives including NTTAC, M-TAC, ABHPC, CCC Health & Wellness, and others.
- Foundation Funding: CARS receives support from foundations including the Gerbode Foundation, Duke Endowment, Bainum Family Foundation, Archewell, and others for specific programs and initiatives.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Center for Applied Research Solutions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CARS delivers no-cost training, coaching, technical assistance, evaluation, project management, and event planning services to government agencies, schools, and community organizations working in behavioral health, mental health, substance use prevention, suicide prevention, crisis response, and student wellbeing. Services are funded through federal and state government grants and contracts (including SAMHSA, CDC, and California state agencies) and through foundation support, and are provided at no cost to downstream grantees and participants.
Product overview
Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS) operates as a training and technical assistance organization, not a traditional software product company. CARS delivers a portfolio of federally and state-funded programs and initiatives focused on behavioral health, mental health, crisis response, and community wellness. The core offerings include: ABHPC (Advance Behavioral Health Prevention California) for substance use prevention TTA; CCC H&W for California community college student wellness support; M-TAC for Medi-Cal mobile crisis implementation; NTTAC as a national child and family mental health resource; STAC for California student behavioral health services; CRDP LGBTQ TA Center for culturally responsive mental health support; and MDE for Maryland prevention initiatives. These programs are complemented by platforms including the CARS Learning Exchange (online community hub) and The Collaborative (resource and implementation platform), along with signature events like Life After Loss. CARS does not offer a unified software platform but rather distinct, federally-funded program streams that provide training, technical assistance, resources, and virtual learning communities to behavioral health professionals, educators, and community organizations across California, Maryland, Georgia, and nationally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Behavioral Health Student Services Act Statewide Technical Assistance Coordinator (STAC): Project providing training and technical assistance for California Behavioral Health Student Support Services Act grantees.
- National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health (NTTAC)
- Medi-Cal Mobile Crisis Training and Technical Assistance Center (M-TAC)
- The Maryland Prevention Exchange (MDE)
- Advance Behavioral Health Prevention California (ABHPC)
- California Reducing Disparities Project LGBTQ TA Center (CRDP)
- California Community Colleges Health & Wellness Program (CCC H&W)
- CARS Learning Exchange
- The Collaborative for Child, Family, and Community Wellbeing
Products and services
- Advance Behavioral Health Prevention California (ABHPC) A California-focused behavioral health prevention program providing training, technical assistance, and capacity-building services to community-based grantees and prevention providers. Funded through state contracts and delivered to downstream organizations at no cost.
- California Community Colleges Health & Wellness (CCC H&W) A statewide initiative providing training, technical assistance, and resources to support student mental health and wellness across the California Community Colleges system. Designed for community college administrators, faculty, and student support staff.
- Medi-Cal Mobile Crisis Training and Technical Assistance Center (M-TAC) A training and technical assistance center that supports California's Medi-Cal mobile crisis response initiative by building capacity among county behavioral health agencies, providers, and first responders implementing mobile crisis services.
- National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health (NTTAC) A nationally scoped training and technical assistance center providing coaching, training, and resources to grantees serving children, youth, and families in mental health programs. Designed for community-based providers and family-serving organizations.
- Behavioral Health Student Services Act Statewide Technical Assistance Coordinator (STAC) Statewide technical assistance coordination for California's Behavioral Health Student Services Act, supporting K-12 schools and districts in implementing student behavioral health services. Delivered to school districts and county offices of education at no cost.
- California Reducing Disparities Project LGBTQ TA Center (CRDP) A technical assistance center operating under California's Reducing Disparities Project, focused on building capacity of LGBTQ+-serving behavioral health providers and addressing mental health disparities in LGBTQ+ communities.
- Maryland Prevention Exchange (MDE) A Maryland statewide prevention program providing training, technical assistance, and peer-learning opportunities for substance use and suicide prevention providers across the state.
- Georgia Expansion of Comprehensive Suicide Prevention (CSP) A CDC-funded comprehensive suicide prevention initiative delivered in Georgia, providing training, technical assistance, and program support to community-based suicide prevention grantees and partners.
- School Crisis Recovery & Renewal Project (SCRR) A project providing training, coaching, and resources to schools and districts recovering from crisis events, supporting renewal of student mental health and school climate supports.
- Pacific Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (Pacific Southwest MHTTC) A SAMHSA-funded regional Mental Health Technology Transfer Center serving HHS Region 9 (Pacific Southwest), providing training, technical assistance, and resource development to mental health providers, schools, and community organizations across the region.
- The Collaborative for Child, Family, and Community Wellbeing A cross-sector collaborative convened by CARS to advance evidence-informed practices in child, family, and community wellbeing, offering convenings, training, and shared learning opportunities for participating organizations.
- CARS Learning Exchange An online community platform operated by CARS that hosts training resources, recorded learning events, discussion spaces, and peer-learning opportunities for grantees and program participants across its behavioral health, prevention, and crisis response programs.
- Coaching & Consulting Services A core service line providing individualized and team-based coaching and consulting to government agencies, community organizations, and behavioral health providers on program design, implementation, and capacity-building.
- Workshops & Trainings
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 400 training events every year and thousands of hours of customized support
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Center for Applied Research Solutions
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Center for Applied Research Solutions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Center for Applied Research Solutions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- California School-Based Health Alliance (CSHA)coreCARS partners with CSHA to implement the Behavioral Health Student Services Act (BHSSA) Statewide TA Center (STAC), working to foster stronger school-community behavioral health partnerships across California's 58 counties.
- California Commission for Behavioral HealthcoreThe Commission for Behavioral Health (formerly MHSOAC) provides grant funding through BHSSA to 58 California counties and serves as the funder for the STAC project administered by CARS.
