Workers Assistance Program

What Workers Assistance Program does

Workers Assistance Program, Inc. (WAP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1977 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, that operates a diversified portfolio of behavioral health, youth development, and community nutrition programs. Its core commercial offering is Alliance Work Partners, a full-service Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing behavioral health counseling, crisis management, and workplace wellness services to enterprise customers through 450+ contracts covering more than 700,000 lives nationwide. The organization also runs Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL), a state-adopted student mentoring elective addressing teen pregnancy, gang participation, and dropout rates; Youth Advocacy, a strength-based youth empowerment program; Child Care Food Program, which administers USDA Child & Adult Care Food Program funding for daycare providers under contract with the State of Oklahoma (since 1999); and Coordinated Training Services under contract with the State of Texas (since 2005).

WAP monetizes primarily through two streams: recurring enterprise EAP subscriptions delivered through Alliance Work Partners, and managed-services contracts with state agencies (Texas Coordinated Training Services / HIV Connection, Oklahoma Child Care Food Program). Distribution combines direct enterprise sales for EAP services, government contract execution, and a network portal recruiting licensed counseling providers as service delivery partners. The technology stack includes what WAP describes as the world's first AI app for an Employee Assistance Program, developed internally under the VP of Technology and Process Improvement. Operationally, WAP employs 51-100 staff across four offices (Austin headquarters plus Houston, Arlington, and Oklahoma City satellites opened in the 1990s) and is currently led by CEO Dwayne Smetzer (since February 2020).

Name

Workers Assistance Program

Legal name

Workers Assistance Program, Inc.

Website

https://workersassistance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Workers Assistance Program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1977 in Austin, Texas, operating the Alliance Work Partners EAP serving 450+ enterprise contracts covering 700,000+ lives nationwide, alongside state-contracted youth mentoring (PAL, Youth Advocacy) and child care nutrition programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Employee Assistance Programs

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Support Services (611710), Community Food Services (624210), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) Management (HLAEAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wellbeing, Mental Health & Employee Assistance (EAP) (BPACAPAO), Behavioral & Mental Health Virtual Care (EAP/Teletherapy) (HLALADAB), Worksite Financial Wellness & Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) (FSAIAMAN), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ)

Keywords

• Employee assistance programs
• Behavioral health services
• Workplace wellness programs
• Youth mentoring services
• Child care nutrition

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts: WAP derives revenue from a wide array of public and private funding sources including government contracts with state agencies such as the State of Texas (Coordinated Training Services, HIV Connection) and State of Oklahoma (Child Care Food Program).
2. Employee Assistance Program Services: Enterprise EAP services provided through Alliance Work Partners to businesses, covering over 700,000 lives nationwide through 450+ contracts.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Workers Assistance Program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) through its Alliance Work Partners division, providing behavioral health, counseling, crisis management, and workplace wellness services to enterprise customers covering 700,000+ lives across 450+ contracts. Beyond EAPs, WAP operates youth mentoring (PAL), youth empowerment (Youth Advocacy), a USDA Child & Adult Care Food Program for day care providers, and statewide prevention training (Coordinated Training Services) under contracts with the State of Texas and the State of Oklahoma.

Product overview

Workers Assistance Program (WAP) is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1977 with a mission to create better workplaces, schools, and communities. WAP operates a diversified portfolio of behavioral health, education, and community support programs. The core product suite includes Alliance Work Partners (a comprehensive Employee Assistance Program), Peer Assistance and Leadership (a state-adopted student mentoring program), Youth Advocacy (strength-based youth empowerment), and the Child Care Food Program (nutrition support for day care providers). Supporting initiatives include Coordinated Training Services and past programs such as Texas HIV Connection. The organization serves enterprise customers and manages over 450 EAP contracts covering 700,000+ lives nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alliance Work Partners: World-class Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) providing workplace behavioral health services, counseling, and wellness programs for enterprise customers.
• PAL (Peer Assistance and Leadership)
• Youth Advocacy
• Child Care Food Program
• Coordinated Training Services

Products and services

• Alliance Work Partners A full-service Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing behavioral health services, workplace counseling, crisis management, and wellness support to enterprise customers, designed to produce healthier, more productive employees and lower healthcare costs.
• Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL) A state-adopted student mentoring program offered as an elective course, designed to combat teen pregnancy, gang participation, and high school dropout rates through peer-based support and leadership development.
• Youth Advocacy A youth empowerment program focused on communication skills, substance-free living, and creating greater opportunities by leveraging client strengths through strength-based approaches; oversees three youth programs under the Youth Advocacy banner.
• Child Care Food Program A nutrition program providing training and food supplement funding to day care providers to assist with compliance with the USDA's Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
• Coordinated Training Services A statewide training service that expands prevention infrastructure guided by technology, research, and quality standard approaches.

