Mental Health Association of East Tennessee

What Mental Health Association of East Tennessee does

The Mental Health Association of East Tennessee (MHAET) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1948 and headquartered in Knoxville, TN. The organization delivers mental health education, early intervention, peer support, and treatment access services across 30 counties in East Tennessee, supported by a 22-person staff and a network of licensed therapist partners. Its core programs include Mental Health 101 (school-based education reaching 30,000+ students annually across 120+ schools), The Hidden Duo (co-occurring disorders education funded by the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council), B4Stage 4 (awareness campaign), Free Screenings (anonymous mental health assessments), the Peer Recovery Call Center (4,245 calls in 2018), Peer Support Services, Treatment Access Bank (subsidized therapy up to 15 sessions), System Advocacy, and the Fall Psychiatric Symposium (annual continuing education conference for mental health professionals).

The organization has no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is human-driven via call center, in-person outreach, and partner therapists. Revenue is generated through state and foundation grants (Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council, East Tennessee Foundation, United Way), individual donations (PayPal), and conference registration fees. The business model is community-led GTM with a hybrid segmentation approach: schools and youth for education, uninsured/underinsured adults for treatment access, and mental health professionals for continuing education. MHAET is affiliated with Mental Health America nationally and has been a United Way Partner Agency since 1960. The organization is led by long-tenured CEO Ben Harrington (since 1994), with COO Caitlin Ensley and Senior Director of Client Services Jan Cagle overseeing operations.

Name

Mental Health Association of East Tennessee

Legal name

Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, Inc.

Website

https://mhaet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mental Health Association of East Tennessee is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1948 that delivers mental health education, peer support, screenings, and subsidized therapy access to students, uninsured adults, and mental health professionals across 30 counties in East Tennessee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAD

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAJAIAB

School-Based Mental & Behavioral Health Services

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Student Health, Safety & Wellbeing Services (Counseling, Mental Health, SEL, Safeguarding)

SECONDARYBPAGADAK

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

Keywords

• Mental health education
• Peer recovery support
• Mental health screenings
• Community mental health
• Substance abuse prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Primary revenue source from government and foundation grants. Funded by State of Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council, and East Tennessee Foundation.
2. Donations: Individual donations via PayPal (one-time and recurring), and mail-in donations. Contributions are tax-deductible as the organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
3. Conference Revenue: Registration fees for Fall Psychiatric Symposium continuing education conference for mental health professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Mental Health Association of East Tennessee is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers mental health education, early intervention programming, peer recovery support, free anonymous screenings, and treatment access assistance across 30 counties in East Tennessee. Its offerings span school-based education (Mental Health 101, The Hidden Duo), awareness campaigns (B4Stage 4), a phone-based Peer Recovery Call Center, a Treatment Access Bank subsidizing therapy sessions, and an annual continuing education conference for mental health professionals.

Product overview

The Mental Health Association of East Tennessee operates as a non-profit organization providing a portfolio of mental health education, early intervention, and support services. The core offerings include Mental Health 101 (school-based education), B4Stage 4 (awareness campaign), The Hidden Duo (co-occurring disorders education), Free Screenings (anonymous assessments), the Peer Recovery Call Center (telephone support), Peer Support Services, Treatment Access Bank (therapy subsidies), System Advocacy, and the annual Fall Psychiatric Symposium (professional conference). These programs are designed to serve individuals across the mental health continuum from early intervention through recovery support, covering 30 counties in East Tennessee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mental Health 101: Early intervention program for middle and high school students across Tennessee providing mental health education and awareness.
• B4Stage 4
• The Hidden Duo
• MHA Call Center / Peer Recovery Call Center
• Treatment Access Bank (TAB)
• Fall Psychiatric Symposium

Products and services

• Mental Health 101 School-based early intervention program that educates middle and high school students about mental health signs, symptoms, and how to seek help; MHAET staff visit schools to deliver the curriculum.
• B4Stage 4 Awareness campaign that promotes early intervention and prevention of mental health conditions, providing presentations and educational materials to community audiences.
• The Hidden Duo School and community education program addressing co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, targeting middle and high school students.
• Peer Recovery Call Center Telephone-based support line staffed by Certified Peer Recovery Specialists providing treatment referrals, follow-up, and peer support for individuals seeking mental health or substance abuse assistance.
• Free Mental Health Screenings Free, anonymous, confidential online mental health screening assessments for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, eating disorders, psychosis, and other conditions.
• Treatment Access Bank Subsidized therapy program that covers up to 15 sessions with licensed partnering therapists for individuals with significant financial barriers to mental health care, paired with peer recovery specialist support.
• Peer Support Services Support services delivered by Certified Peer Recovery Specialists with personal experience of mental health or substance use challenges, providing mentoring and ongoing support to clients.
• System Advocacy Advocacy program that engages in community meetings, needs assessment planning, and coalition building to drive systemic improvements in mental health services across Tennessee.
• Fall Psychiatric Symposium Annual conference providing continuing education credits for mental health professionals including social workers, nurses, professional counselors, and physicians.

