Families First Counseling Services
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersWaterloo, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Families First Counseling Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Families First Counseling Services
- Legal name
- Families First Counseling Services, LLC
- Website
- https://families-first.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Families First Counseling Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Family and Behavioral Health Counseling Services
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Home Visiting & Parent Coaching Programs (EDACALAC), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH), Parent Mental Health, Stress Management & Wellness Programs (EDACALAJ)
Keywords
Where Families First Counseling Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Waterloo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices17 records
Markets served
Families First Counseling Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Funded Services (Title XIX/Medicaid): Primary revenue stream from Title XIX (Medicaid) funding for services delivered to families involved with child welfare systems. Services include Behavioral Health Intervention Services, Family Centered Services, and Integrated Health Home services.
- Commercial Insurance: Revenue from accepted insurance carriers including Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, United Health Care, Cigna, Iowa Total Care, Wellpoint, and Molina for in-office therapy services.
- Private Pay: Self-pay clients with services provided on a sliding-fee scale basis for those without insurance coverage.
- Department of Human Services Contracts: Contracted provider for Iowa Department of Human Services to deliver child welfare services including SafeCare, family centered services, and other evidence-based programming.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Title XIX/Medicaid Funded Services |
| Subscription | Monthly | Commercial Insurance |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Private Pay with Sliding Scale |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Families First Counseling Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Families First Counseling Services provides in-office and in-home counseling, therapy, and behavioral health services for children, adolescents, adults, and families across Iowa. Core offerings include Behavioral Health Intervention Services (BHIS), Family Centered Services (FCS), In-Office Therapy (IOT), an Integrated Health Home Program (IHH), and a Kinship Resources/Navigation program, delivered through 16+ offices spanning 54–57 Iowa counties.
Product overview
Families First Counseling Services operates as a unified family-based counseling and child welfare agency offering a coordinated portfolio of core in-home, in-office, and community-based services. The core service suite includes Behavioral Health Intervention Services (BHIS), Family Centered Services (FCS), In-Office Therapy, the Integrated Health Home Program (IHH), and Kinship Resources/Kinship Navigation. Overlaid on these services are six Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) therapy modules — EMDR, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Nurturing Parents Program (NPP), Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), SafeCare, and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) — which are integrated into the core service delivery rather than sold as standalone products. The agency delivers these services across 16+ offices in Iowa covering 54+ counties, serving nearly 2,500 children and families.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Behavioral Health Intervention Services (BHIS)
- Family Centered Services (FCS)
- In-Office Therapy (IOT)
- Integrated Health Home Program (IHH)
- Kinship Resources / Kinship Navigation Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 2,500 children and families served in Iowa
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Families First Counseling Services
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Families First Counseling Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
Families First Counseling Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Grand View UniversityminorEducational partnership offering discounted tuition opportunities to Families First Counseling Services employees who wish to further their academic studies and education in the human services field.
- Mount Mercy UniversityminorEducational partnership providing continuing education opportunities and discounted tuition for Families First employees pursuing careers in human services. Hanna Hofmeister previously served as adjunct faculty at Mount Mercy University's Social Work Program.
- Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)coreDawn Lynes maintains outstanding partnerships with HHS, juvenile court and other community partners. Agency has contract with Department of Human Services to provide services to families with information exchange between agencies.
- Iowa Department of Human ServicescorePrimary government contracting partner. Families First provides child welfare services under contract with DHS. Contract allows/mandates staff to exchange information with DHS staff including quarterly/progress reports and summary letters.
- Families Helping Families Clothing ClosetminorLocal Cedar Rapids organization providing clothing to low-income families. Families First employees volunteer time and talents, assisting with fundraising events that raise money for the organization.
- Magellan Health ServicescoreEvaluates Families First to ensure standards are met for providing appropriate services to families in Iowa as part of contract monitoring.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Families First Counseling Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tanager Place: Cedar Rapids behavioral health and child welfare agency (formerly Hillcrest Family Services). Directly comparable in services, geography, and target population, with a long history of Iowa DHS contracting.
- YSS (Youth & Shelter Services): Iowa-based youth and family services agency providing counseling, shelter, and behavioral health intervention services. Comparable in mission, EBP delivery, and DHS referral pathways.
- Orchard Place: Des Moines-based child mental health agency providing outpatient therapy, residential treatment, and school-based services. Comparable as an Iowa-focused child and family behavioral health provider serving DHS-referred youth.
- Four Oaks: Cedar Rapids-headquartered child welfare, behavioral health, and juvenile justice agency serving Iowa and Wisconsin. Comparable scale and service mix, including residential, in-home, and counseling programs.
- Children & Families of Iowa: Iowa-based nonprofit providing child welfare, counseling, and family preservation services. Directly comparable as a DHS-contracted provider offering in-home family services, therapy, and advocacy across the state.
- Lutheran Services in Iowa: One of Iowa's largest human services agencies providing child welfare, family services, and behavioral health programs statewide. Comparable in scale, mission, and DHS contracting posture to Families First, with overlapping service lines in BHIS, FCS, and kinship support.
Regional players
- ChildServe: Iowa-based pediatric rehabilitation and behavioral health provider serving children with special healthcare needs. Comparable in pediatric focus and Iowa presence, with a stronger specialty medical orientation.
- Crittenton Center: Sioux City-based child welfare and family services agency providing residential, in-home, and counseling programs. Comparable as a western Iowa provider of DHS-contracted family services.
- Boys & Girls Home of Iowa: Iowa residential and community-based services provider for children and families involved with the child welfare system. Comparable in DHS contracting and family-centered services orientation.
Emerging players
- Brightlife Catalysts: Iowa-based behavioral health and human services operator scaling EBP-driven in-home and community services across the Midwest. Comparable in evidence-based practice orientation and Iowa DHS contracting model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Families First Counseling Services social profiles
Digital presenceFamilies First Counseling Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Families First Counseling Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Families First Counseling Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Families First Counseling Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Families First Counseling Services 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 Families First Counseling Services
What does Families First Counseling Services do?
Families First Counseling Services provides in-office and in-home counseling, therapy, and behavioral health services for children, adolescents, adults, and families across Iowa. Core offerings include Behavioral Health Intervention Services (BHIS), Family Centered Services (FCS), In-Office Therapy (IOT), an Integrated Health Home Program (IHH), and a Kinship Resources/Navigation program, delivered through 16+ offices spanning 54–57 Iowa counties.
Is Families First Counseling Services a public or private company?
Families First Counseling Services is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Families First Counseling Services founded?
Families First Counseling Services was founded in 2002. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Families First Counseling Services based?
Families First Counseling Services is headquartered in Waterloo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Families First Counseling Services make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Funded Services (Title XIX/Medicaid) is the primary driver. The others are commercial Insurance, private Pay and department of Human Services Contracts.
Who are Families First Counseling Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tanager Place, YSS (Youth & Shelter Services), Orchard Place, Four Oaks, Children & Families of Iowa and Lutheran Services in Iowa. Regional players are ChildServe, Crittenton Center and Boys & Girls Home of Iowa. Brightlife Catalysts is listed as an emerging player.
Does Families First Counseling Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Families First Counseling Services.
What industry is Families First Counseling Services in?
Families First Counseling Services's product category is Family and Behavioral Health Counseling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAC, Family & Parenting Support Services, with a secondary code of EDACALAC, Home Visiting & Parent Coaching Programs. Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8300.