True North Evolution

What True North Evolution does

True North Evolution is a privately-held therapeutic wilderness program headquartered in Waitsfield, Vermont, founded in October 2005 by Ty Maves, Mod Barefoot, Andy Chapman, and Kate Weir. The company operates a residential program serving primarily young adults ages 18-28, with a specialized summer session for adolescents ages 14-17. The core offering integrates wilderness-based experiential therapy with clinical modalities including attachment-based therapy, Internal Family Systems, narrative therapy, Compassionate Inquiry, and family systems work, delivered by Master's-level therapists under the supervision of a board-certified Medical Director in Psychiatry, Neurology, and Addiction Medicine. Students enroll for an average stay of 10-12 weeks and engage across Vermont's Mad River Valley, Green Mountain National Forest, and state forest lands.

The company's product surface includes the Young Adult Therapeutic Wellness Program, a comprehensive Parent Program featuring weekly family therapist calls, parent facilitator calls, letter exchanges, and a two-day on-site family workshop, individual and group therapy services, and transition support culminating in a personal portfolio and graduation ceremony. The program is affiliated with the Vermont Agency of Education for independent school oversight, is a NATSAP Designated Research Program contributing to national outcome studies through the University of New Hampshire, and operates in alignment with Leave No Trace Center principles.

Revenue is generated through private family tuition described as fair and competitive but not publicly disclosed, supplemented by three financing pathways: a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont in-network pilot partnership (Vermont Blue Cross members eligible for full coverage during the pilot), Prosper Healthcare Lending loans for mental and behavioral healthcare, and need-based scholarships from the Sky's the Limit Fund. Distribution is admissions-driven and supported by referrals from educational consultants, partnerships with insurance advocates, and professional CEU events targeting mental health practitioners in the Northeastern United States. The company remains entirely founder-owned with no disclosed institutional investment and employs approximately 30 staff across clinical, field, and administrative functions.

Name

True North Evolution

Legal name

True North Evolution

Website

https://truenorthevolution.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Short description

True North Evolution is a privately-held therapeutic wilderness program in Waitsfield, Vermont, serving young adults ages 18-28 and adolescents 14-17 with a 10-12 week residential program combining clinical therapy with experiential outdoor treatment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Waitsfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Tuition: Tuition-based revenue model. Students enroll for an average stay of 10-12 weeks. True North maintains fair and competitive tuition though specific amounts are not publicly disclosed.
2. Insurance Reimbursement: Partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont as in-network provider for pilot program. Outside of this partnership, True North does not bill insurance directly but provides documentation for families to seek reimbursement.
3. Scholarships and Financial Aid: Partnership with Sky's the Limit Fund for need-based grants to qualified families. True North provides tuition reduction for scholarship recipients.
4. Healthcare Loans: Partnership with Prosper Healthcare Lending for loans specifically for mental healthcare and behavioral healthcare including wilderness therapy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

True North Evolution operates a therapeutic wilderness program located in the Mad River Valley of Vermont, serving young adults ages 18-28 (and adolescents 14-17 during summer). The program combines clinical therapy (experiential, attachment-based, and family systems approaches) with wilderness-based living to address anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, learning differences, ASD, and relational struggles. Students stay an average of 10-12 weeks, with comprehensive family involvement through weekly therapist calls, parent program facilitator support, and on-site family workshops.

Product overview

True North Evolution offers a unified therapeutic wellness program for young adults ages 18-28 (and adolescents 14-17 in summer) centered around wilderness therapy in Vermont's Mad River Valley. The core program combines sophisticated clinical work with experiential activities, outdoor adventures, and comprehensive family involvement through the Parent Program. The Young Adult Therapeutic Wellness Program serves as the primary offering, supplemented by individual therapy, group sessions, parent coaching, and transition support services. A special Summer Adolescent Session extends services to younger teens ages 14-17 during summer months.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Young Adult Therapeutic Wellness Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of adult clients surveyed at graduation report satisfaction with quality of treatment
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of VermontcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Innovative pilot program with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont to assess cost effectiveness of wilderness therapy as covered mental health treatment. Vermont Blue Cross members eligible for full in-network coverage of daily rate at True North. Students may be referred by case manager, therapist, or educational consultant and agree to participate in outcome research.
• Denials ManagementminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInsurance advocate specializing in reimbursement for wilderness therapy programs and residential treatment. Mary Covington, President. (866) 322-0787.
• Mental Health & Autism Insurance ProjectminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInsurance advocate specializing in mental health and autism insurance. (925) 388-0892.
• SJ Health Insurance AdvocatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInsurance advocate specializing in wilderness therapy reimbursement. Scott Leshin, Founder. (973) 740-0023.
• NATSAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs membership. True North is a NATSAP Designated Research Program contributing to national outcome studies conducted through University of New Hampshire.
• Leave No Trace CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking closely with Leave No Trace Center to ensure outdoor spaces adhere to all seven Leave No Trace principles. Staff educated in and practicing highest level of environmental stewardship.
• Vermont Agency of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with Vermont Agency of Education for independent schools oversight.
• Green Mountain ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with Green Mountain Club, maintainers of the Long Trail system.
• Bayside Continuing EducationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of CEU and networking events for mental health professionals. Offering continuing education credits for sessions on serving LGBTQ+ populations and assessing need for residential treatment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pacific Quest: Wilderness therapy program in Hawaii serving adolescents and young adults with mental health, substance use, and behavioral challenges. Highly comparable to True North in modality (wilderness-based clinical treatment), length of stay, and target population.
• Open Sky Wilderness Therapy: Outdoor behavioral healthcare program based in Idaho/Utah serving adolescents, young adults, and families. Closely comparable therapeutic model, family systems emphasis, and NATSAP-affiliated research participation.
• Second Nature Wilderness Programs: Utah-based wilderness therapy program for adolescents and young adults focused on attachment, family systems, and clinical intervention. Directly comparable in modality, demographics, and family-involvement design.
• Summit Achievement: Maine-based wilderness therapy program serving adolescents and young adults. Comparable therapeutic wilderness model, NE geography, and clinical-outcome orientation; serves a similar demographic and referral channel.
• Evoke Therapy Programs: Wilderness therapy program in Utah for adolescents, young adults, and families with addiction, mental health, and behavioral issues. Highly comparable modality and family-systems orientation.
• BlueFire Wilderness: Idaho-based wilderness therapy program serving adolescents and young adults. Directly comparable in modality, length of stay, and target population of struggling teens and young adults.
• Trails Carolina: North Carolina wilderness therapy program for adolescents and young adults with mental health and behavioral challenges. Comparable outdoor behavioral healthcare model and educational-consultant referral channel.
• Anasazi Foundation: Arizona-based wilderness therapy program for adolescents, young adults, and parents. Comparable wilderness-based therapeutic model with strong parent/child focus and NATSAP alignment.
• SUWS of the Carolinas: Wilderness therapeutic program in North Carolina serving adolescents ages 10-17 with emotional and behavioral issues. Comparable modality; younger age focus makes it a partial demographic peer.
• Aspen Achievement Academy: Utah-based wilderness therapy program for adolescents and young adults, often referred by educational consultants. Comparable outdoor behavioral healthcare model and target demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TrueNorthEvolution
• Instagraminstagram.com/truenorthevolution

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 True North Evolution