Die Kette e.V.

What Die Kette e.V. does

Die Kette e.V. is a German nonprofit social-psychiatry organization founded on December 12, 1984, and headquartered at Paffrather Straße 70 in Bergisch Gladbach. It delivers integrated support services for people with mental health conditions, psychiatric disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders across the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis region, serving more than 1,600 clients annually through approximately 400 staff. Its service portfolio spans four functional domains — Wohnen (housing, including supported living and residential homes), Arbeit und Rehabilitation (vocational therapy and integration companies), Tagesstruktur (day programs), and Beratung (counseling, peer support, and trialog forums) — delivered across nearly 20 physical locations. The organization also runs a corporate Employee Assistance Program (upmental) providing psychosocial counseling, resilience training, and occupational reintegration services to regional employers.

The organization's revenue model rests primarily on statutory contracts under German social law (SGB V, IX, XI, XII, and VIII), funded by health insurers, social welfare offices, the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis (including mandatory psychiatric care, or Pflichtversorgung), jobcenters, and employment agencies. A secondary revenue stream comes from the upmental B2B EAP program and two wholly-owned nonprofit subsidiaries — Die Kette KochWerk gGmbH (catering integration company, est. 2002) and Die Kette HandWerk gGmbH (craft integration company, est. 2014) — which provide employment for people with disabilities. The organization differentiates itself through peer-based counseling staffed by trained consultants with lived experience of mental illness, and through its recognized role as host of the AGpR (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gemeindepsychiatrie Rheinland) regional umbrella organization.

Die Kette e.V. operates under a dual-board governance structure with a Management Board (Fachvorständin Ursula Meeth and Kaufmännische Vorständin Silke Jungbluth) and a Supervisory Board. In 2024 the organization reorganized into a "Kreisstruktur" placing clients, employees, and caregivers at the center of service delivery. Annual turnover is approximately €20 million (disclosed in a 2022 job posting). Key active programs include FIRE (vocational integration for youth aged 17-30), Plan B (housing for young adults with mental illness), JuBeKo (youth contact center), Perspektivhaus Rhein-Berg (vocational rehabilitation), and the Digitalwerkstatt "Werkstattpioniere" digital literacy initiative launched in 2025 at the newly acquired Traumlädchen property.

Name

Die Kette e.V.

Legal name

Die Kette e.V.

Website

https://die-kette.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Die Kette e.V. is a German nonprofit social-psychiatry organization founded in 1984 that delivers integrated housing, vocational, counseling, and day-program services for people with mental health conditions across nearly 20 locations in the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Psychiatry Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Residential Care Facilities (6239)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health & Cognitive Support Coordination (Dementia, Depression, SUD) (HSABAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dementia/Alzheimer’s Care Management & Behavioral Support (HLADALAF)

Keywords

• Social psychiatry services
• Community mental health
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Supported living services
• Workplace mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Bergisch Gladbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Statutory Health and Social Welfare Funding: As a social services provider, Die Kette e.V. operates under Germany's statutory health insurance and social welfare systems. Services in housing, employment, rehabilitation, and care are funded through contracts with statutory health insurers, social welfare offices, and other public payers. This creates a steady, regulated revenue base.
2. Government Contracts: Core services including psychiatric mandatory care (Pflichtversorgung) for the region, youth services, and rehabilitation programs are funded through contracts with public institutions including Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis, jobcenters, and employment agencies.
3. Corporate Health Management Services: The upmental program provides companies with employee assistance services, psychosocial counseling, and workplace health management for a fee. This represents commercial B2B revenue from businesses seeking occupational health support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Die Kette e.V. delivers an integrated portfolio of social-psychiatric support services for people with mental health conditions and disabilities in the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis. The offering covers housing (supported living, residential homes, dementia communities), work (vocational rehabilitation, integration companies, work therapy), day programs, leisure activities, and counseling (contact center, peer counseling, trialog forums). It also runs an Employee Assistance Program (upmental) for corporate clients. Services are delivered across nearly 20 regional locations by approximately 400 staff.

Product overview

Die Kette e.V. is a social-psychiatric services organization providing a comprehensive, multi-faceted portfolio of support services for people with mental disabilities or health impairments. The organization operates a unified but distributed service model organized around several core areas: Wohnen (housing, including supported living and residential homes), Arbeit und Rehabilitation (work therapy, integration employment companies, and the Perspektivhaus vocational center), Tagesstruktur (day structure including the Tagesstätte and various activity groups), Beratung (counseling including the Kontakt- und Beratungsstelle, Trialog-Forum, and Peer-Beratung), Pflege (care including dementia and senior communities), and Jugend (youth services including JuBeKo and autism therapy). Key named products and programs include: Perspektivhaus Rhein-Berg for vocational rehabilitation, Plan B for youth housing, JuBeKo for youth counseling, the Digitalwerkstatt for digital literacy, upmental for corporate mental health services, and the two integration companies (KochWerk gGmbH and HandWerk gGmbH) providing employment. The organization also operates specialized projects like Sozialraumpioniere, Projekt AHA!, and FIRE for specific target groups. Services are delivered across nearly 20 locations throughout the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Perspektivhaus Rhein-Berg: Specialist area for work and rehabilitation, providing support for people with mental impairments to find appropriate work and employment
• JuBeKo (Junge Beratungs- und Kontaktstelle)
• Plan B
• G.A.T. (Gesundheit.Arbeit.Teilhabe.)
• upmental
• Kontakt- und Beratungsstelle
• Digitalwerkstatt - Werkstattpioniere