Quantifiable outcome

• 32,037 students served in 2018-2019 school year with improved mental health knowledge
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Covenant CounselingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed partnering therapist providing subsidized therapy sessions through Treatment Access Bank program for clients with financial barriers to mental health care
• Ride the Wave CounselingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed partnering therapist providing subsidized therapy sessions through Treatment Access Bank program
• Down to Earth ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed partnering therapist providing subsidized therapy sessions through Treatment Access Bank program
• UT Psychology CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity-based mental health provider partnering to offer subsidized therapy through Treatment Access Bank
• Ridgeview Behavioral Health ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to create Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) training for law enforcement officers; partner in advocacy efforts and crisis services
• Helen Ross McNabb CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in CIT training with law enforcement, advocacy, and crisis intervention services across East Tennessee
• Tennessee Coalition for Mental Health & Substance Abuse ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide advocacy coalition addressing mental health and substance abuse system issues
• Tennessee Suicide Prevention NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide coalition working to prevent suicide through awareness and advocacy
• Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse ServicescoreOthersPrimary government funder through grant contract; provides funding for Mental Health 101, Call Center, Peer Recovery, and Screening programs
• Knoxville Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Law Enforcement Training Program and CIT training for officers to handle mental health crises
• Mental Health AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational affiliate organization; MHAET is affiliated with Mental Health America (formerly National Mental Health Association)

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Volunteer Behavioral Health Care System: Tennessee community mental health center system serving 32 counties, including parts of East Tennessee. Provides outpatient mental health and substance abuse services in regions overlapping MHAET's territory, competing for similar state and grant funding.
• Helen Ross McNabb Center: Tennessee-based community mental health provider and MHAET's stated crisis intervention, CIT training, and advocacy partner. Comparable regional footprint and overlapping East Tennessee service territory with shared funder relationships.
• Cherokee Health Systems: Tennessee-based integrated behavioral and primary health provider operating in East Tennessee counties overlapping MHAET's footprint. Provides counseling, substance use treatment, and peer support services under a federally qualified health center model.

Others

• Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services: MHAET's primary government funder and statewide behavioral health authority. Functions as a strategic ecosystem partner and policy counterpart, shaping the regulatory and funding environment MHAET operates within.
• Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network: Statewide coalition and MHAET partner focused on suicide prevention through awareness and advocacy. Comparable nonprofit advocacy model in the same Tennessee ecosystem and co-recipient of state behavioral health funding.

Direct peers

• Mental Health America: National mental health advocacy nonprofit and MHAET's direct parent affiliate. Operates a near-identical model combining screening, education, advocacy, and community-based programs, making it the most directly comparable peer at national scale.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Nation's largest grassroots mental health organization, offering education, support groups, peer programs, and advocacy that closely overlap with MHAET's portfolio. Comparable mission, peer-led support model, and reliance on affiliate chapter networks.

Emerging players

• Crisis Text Line: National text-based crisis support nonprofit using technology-enabled volunteer responders. Competes with MHAET's Peer Recovery Call Center for younger demographics who prefer text over phone-based crisis support.

Broad incumbents

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Federally backed national crisis support service operating at vastly greater scale than MHAET's Peer Recovery Call Center. Directly competes for the same call/text-based crisis and referral traffic MHAET's call center relies on.
• BetterHelp: Large-scale online therapy platform addressing the same access and affordability barriers MHAET's Treatment Access Bank targets. Operates nationally with a private-pay subscription model that competes for the same underinsured population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mhaetn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWZmOy521OYENNbKVu1gArw
• Facebookfacebook.com/MentalHealthAssociationofEastTennessee
• Instagraminstagram.com/mhaetn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mental-health-association-of-east-tennessee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Mental Health Association of East Tennessee