Carelon Behavioral Health

What Carelon Behavioral Health does

Carelon Behavioral Health is a managed behavioral healthcare organization and wholly-owned subsidiary of Elevance Health (NYSE: ELV), formerly Anthem, founded in 1984 as Beacon Health Options and rebranded under the Carelon brand in 2022. The company provides managed behavioral health and substance use disorder services to health plans, employers, government agencies, and providers, serving more than 61 million members across all 50 states through a network of 150,000+ providers. Its service portfolio spans managed behavioral healthcare administration, employee assistance programs (Carelon Wellbeing and the Lyra-powered Workforce Mental Health Complete), federal services for military service members, veterans and their families, specialty care for autism spectrum disorder, eating disorders, serious mental illness and substance use disorders, and crisis response through the Crisis Center of Excellence.

The company's technology footprint is built around three proprietary portals: ProviderConnect and eServices (delivered through the Availity platform) for provider enrollment, eligibility verification, claims submission and authorization; ClientConnect for third-party payers to upload files, review authorizations and manage claims; and mobile applications for end-members. Crisis operations rely on 24/7 contact-center technology supporting phone, text and chat-based de-escalation under National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988) standards. Carelon maintains multiple accreditations including NCQA MBHO across state-level subsidiaries, NCQA Utilization Management and Health Equity accreditations, AAS Crisis Intervention Center status, ICH helpline accreditation (2024), and CMS QIO-like entity certification in Massachusetts.

Revenue is generated through B2B enterprise contracts — managed services arrangements with health plans, subscription-based EAP contracts with employers (including 20+ Fortune 500 clients), and government contracts for federal/military behavioral health. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Carelon does not separately disclose subsidiary-level revenue and operates as part of Elevance Health's Carelon services portfolio, with no independent funding activity reported.

Name

Carelon Behavioral Health

Legal name

Carelon Behavioral Health, Inc.

Website

https://carelonbehavioralhealth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Carelon Behavioral Health is a managed behavioral healthcare subsidiary of Elevance Health that delivers mental health, substance use, and crisis services to health plans, employers, and government agencies across all 50 states through a 150,000+ provider network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Managed Behavioral Healthcare Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health Benefit Administration (MBHO Core) (HLAEAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Behavioral Health & Neurocognitive Therapeutics (Digital) (HLACANAI)

Keywords

• Managed behavioral healthcare
• Employee assistance programs
• Mental health crisis services
• Behavioral health network management
• Specialty behavioral care

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashburn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Managed Behavioral Healthcare: Provides managed behavioral health services to health plans, including utilization management, care coordination, and network management for mental health and substance use disorder benefits.
2. Government Contracts: Delivers behavioral health solutions to federal government, military service members, veterans, and their families through government contracts.
3. Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Provides EAP services to employers including confidential counseling, work-life resources, and organizational services for workplace wellness.
4. Workforce Mental Health Complete: Premium mental well-being benefits program for employers combining Lyra's clinical model with Carelon's work-life services, crisis response, and case coordination.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Carelon Behavioral Health provides managed behavioral healthcare services including utilization management, care coordination, network management, and specialty behavioral health programs for mental health and substance use disorder benefits. The company delivers these services to health plans, employers, government agencies, and federal/military clients through a national network of 150K+ providers, digital self-service platforms (ProviderConnect, eServices, ClientConnect), crisis contact centers, and Employee Assistance Programs. Its portfolio includes Carelon Wellbeing (EAP), Workforce Mental Health Complete (premium EAP), Carelon Health Federal Services, specialty care for autism, eating disorders, serious mental illness, and substance use disorders, as well as crisis line and mobile crisis response services.

Product overview

Carelon Behavioral Health is a behavioral healthcare company offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services including Carelon Wellbeing (EAP), Workforce Mental Health Complete (premium EAP), Specialty Care Services (ASD, eating disorders, peer support, SMI, SDoH, SUD programs), Crisis Solutions (crisis line, mobile response, ASO), and Carelon Health Federal Services. The company operates through provider portals including ProviderConnect and eServices for network providers, and ClientConnect for third-party payers. These offerings are built on a foundation of 40+ years of experience serving over 61 million members across all 50 states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crisis Center of Excellence: Nationally recognized crisis response services providing superior coordination, prevention, and oversight including crisis line services, mobile crisis units, and stabilization centers.
• Carelon Wellbeing
• Carelon Health Federal Services
• Workforce Mental Health Complete