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,600 clients served annually across all programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dachverband Gemeindepsychiatrie (DVGP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella organization for community psychiatry in Germany. Die Kette e.V. hosts the office of AGpR (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gemeindepsychiatrie Rheinland), a regional association under this Dachverband.
• Jobcenter Rhein-BergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic employment service partner collaborating on vocational rehabilitation projects including G.A.T. (Gesundheit.Arbeit.Teilhabe.) and supported employment programs.
• Lions ClubsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBenefit golf tournament organizer donating proceeds to support client activities and programs. Lion Club Bergisch Gladbach/Bensberg has contributed 5,132€ through annual events.
• Arbeitsagentur Bergisch-GladbachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Employment Agency providing funding and coordination for vocational rehabilitation and employment integration services.
• Kaempgen-StiftungminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation providing funding support for projects and initiatives serving people with mental health needs.
• Aktion MenschminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial funding organization supporting inclusion projects. Funded the participation in carnival parade and other community integration activities.
• LVR (Landschaftsverband Rheinland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council providing funding and oversight for psychiatric services and facilities for people with disabilities in the Rhineland region.
• Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband NRWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella welfare association providing support, advocacy, and network resources for social service organizations in North Rhine-Westphalia.
• DATAGROUPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIT services company that has donated to support client activities, particularly during the pandemic period.
• Alpha e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for the 'Verrückt? Na und!' school prevention program and inclusive archery project, sharing expertise in mental health education.
• Autismus Köln/Bonn e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelf-help organization for people with autism and their families, represented on Die Kette e.V.'s supervisory board to strengthen autism-specific services.
• Stiftung WohlfahrtspflegeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWelfare foundation providing funding for the Perspektivhaus (employment integration center) and digital inclusion projects.
• Die Kette KochWerk gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly-owned integration company providing employment for people with disabilities, originally established in 2002 as DK Integrationsbetriebe.
• Die Kette HandWerk gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly-owned craft integration company established in 2014 providing vocational training and employment for people with mental health conditions.
• SRH Business Academy GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner in the G.A.T. project providing vocational diagnostics and training services.
• Softdoor GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth services provider partnering in the G.A.T. project for vocational rehabilitation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vitos GmbH: Hesse-based mental health and social services provider operating clinics, residential homes, day centers and vocational rehabilitation across multiple districts. Direct comparability on statutory psychiatric mandate (Pflichtversorgung) and integrated service portfolio similar to Die Kette's.
• Alexianer GmbH: Large German Catholic healthcare and social services group operating hospitals, psychiatric clinics, and community-based housing/work services for people with mental illness and disabilities. Closest comparable operator at meaningful scale, with a similar mix of inpatient, ambulatory, residential and vocational rehabilitation offerings across multiple German regions.
• Hephata Hessisches Diakoniezentrum e.V. Diaconal nonprofit in Hesse providing housing, work, education, and psychosocial support for people with mental illness and disabilities. Comparable community-psychiatry service breadth with similar statutory funding model and integration of social-pedagogic and clinical offerings.

Regional players

• pro mente Austria: Austrian umbrella organization for community psychiatry and social-mental-health services, covering housing, work, day programs and counseling. Comparable service mix and recovery-oriented philosophy but operating in Austria rather than competing directly with Die Kette in Germany.

Broad incumbents

• AWO Bundesverband e.V. Major German welfare association providing social services including mental health, disability support, youth and family services via regional member organizations. Shares the community-based nonprofit operating model with Die Kette but at significantly larger and more diversified scale.
• Deutscher Caritasverband e.V. Catholic welfare umbrella and one of Germany's largest social services operators, covering mental health, disability, youth and elderly care through regional associations. Comparable service categories but national/regional scope rather than a single-district provider.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Largest German Protestant social welfare umbrella, with member organizations across Germany offering mental health, disability, youth, and elderly services. Overlaps with Die Kette's portfolio but operates at national-umbrella scale with advocacy and funding rather than direct service delivery.

Others

• Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR): Regional municipal authority that funds and oversees psychiatric and disability services across the Rhineland, including as one of Die Kette's core contract partners. Not a competitor but a critical ecosystem counterpart — comparable in operating geography and service categories to Die Kette's mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/diekette.ev
• Instagraminstagram.com/die_kette_ev?igsh=MWdwb3FkZ2t0Z2c1Nw==
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/die-kette-e-v-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Die Kette e.V.