Quantifiable outcome

• 450+ EAP contracts covering over 700,000 lives nationwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• State of TexascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with State of Texas for multiple initiatives including Coordinated Training Services contract (awarded 2005), HIV Connection program (contract won 1992), and various behavioral health and education programs. PAL program was adopted by the state as an elective course.
• State of OklahomacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild Care Food Program contract awarded by State of Oklahoma in 1999, providing nutrition training and funding for food supplements to day care providers in compliance with USDA's Child & Adult Care Food Program.
• Union OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAP was originally founded in 1977 out of discussions between labor leaders seeking to combat alcoholism and drug use among union members. Secured first contract with a union that same year.
• Schools and School DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAL (Peer Assistance and Leadership) program adopted by the state as an elective course to fight teen pregnancy, gang participation, and climbing dropout rates. Youth Advocacy programs operate in school settings.
• Licensed Counseling Providers NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of licensed counseling providers with 1+ years of experience who deliver EAP services through the Alliance Work Partners Network Portal. Over 450 EAP contracts managed through this network.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Communities In Schools: Communities In Schools is a national nonprofit that places coordinators inside schools to address dropout prevention, similar to WAP's PAL and Youth Advocacy programs. Comparable in mission and state-contract-driven operating model, though focused exclusively on education.

Direct peers

• CuraLinc Healthcare: CuraLinc Healthcare provides EAP, behavioral health, and wellness programs to employers and educational institutions. Its product mix and target buyer mirror Alliance Work Partners, making it a direct comparable for mid-size EAP RFPs.
• Modern Assistance Programs: Modern Assistance is an independent EAP provider offering counseling, work-life, and concierge services to employer clients. It operates at a similar scale to Alliance Work Partners and competes head-to-head for mid-market enterprise contracts.
• ComPsych: ComPsych is the largest independent employee assistance program provider globally, offering behavioral health, wellness, and work-life services to employers. It directly competes with Alliance Work Partners for enterprise EAP contracts and is the most direct comparable given its nonprofit- and enterprise-focused go-to-market.
• Lyra Health: Lyra Health is a tech-enabled mental health benefits provider serving employers and health plans with EAP-adjacent therapy, coaching, and medication services. It is a direct competitor for modernized EAP contracts and an emerging peer on Alliance Work Partners' tech-first AI roadmap.
• Workplace Options: Workplace Options is one of the largest independent EAP and total-wellness providers globally, serving millions of employees across 80+ countries. Comparable to WAP in its enterprise contract-driven EAP business but operating at significantly greater international scale.
• FEI Behavioral Health: FEI Behavioral Health is an EAP, managed behavioral health, and workforce-wellness provider serving employers, government agencies, and communities. It overlaps with WAP's mix of enterprise EAP and state-contracted prevention services.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Boys & Girls Clubs of America is a large national nonprofit delivering youth development programming, including substance-abuse prevention and mentoring. Relevant adjacent comparison for WAP's Youth Advocacy initiative in scale, funding mix, and youth-outcomes orientation.
• Evernorth Behavioral Health (Cigna): Evernorth is Cigna's health services portfolio, including a major EAP and managed behavioral health book bundled with health plan contracts. It is a broader incumbent whose EAP offering competes with Alliance Work Partners for large employer relationships.
• Optum Behavioral Health (UnitedHealth Group): Optum is UnitedHealth Group's health services arm, with a substantial managed behavioral health and EAP business tied to UnitedHealthcare plans. A broad incumbent that competes with WAP for fully insured and self-funded employer mental health benefits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wapinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/WorkersAssistanceProgram
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/workers-assistance-program

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Workers Assistance Program