What Helix Human Services does

Helix Human Services is a 160-year-old Massachusetts-based nonprofit (founded 1865, rebranded from The Children's Study Home to Helix Human Services in January 2023) that delivers trauma-informed therapeutic, educational, and family-support services to children, adolescents, and families across Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Cape Cod. The organization's portfolio spans three residential programs (SHARP for LGBTQIA+ youth ages 13-17, Cottage for males ages 6-13, and START HERE for biologically female adolescents at risk of exploitation), two therapeutic schools operating under the Mill Pond brand in Springfield and Richmond with low student-teacher ratios (3:1 and 4:1 respectively), an outpatient mental health clinic (the Family Wellness Center in Holyoke), comprehensive foster care, supervised visitation, family reunification, parent education, the Fathers in Trust fatherhood program delivered through the Hampden County Sheriff's Department, and family assessment/mentoring services. Core methodology relies on evidence-based clinical modalities — Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-informed care frameworks — delivered by licensed clinicians, special education teachers, and case-management staff.

The organization's revenue model is fundamentally government-funded: state agency contracts and referrals from the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF), Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC), and public school districts drive the majority of program revenue, with foster families receiving tax-free per-child per-day stipends through the Comprehensive Foster Care program. Philanthropic income layers on top through corporate sponsorships, individual donations, the annual 38th golf tournament (over $185,000 raised historically), the Secret Santa gift program ($64,080 raised in 2025), the Taste of Margarita fundraiser, and the RiseUp trauma-informed care conference ($175/ticket). Direct-access consumer revenue from Family Wellness Center appointments (in-person and telehealth) is an emerging channel that does not require a referral. Helix is governed by a Board of Directors (current president Tom Duke; John Pappas previously led the CEO search) and is accredited by Social Current in addition to holding DESE and DEEC approvals.

Operationally, Helix is headquartered at 44 Sherman Street, Springfield, MA, with program sites in Springfield (Mill Pond School, Cottage, FiT, supervised visitation), Richmond (Mill Pond Berkshires), Holyoke (Family Wellness Center), and Hyannis (Cape Cod programs). The current CEO, Mark Paglia (appointed 2023), leads a team of 37 employees supported by licensed clinicians, bilingual staff (English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian), and long-tenured program managers across the residential, educational, and outpatient divisions.

Name

Helix Human Services

Legal name

Helix Human Services, Inc.

Website

https://helixhumanservices.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1865

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Helix Human Services is a 160-year-old Massachusetts nonprofit delivering trauma-informed residential, therapeutic-educational, foster care, and outpatient mental health services to children, adolescents, and families across Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Cape Cod, funded primarily through state agency contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Services / Child Welfare & Behavioral Health

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) & Public Behavioral Health Providers (HLAFACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM), Home Health Therapy Services (PT/OT/SLP) Providers (HLAFAEAM)

Keywords

• Human services
• Trauma-informed care
• Therapeutic education
• Foster care services
• Residential treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Referrals: Services funded through partnerships with Department of Children and Families (DCF), Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC), and public school districts. Primary revenue source for residential, foster care, and educational programs.
2. Foster Parent Stipends: Tax-free stipend per day per child provided to foster families through the Comprehensive Foster Care program.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Annual fundraising events including golf tournament, Taste of Margarita, and RiseUp conference. Secret Santa program generates gift donations. Individual and corporate donations.
4. Outpatient Mental Health Services: Family Wellness Center provides outpatient mental health services including individual therapy, family therapy, couples therapy, and community-based therapy without requiring referral.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Helix Human Services is a nonprofit social services organization that delivers trauma-informed therapeutic, educational, and family support programs for children, adolescents, and families across Western Massachusetts. Core offerings include residential treatment programs (SHARP for LGBTQIA+ youth, Cottage, and START HERE), therapeutic day schools (Mill Pond Schools in Springfield and Berkshires), Comprehensive Foster Care, outpatient mental health services at the Family Wellness Center, and family support/reunification programs funded primarily through state agency contracts and charitable donations.