- Maryland Department of Health (MDH)coreCARS operates the Maryland Prevention Exchange in partnership with MDH to provide training, tools, and hands-on support to help local teams plan, implement, and strengthen prevention strategies.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)coreCDC funds Georgia's Comprehensive Suicide Prevention project through which CARS provides technical assistance, project management, and communications support.
- Clayton County Health DistrictsupportingPartner in Georgia Comprehensive Suicide Prevention project supporting suicide prevention efforts.
- California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)coreDHCS contracted with CARS to implement the Medi-Cal Mobile Crisis Training and Technical Assistance Center (M-TAC), ensuring all California counties are prepared to develop and implement mobile crisis response teams meeting federal standards.
- SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)coreFunded NTTAC project supporting individuals and organizations working to improve mental health outcomes for children, youth, and young adults (ages 0-21) and their families through training, technical assistance, and collaboration.
- Change MatrixsupportingPartner organization supporting NTTAC in providing training and technical assistance for child, youth, and family mental health.
- University of Texas at Austin TIEMHsupportingPartner in NTTAC collaborative efforts for child, youth, and family mental health systems.
- Thrive Center for Children, Families, and CommunitiessupportingPartner organization in NTTAC network supporting children, youth, and families.
- MedStar Georgetown University HospitalsupportingPartner in NTTAC supporting child, youth, and family mental health systems.
- Youth MOVE NationalsupportingPartner organization championing youth voice and partnership in mental health systems through NTTAC.
- American Academy of PediatricssupportingPartner in NTTAC supporting pediatric and child health integration in mental health systems.
- FREDLAsupportingPartner organization in NTTAC focused on family-driven, youth-guided care.
- California Department of Public Health (CDPH)coreCDPH/OHE administers CRDP funded through MHSA, with CARS providing technical assistance to six grantee organizations implementing community-defined evidence programs for LGBTQ+ mental health.
- LGBTQ TA Center GranteescoreSix grantee organizations: The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity, Gender Health Center, LGBTQ Connection, Openhouse, San Francisco Community Health Center, and San Joaquin Pride Center implementing mental health programs for LGBTQ+ populations.
- California Community Colleges Chancellor's OfficecoreLong-standing partnership since 2012 supporting the 116 California community colleges in identifying, implementing, and sustaining strategies for addressing student health, mental health, wellness, and basic needs.
- John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY)supportingPartner in CCC Health & Wellness initiatives supporting students, particularly high-priority populations such as foster youth.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Center for Applied Research Solutions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Council for Mental Wellbeing: Membership and TA organization serving behavioral health providers and state agencies with training, consulting, and capacity-building — closely aligned with CARS' behavioral health training and workforce focus.
- Education Development Center (EDC): Large nonprofit that delivers SAMHSA-funded training and technical assistance centers and behavioral health workforce programs nationally. Operates similar TTA/TA-center business model to CARS across health, education, and youth systems.
- JBS International: Mid-sized research and TA firm that has operated SAMHSA-funded TA centers and behavioral health workforce programs; mirrors CARS' mission-driven, grant-funded model at similar scale.
- OMNI Research & Training Institute: Research and TA nonprofit that has operated SAMHSA Addiction Technology Transfer Centers and related behavioral health training contracts — comparable grant-funded TA delivery model.
Broad incumbents
- Abt Associates: Global research and consulting firm with substantial public health and behavioral health TA practice. Regularly bids on SAMHSA- and HHS-funded evaluation and TA programs that overlap with CARS' offerings.
- Westat: Employee-owned research and TA firm with deep SAMHSA, CDC, and state health agency contract experience. Competes for the same TA center and evaluation procurements as CARS.
- American Institutes for Research (AIR): Large behavioral and social science research firm that regularly competes for SAMHSA TA center and federal behavioral health contracts. Comparable scope to CARS but at significantly greater scale and breadth.
- ICF International: Public-sector consulting firm with large health and human services practice delivering training, TA, and program support to federal and state agencies — direct overlap with CARS' go-to-market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Center for Applied Research Solutions social profiles
Digital presenceCenter for Applied Research Solutions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Center for Applied Research Solutions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Center for Applied Research Solutions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Center for Applied Research Solutions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Center for Applied Research Solutions
What does Center for Applied Research Solutions do?
CARS delivers no-cost training, coaching, technical assistance, evaluation, project management, and event planning services to government agencies, schools, and community organizations working in behavioral health, mental health, substance use prevention, suicide prevention, crisis response, and student wellbeing. Services are funded through federal and state government grants and contracts (including SAMHSA, CDC, and California state agencies) and through foundation support, and are provided at no cost to downstream grantees and participants.
Is Center for Applied Research Solutions a public or private company?
Center for Applied Research Solutions is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Center for Applied Research Solutions founded?
Center for Applied Research Solutions was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Center for Applied Research Solutions based?
Center for Applied Research Solutions is headquartered in Santa Rosa, United States, in the North America region.
How does Center for Applied Research Solutions make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Contracts are the primary driver. The others are foundation Funding.
Who are Center for Applied Research Solutions's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Education Development Center (EDC), JBS International and OMNI Research & Training Institute. Broad incumbents are Abt Associates, Westat, American Institutes for Research (AIR) and ICF International.
Does Center for Applied Research Solutions have an API?
No public API is recorded for Center for Applied Research Solutions.
What industry is Center for Applied Research Solutions in?
Center for Applied Research Solutions's product category is Behavioral Health Training and Technical Assistance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAJAK, Behavioral Health & Substance Use Public Health Programs, with a secondary code of HLAJALAI, Behavioral Health & Substance Use Program Funding (Public Health). Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.