Brightli

What Brightli does

Brightli is a U.S. nonprofit behavioral health organization headquartered in Springfield, Missouri (now operating under the Centerstone name from Nashville, Tennessee following its November 2025 merger). Formed in January 2022 as a parent company for Burrell Behavioral Health and Preferred Family Healthcare, Brightli operates a hub-and-spoke model in which independent subsidiaries — Burrell Behavioral Health, Preferred Family Healthcare, Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health, Places for People, Adult & Child Health, Firefly Supported Living & Employment Services, Clarity Healthcare, Brightli Medical Group, and the Brightli Foundation — retain local boards and brands while sharing administrative, recruiting, IT, and capital resources. Post-merger with Centerstone, the combined entity is the largest nonprofit behavioral health provider in the United States, serving approximately 250,000 clients annually across 360+ outpatient, inpatient, residential, and school-based locations in nine states with more than 10,000 team members.

The organization's core delivery platform is an integrated care network spanning mental health services, substance use disorder treatment (including medication-assisted treatment), psychiatric care, crisis stabilization, primary care, dental care, pharmacy, and developmental disability services. Underlying infrastructure includes the Brightli Medical Group (330 staff including 110 medical providers delivering 92,000+ psychiatry, 7,500+ addiction medicine, and 4,500+ medical stabilization services annually), telehealth delivery (including Centerstone's 1,500+ provider international network), school-based clinical services in 1,500+ K-12 schools, and a 24-hour multi-region crisis hotline. Subsidiaries hold CCBHC, CMHC, and CBHO regulatory designations that unlock prospective-payment reimbursement.

Revenue is generated primarily through government and third-party payer reimbursements — Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurance, CCBHC prospective payment systems, and grants — plus philanthropic contributions via the Brightli Foundation. Combined Brightli-Centerstone annual revenue is approximately $1.1 billion. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; services are offered on a sliding scale and regardless of ability to pay, consistent with the nonprofit mission. Distribution is direct-to-patient through clinical facilities with limited traditional sales motion; growth has been driven primarily by mergers and affiliations (25+ in Brightli's history) rather than organic expansion.

Name

Brightli

Legal name

Brightli, Inc.

Website

https://livebrightli.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Brightli is the largest U.S. nonprofit behavioral health provider, operating a parent-company network of subsidiaries that deliver mental health, substance use, primary care, and developmental disability services to roughly 250,000 clients annually across nine states post its November 2025 merger with Centerstone.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Community-Based Preventive & Health Promotion Clinics (HLAFAGAO)

Keywords

• Behavioral health services
• Mental health treatment
• Addiction recovery services
• Substance use disorder care
• Community health centers

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Behavioral Health and Addiction Treatment Services: Revenue is generated from providing mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, psychiatric care, crisis stabilization, primary care, dental services, pharmacy, and developmental disability services across outpatient, residential, and inpatient settings. As a nonprofit behavioral health provider, revenue comes primarily from government contracts, Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance reimbursements.
2. CCBHC (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic) Revenue: Under the CCBHC model, Brightli benefits from prospective payment systems (PPS) that provide guaranteed reimbursement rates, driving revenue growth. Burrell's first five years under CCBHC saw total revenue grow by 125%.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Brightli operates a nonprofit behavioral health delivery network providing mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, psychiatric care, crisis stabilization, primary care, dental care, pharmacy, and developmental disability services. Services are delivered through a parent-subsidiary model spanning outpatient clinics, residential programs, school-based care, telehealth, and inpatient hospital settings across 360+ locations in nine U.S. states.