Product overview

Helix Human Services offers a comprehensive portfolio of trauma-informed therapeutic and educational programs for children, youth, and families. The organization operates as a multi-program service provider rather than a unified software platform. Core offerings include: residential programs (SHARP for LGBTQIA+ youth, Cottage for males ages 6-13, START HERE for females at-risk of exploitation), therapeutic schools (Mill Pond School in Springfield and Berkshires serving K-22 students with behavioral/emotional challenges or autism), outpatient mental health services (Family Wellness Center), foster care (Comprehensive Foster Care), family support and reunification services (FAMS, FRSP, FSP, Supervised Visitation), parent education, and the Fathers in Trust fatherhood program. Programs span Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and Cape Cod, with most services delivered in-person with some telehealth options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Family Wellness Center Outpatient mental health clinic offering individual therapy for ages 5+, family therapy, couples therapy, community-based therapy, and parent education. Provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and trauma treatment with bilingual clinicians speaking English, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian.
• SHARP Residential Program 12-bed specialty residential program supporting LGBTQIA+ youth ages 13-17 who have experienced trauma with moderate to severe mental health and behavioral challenges. Uses Motivational Interviewing, DBT, and CBT evidence-based approaches. One of only three such programs in Massachusetts.
• The Cottage Residential Program Residential program supporting male clients ages 6-13 who have experienced trauma with moderate to severe mental health and behavioral challenges. Employs Motivational Interviewing, DBT, and CBT approaches with focus on life skills development.
• START HERE Enhanced Specialty Residential Program Specialty residential program for biologically female adolescents ages 13-17 at-risk of exploitation. Provides trauma-informed treatment with DBT skills groups, OT groups, CSEC Prevention (My Life My Choice), life skills, individual therapy, and family therapy.
• Mill Pond School - Berkshires Therapeutic school serving students kindergarten through age 22 who have social-emotional and/or behavioral challenges, learning disabilities, or high-functioning Autism. Located in Richmond, MA with 4:1 student-teacher ratio.
• Mill Pond School - Springfield Therapeutic school serving students ages 5-22 with social-emotional and/or behavioral challenges, learning disabilities, or high-functioning Autism. Located at Springfield campus with 3:1 student-teacher ratio.
• Comprehensive Foster Care Program (CFC) Program where foster families provide homes to one or two children needing more support than traditional foster care. Includes higher level of structure, supervision, advocacy, and wraparound services with multidisciplinary team coordination and tax-free daily stipends per child.
• Fathers in Trust (FiT) 32-hour parent education course for men ages 16-60 using the Fatherhood Development Curriculum. Explores topics including fatherhood skills, life skills, and building stronger family relationships, delivered at Hampden County Sheriff's Department.
• Supervised Visitation Program Supportive service assisting DCF with supervision of weekly family time visits, including transportation, observation of parent/child interaction, and required documentation.
• Family Reunification Support Program (FRSP) Program supporting DCF-involved families whose children are expected to return home within six months, including parent education, visitation supervision, transportation, and advocacy services.
• Family Assessment and Mentoring Service (FAMS) - Western MA Individualized mentoring and caretaker support service for transitional youth ages 16-22 and children ages 12-18. Services include life skills development, independent living support, educational advocacy, and community engagement.
• Family Assessment and Mentoring Service (FAMS) - Cape Cod Individualized mentoring and caretaker support service based in Hyannis, MA for transitional youth and children. Helps with educational placement, parenting skills improvement, and recreational activities.
• Family Support Project (FSP) Support and stabilization services for families with adolescent children ages 12-17 in Cape Cod who are at risk of out-of-home placement or planning to step down from residential programs.
• Parent Education Program Program supporting families referred by DCF whose children are at risk of abuse and neglect. Parent Educators work in homes to identify risks, build strengths, and help provide stable, nurturing environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 356 children served through Secret Santa program with ~$64,080 in community donations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Children and Families (DCF)coreOthersPrimary government partner providing referrals for residential programs, foster care, and family support services. DCF conducts intake interviews and team meetings to determine client eligibility for programs.
• Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)coreOthersState education department that approves Mill Pond Schools as a special education provider. School programs meet DESE academic and licensing standards.
• Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC)coreOthersState department that licenses and regulates early education and care programs within the organization.
• Public School DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with various public school districts for referrals to Mill Pond therapeutic schools. Districts send referral packets including IEP and testing information.
• Social CurrentcoreOthersNational organization providing accreditation to the agency, demonstrating compliance with industry standards for human services organizations.
• Hampden County Sheriff's DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner host for Fathers in Trust (FiT) program graduation ceremonies and weekly program sessions at the department facility.
• MassMutual CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for annual RiseUp trauma recovery conference.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• May Institute: Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing special education schools, residential programs, and behavioral health services for children and adults with developmental disabilities and autism. Comparable therapeutic schools and residential programming.
• The Home for Little Wanderers: Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing residential, therapeutic, and community-based services to children and families. Directly comparable in mission, DCF referral dependence, and trauma-informed care model.
• Vinfen: Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing behavioral health, developmental disability, and human services. Comparable government-contract-funded human services delivery model in MA.
• Justice Resource Institute (JRI): Massachusetts and Northeast nonprofit providing residential, therapeutic, special education, and outpatient behavioral health services. Closely comparable multi-program portfolio and DCF referral base.
• Wayside Youth & Family Support Network: Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing residential, community-based, and outpatient behavioral health services for youth and families. Directly comparable in trauma-informed residential and family support model.
• Eliot Community Human Services: Massachusetts nonprofit providing behavioral health, developmental services, and child/family support. Comparable multi-service human services agency reliant on Massachusetts state contracts.
• Bay Cove Human Services: Massachusetts nonprofit providing behavioral health, developmental services, and community-based programs for children, adults, and families. Comparable in nonprofit human services delivery and government contract funding.
• NFI Massachusetts: Northeast nonprofit providing residential treatment, special education, foster care, and community-based services. Comparable multi-program model serving DCF-referred youth in Massachusetts.
• Key Program: Massachusetts-area nonprofit providing residential, foster care, and clinical services for at-risk youth. Comparable DCF-referred residential and family services model.

Broad incumbents

• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Large national nonprofit operating residential treatment, special education, and behavioral health programs for at-risk youth. Comparable service model with broader geographic footprint and greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Helix_HHS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@HelixHumanServices/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/HelixHumanServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helixhumanservices
• Instagraminstagram.com/helixhumanservices

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Helix Human Services