UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersResearch Triangle Park, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative
- Legal name
- UCA WAVES
- Website
- https://ucawaves.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Mental Health Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN), Mental Health Counseling & Psychotherapy Services (EDALAFAB), Mental Health Screening, Assessment & Referral Coordination (School-Based) (EDAKAMAN)
Keywords
Where UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Research Triangle Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Individual donations accepted via credit card (through Zeffy with zero processing fees), Zelle, and check. Every dollar goes directly to life-changing programs.
- Foundation and Government Grants: Funding from Blue Cross NC Foundation, SAMHSA, NC DHHS, Julian Grace Foundation, and other institutional funders supporting specific programs and research initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Community Programs |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Documentary Screening Licenses |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UCA WAVES delivers free, culturally responsive mental health programs for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth and families, with a focus on Chinese American communities. Core offerings include Mental Health First Aid certification training (Youth and Adult) in English and Chinese, the WAVES Village WeChat-based peer support community with 50 volunteers, the Strong Minds program offering 10 free one-on-one counseling sessions, the WAVES Makers youth ambassador program, education workshops, national conferences, research publications, advocacy initiatives, and the Silent War documentary available for community screenings.
Product overview
UCA WAVES is a youth mental health collaborative organized as a single integrated service model rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization's core offerings include: Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training providing Youth and Adult certification courses in English and Chinese; WAVES Village, a WeChat-based national peer support community; Strong Minds, a free one-on-one counseling program with Community Mental Health Workers; WAVES Makers youth ambassador program; and the Silent War documentary for awareness. Supporting programs include Education Workshops, National Conferences, Research Corner for data-driven insights, Advocacy initiatives, Mental Health Resources, and bilingual content through WeChat Blogs and a YouTube Video Library. These programs work together to provide culturally responsive mental health support, education, and advocacy specifically for Asian American and AANHPI youth and families.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WAVES Village: A national, online community providing culturally responsive peer support for Chinese and AAPI families through WeChat-based peer support groups.
- Strong Minds
- WAVES Makers
- Silent War
Products and services
- Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training Skills-based certification training course teaching participants how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Offered in Youth and Adult formats, with courses available in both English and Chinese, conducted monthly via Zoom and in-person sessions.
- WAVES Village A national bilingual WeChat-based peer support community providing culturally responsive support for Chinese and AAPI families. Includes peer support groups (LGBTQ+ parent support, general support, parent support, MHFA peer groups), a book club, and educational webinars, supported by 43-50 trained volunteers.
- Strong Minds Program Free program offering 10 one-on-one sessions with trained Community Mental Health Workers providing practical tools to manage stress, improve mood, and support overall well-being. Designed for adults 18 and older.
- WAVES Makers (Youth Ambassadors) Youth leadership program consisting of high school students to young professionals who help elevate AANHPI youth voices through peer support, education, outreach, communication, and advocacy.
- Silent War Documentary Award-winning documentary exploring the mental health crisis in Asian American communities, profiling multiple families sharing their battles with mental illness. Available for community and institutional screenings via licensing ($500 virtual, $1,000 in-person).
- Education Workshops Culturally-informed, community-centered learning experiences covering topics such as emotional well-being, intergenerational dynamics, trauma-informed care, and youth mental health with facilitated discussions and practical tools.
- National Conferences Annual conferences including the AAPI Youth Mental Health Conference (approximately 300 attendees at the September 2025 'Roots & Resilience' event at NC State McKimmon Center) and Mental Health Summits at UCA's Chinese American Convention (such as June 2026 'Community In Action' in Las Vegas).
- Research Corner Data-driven research initiative publishing Research Insights on mental health in AANHPI communities, including studies on AAPI health priorities in North Carolina (417 survey responses), MHFA training efficacy, and youth mental health trends.
- Advocacy Policy advocacy work including participation in national events (such as the July 2024 White House AANHPI Mental Health Convening), publishing op-eds, and community-led research to advance culturally grounded mental health solutions for AAPI communities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 300+ attendees at 2025 AAPI Youth Mental Health Conference
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature3 records
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered program partner, core partner, research partner, academic partner, parent organization and community partner.
- Clinical Scholars NLIprogram partnerNational leadership institute supporting professional development and research capacity building.
- TAAF (The Asian American Foundation)program partnerCollaborates on webinars including the first National AANHPI Youth Mental Health Survey results presentation.
- Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities (MHACC)core partnerKey partner in Chinese community mental health initiatives, co-presented at White House AANHPI Mental Health Convening. MHACC operates a warm line service for Chinese communities.
- UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursingresearch partnerAcademic partner for data analysis in the Identifying AAPI Health Priorities in North Carolina study.
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)program partnerNational suicide prevention organization, VP Victor Armstrong participated in NACA mental health conference.
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)program partnerNational mental health advocacy organization, participated in NAMI NC Annual Conference.
- NCCU (North Carolina Central University) School of Nursingacademic partnerAcademic partner for MHFA training delivery and research collaboration.
- National Association of Chinese Americans (NACA)core partnerPartnered on Atlanta mental health conference 'Asian Parents, American Children; Our Stories, Our Voice' with 100 attendees.
- United Chinese Americans (UCA)parent organizationParent organization hosting annual Chinese American Conventions with dedicated WAVES Mental Health Summits. Founded UCA WAVES as a youth mental health collaborative.
- MGH Student Wellnessprogram partnerMassachusetts General Hospital student wellness program, partner in mental health initiatives.
- Karen Community Farm NCcommunity partnerCommunity partner serving Karen refugee populations in North Carolina.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Asian American Foundation (TAAF): Large national foundation that funds AAPI-serving organizations including UCA WAVES. Acts as a major incumbent funder and convener in the AAPI mental health space, with broader programmatic scope.
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): National suicide prevention organization that partners with UCA WAVES on programming. A much larger incumbent addressing a key driver of UCA WAVES' mission (suicide prevention in AAPI youth).
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Nation's largest grassroots mental health organization, including dedicated AAPI initiatives. Provides overlapping mental health education, peer support, and advocacy at significantly greater scale.
- National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA): National advocacy and capacity-building organization dedicated to AAPI mental health, working with federal and state agencies. A broader incumbent that pursues the same policy and advocacy agenda as UCA WAVES at greater scale.
- Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA): Established national professional association advancing Asian American mental health through provider training, research, and advocacy. Operates as a broader incumbent in the same cultural mental health space and shares academic research partnerships of relevance.
Direct peers
- Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities (MHACC): Closest direct peer — provides mental health warm-line services and support specifically for Chinese communities in North America and is UCA WAVES' core partner organization. Both organizations co-presented at the White House AANHPI Mental Health Convening, indicating near-identical mission, target population, and service mix.
- Asian Mental Health Collective: National nonprofit addressing mental health stigma and access barriers in Asian American communities through education, community programming, and resource directories. Closely mirrors UCA WAVES' cultural-competency approach while focusing more on awareness and less on direct service.
- Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS): Seattle-based nonprofit providing culturally responsive behavioral health, advocacy, and social services to Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Directly comparable service portfolio (counseling, peer support, education, advocacy) targeting the same population.
Emerging players
- Asian American Suicide Prevention Project: Smaller specialized nonprofit focused on suicide prevention education and research specifically in Asian American communities. Highly comparable mission overlap to UCA WAVES' mental health first aid and suicide prevention work.
- Korean American Family Services (KFAM): Culturally and linguistically responsive mental health and social services nonprofit serving Korean American communities. Comparable model — free community mental health services, peer support, and education targeting an Asian American diaspora group.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative social profiles
Digital presenceUCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative
What does UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative do?
UCA WAVES delivers free, culturally responsive mental health programs for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth and families, with a focus on Chinese American communities. Core offerings include Mental Health First Aid certification training (Youth and Adult) in English and Chinese, the WAVES Village WeChat-based peer support community with 50 volunteers, the Strong Minds program offering 10 free one-on-one counseling sessions, the WAVES Makers youth ambassador program, education workshops, national conferences, research publications, advocacy initiatives, and the Silent War documentary available for community screenings.
Is UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative a public or private company?
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative founded?
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative based?
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are foundation and Government Grants.
Who are UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA) and Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA). Direct peers are Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities (MHACC), Asian Mental Health Collective and Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS). Emerging players are Asian American Suicide Prevention Project and Korean American Family Services (KFAM).
Does UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative have an API?
No public API is recorded for UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative.
What industry is UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative in?
UCA WAVES Youth Mental Health Collaborative's product category is Community Mental Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAK, Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits, with a secondary code of HLAFACAN, Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services. Its NAICS code is 624110 and its SIC code is 8300.