Product overview

Brightli is a parent company operating one of the largest nonprofit behavioral health and addiction treatment provider networks in the U.S. The company operates under a multi-subsidiary model where independent organizations (Burrell Behavioral Health, Preferred Family Healthcare, Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health, Firefly Supported Living & Employment Services, Adult & Child Health, Places for People, Clarity Healthcare, and Brightli Foundation) collaborate under shared governance while maintaining independent operations. The portfolio includes mental health services, substance use treatment, primary care, dental care, pharmacy solutions, crisis stabilization, developmental disability services, and specialized programs. Brightli Medical Group serves as the core medical services arm providing integrated healthcare across psychiatry, addiction medicine, medical stabilization, and primary care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Burrell's revenue grew by 125% in first five years under CCBHC model; clients served grew by 163% with 1,000 employees added
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• CenterstoneflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Brightli and Centerstone completed a merger by November 2025, creating the largest nonprofit behavioral health care provider in the United States. The combined organization serves nearly 250,000 clients annually with more than 10,000 team members across 9 U.S. states. Brightli adopted the Centerstone name and brand. Centerstone's CEO David C. Guth, Jr. leads the merged entity until January 2027 when Brightli CEO C.J. Davis becomes CEO.
• 37 North ExpeditionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 January 2025Brightli's nature therapy program partners with 37 North Expeditions, a Springfield-based nature guide and experience service. The partnership provides therapeutic outdoor excursions for Burrell Behavioral Health and Preferred Family Healthcare clients with a 3:1 client-to-staff ratio. 177 clients from Greene County participated in nature excursions in 2024.
• Community Foundation of the OzarksminorOthers · 7 January 2025The Community Foundation of the Ozarks awarded Brightli Foundation a $10,000 Everyone Outdoors Grant to expand Brightli's nature therapy program in southwest Missouri. The grant ceremony took place at the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks offices.
• Places for PeoplecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Places for People (St. Louis-based) partnered with Brightli to join its network, forming Brightli's Greater St. Louis Region alongside Preferred Family Healthcare. Places for People serves approximately 2,800-3,150 clients annually with ~360 employees across St. Louis City and County. It is one of the few Certified Community Behavioral Health Organizations (CBHO) in St. Louis. Tony Hilkin serves as CEO of Places for People and President of Brightli's Greater St. Louis Region.
• Adult & Child HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Indianapolis-based Adult & Child Health (A&C), a state-designated Community Mental Health Center (CMHC), joined Brightli as of March 1, 2024. A&C serves downtown Indianapolis, greater Marion and Johnson counties, and central Indiana. A&C retains its board of directors and continues operating under its name. Indiana was selected as one of 10 states for the federal CCBHC demonstration project.
• Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health (SEMOBH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health joined Brightli, Inc. as a member organization, serving southeast and east-central Missouri from home offices in Farmington and clinical hubs in Salem and Poplar Bluff. SEMOBH employs more than 200 staff and specializes in individualized treatment for substance-use disorders, psychiatric and behavioral health, community services, and employment services. Dr. Barron Pratte led SEMOBH since 1978.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Universal Health Services: UHS is a large diversified hospital operator with a significant Behavioral Health segment (~30+ inpatient facilities) plus acute care hospitals. It competes with Brightli's inpatient and residential behavioral health services as part of a much broader healthcare portfolio.
• HCA Healthcare: HCA is the largest US for-profit hospital operator with behavioral health units integrated into its acute care hospitals. It competes with Brightli in inpatient psychiatric care and crisis stabilization services as part of a much broader hospital portfolio.
• Ascension Health: Ascension is one of the largest US nonprofit Catholic health systems, operating hospitals and behavioral health services across many states. It is a broad incumbent competitor to Brightli's integrated nonprofit health delivery model in overlapping geographies.

Others

• Carelon Behavioral Health (formerly Beacon Health Options): Carelon Behavioral Health is a managed behavioral health care company that administers BH benefits on behalf of health plans and manages provider networks. It is a payer-side partner/competitor to Brightli that influences reimbursement and network participation economics.

Direct peers

• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: Hazelden Betty Ford is a leading nonprofit addiction treatment provider offering residential, outpatient, and extended care services. It directly competes with Brightli's substance use disorder and addiction recovery programs, particularly for higher-acuity patients.
• Centerstone: Centerstone was a direct peer and the second-largest US nonprofit behavioral health provider before merging with Brightli in November 2025. It operated similar mental health, substance use disorder, and community-based services across multiple states, making it a near-perfect comparator prior to merger.
• BayMark Health Services: BayMark is the largest US provider of medication-assisted treatment and outpatient addiction recovery services, directly competing with Brightli's addiction medicine, MAT, and substance use disorder programs across multiple states.
• Acadia Healthcare: Acadia is the largest publicly traded pure-play behavioral health provider in the US, operating inpatient psychiatric facilities and residential treatment centers. It is a direct competitor for psychiatric and addiction treatment services across the same patient populations Brightli serves.

Emerging players

• Discovery Behavioral Health: Discovery Behavioral Health operates residential and outpatient mental health and eating disorder treatment programs. It is an emerging for-profit competitor overlapping with Brightli's residential behavioral health and adolescent/youth services.
• Wellpath: Wellpath provides integrated medical and behavioral health services to correctional facilities, vulnerable populations, and community settings. It overlaps with Brightli's publicly funded, underserved-population segments and integrated care model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LiveBrightli

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Subsidiaries10 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 Brightli