Products and services

• Carelon Wellbeing Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing confidential counseling, work-life resources, and digital tools for everyday issues including stress, anxiety, depression, financial concerns, and substance use disorders. Sold to employers as a workforce well-being benefit.
• Workforce Mental Health Complete Premium mental health solution co-developed with Lyra Health, offering faster access to therapy, coaching, crisis support, work-life services, and digital tools for whole-person mental well-being. Sold to employers as an upgrade to traditional EAP offerings.
• Carelon Health Federal Services Behavioral health services for military service members, veterans, and families including screening, counseling, psychiatry, crisis support, peer services, and non-medical counseling for deployment, reintegration, and family support. Delivered to federal government and military clients through contracts.
• Specialty Care Services Tailored specialty behavioral health care including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) services, Child/Young Adult/Family Services, Eating Disorders treatment, Peer Support, Serious Mental Illness (SMI) program, Social Drivers of Health (SDoH) program, and Substance Use Disorders (SUD) program. Available to health plan and employer clients.
• Crisis Solutions Comprehensive crisis response system including 24/7 crisis contact centers, mobile crisis units, stabilization facilities, crisis system oversight, and crisis Administrative Services Organization (ASO) capabilities. Sold to states, communities, and health plans.
• Crisis Line Services 24/7 crisis hotline providing phone, text, and chat-based crisis de-escalation with trained crisis specialists, meeting National Suicide Prevention Lifeline standards. Operates as part of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline network.
• Crisis Administrative Services Organization (ASO) Crisis system oversight and management providing administrative, training, and technical assistance to communities for building trauma-informed, peer-driven crisis response systems. Sold to states and municipalities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9 out of 10 members improve or recover with Workforce Mental Health Complete
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lyra HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership developed in collaboration with Lyra Health to create Workforce Mental Health Complete - a fully integrated solution combining Lyra's clinical model and digital platform with Carelon's work-life services, crisis response, and complex case coordination.
• National Military Family AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting military families through community initiatives and charitable programs including annual Carelon Behavioral Health Charity Golf Tournament.
• Wounded Warrior ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity support partnership raising over $500K over 10 years through annual charity golf tournament. Supports nonprofit dedicated to preventing veteran suicide.
• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with organization providing comprehensive services to all who have lost a loved one in America's military or uniformed services.
• Navy ExchangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership distributing children's books to military families as part of National Day of the Deployed.
• Henry M. Jackson FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting military medical research and services.
• Military Spouse Employment PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting military spouse employment opportunities.
• Let's Walk It Out - 222 Mile Ruck March Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for nonprofit dedicated to preventing veteran suicide through community events.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Spring Health: Spring Health is a high-growth digital mental health platform targeting employers and health plans with modern, app-first experiences. While not an MBHO, it competes with Carelon's EAP and digital offerings for enterprise contracts and represents the digital-native threat to traditional MBHO models.
• Headspace Health: Headspace Health (formed by Headspace and Ginger merger) offers mental health coaching, therapy, and psychiatry to employers and health plans. It competes directly with Carelon's digital EAP and workforce mental health products.
• Lyra Health: Lyra Health is a digital mental health platform offering therapy, coaching, and psychiatry to employers. It is both a Carelon partner (through Workforce Mental Health Complete) and a competitor for enterprise employer contracts in the premium segment.
• Talkspace: Talkspace provides online therapy and psychiatry services to enterprises, health plans, and individuals. As a digital-first platform, it competes with Carelon's virtual care capabilities for health plan and employer contracts.

Broad incumbents

• Centene Corporation (Behavioral Health): Centene is a major Medicaid-focused payer with significant behavioral health capabilities, particularly after acquiring Magellan. It competes with Carelon for Medicaid managed behavioral health contracts and operates at similar population scale.

Direct peers

• Evernorth Health Services: Evernorth, the health services arm of Cigna, includes behavioral health offerings targeting employers and health plans. Like Carelon, it leverages scale within a major payer ecosystem and offers integrated solutions spanning pharmacy, care delivery, and behavioral health.
• Quest Behavioral Health: Quest Behavioral Health is a managed behavioral health organization offering utilization management, care coordination, and network management to health plans and government agencies. It is a smaller but comparable MBHO competitor.
• Optum Behavioral Health: Optum's behavioral health division is the closest direct peer to Carelon, providing managed behavioral health services, EAP, and crisis solutions to health plans and employers as part of UnitedHealth Group. Both are MBHO-scale platforms operating inside major payer ecosystems.
• Magellan Health: Magellan is a leading managed behavioral health organization serving health plans, employers, and government agencies with specialty programs in autism, eating disorders, and serious mental illness. Now operating within Centene's Medicaid ecosystem, it is structurally and operationally similar to Carelon.
• Lucet (formerly New Directions Behavioral Health): Lucet is an MBHO providing managed behavioral health services to health plans and employers with strong technology and integration capabilities. It competes directly with Carelon for health plan contracts and has similar EAP and specialty care offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carelon-behavioral-health

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Carelon Behavioral Health