What Claratel Behavioral Health does

Claratel Behavioral Health (formerly DeKalb Community Service Board, rebranded in March 2024) is a public nonprofit behavioral health organization founded in 1994 and operating as an instrumentality of the State of Georgia. The organization is the designated behavioral health safety-net provider for DeKalb County and runs 20+ service locations across Decatur, Atlanta, Chamblee, and Lithonia with a workforce of nearly 500 direct-care and support staff. It serves approximately 11,000 uninsured and underinsured citizens annually—roughly 75% DeKalb County residents and 25% from surrounding counties—spanning adult mental health, child and adolescent behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) services, crisis care, and residential programs.

The service portfolio is organized into six core lines: Adult Behavioral Health, Substance Use Disorder Treatment (including the Opioid Use Residential Treatment program, ORSAT), 24/7 Crisis Services through the DeKalb Regional Crisis Center (the largest crisis stabilization bed capacity in metro Atlanta at 36 beds), Child & Adolescent Services including the APEX school-based program, Developmental Disabilities Services, and Residential Programs. Service delivery combines fixed-site outpatient clinics, a 24/7 walk-in crisis center, a telehealth channel delivered via video conferencing, mobile co-responder units integrated with DeKalb County Police and surrounding municipalities (Decatur, Dunwoody, Doraville, Tucker), and court-coordinated treatment pathways. The organization has held continuous CARF accreditation since 1994 across psychosocial rehabilitation, substance use, community employment, IDD, and community housing programs, and is currently pursuing Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) certification effective in 2025, which would unlock federal funding of up to $1 million per year over a four-year horizon.

Revenue is generated principally through governmental contracts—federal SAMHSA grants, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) state contracts, and DeKalb County contracts including a $15 million SPLOST (special purpose local option sales tax) allocation approved in November 2023—supplemented by client payments and Medicaid managed-care reimbursements (Medicare/Medicaid, Amerigroup, Peach State, CareSource, Peach Care for Kids) on a sliding-fee schedule and donations channeled through the affiliated Brighter DeKalb Foundation 501(c)(3). A $25 million Mental Health Crisis Recovery Community is in active development and will materially expand crisis, observation, and transitional residential capacity on top of the existing 36-bed footprint.

Name

Claratel Behavioral Health

Legal name

Dekalb Community Service Board Doing Business As Claratel Behavioral Health

Website

https://claratel.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Claratel Behavioral Health is a Georgia public nonprofit founded in 1994 providing community-based mental health, substance use, developmental disability, and crisis services through 20+ DeKalb County locations to nearly 11,000 underserved residents annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (62322), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Mental Health Treatment Centers (HLAFACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Behavioral & Mental Health Virtual Care (EAP/Teletherapy) (HLALADAB), Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE)

Keywords

• Behavioral health services
• Mental health treatment
• Substance abuse treatment
• Developmental disability services
• Crisis intervention services

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts: Funding from DeKalb County through contracts with State of Georgia and other governmental entities. Claratel is an instrumentality of the State of Georgia and the behavioral health safety net provider for DeKalb County.
2. Client Payments and Insurance: Payment from clients including those with Medicaid coverage; accepts Medicare w/Medicaid, Medicare w/QMB Medicaid, Medicaid, Amerigroup, Peach State, CareSource, Peach Care for Kids
3. Foundation Donations: Donations received through the Brighter DeKalb Foundation, the organization's 501(c)(3) fundraising arm established in 2006

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Claratel Behavioral Health is a community-based, public nonprofit organization that delivers a full continuum of mental health, substance use disorder, developmental disability, and crisis services to uninsured and underinsured individuals in DeKalb County, Georgia. The organization operates 20+ outpatient and residential locations, a 24/7 regional crisis center, school-based programs, and law-enforcement co-responder units, with a sliding-fee scale ensuring no client is denied access due to inability to pay.

Product overview

Claratel Behavioral Health is a community-based behavioral health and developmental disabilities services organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of mental health, substance use, and developmental disability programs. The organization operates as a single unified service platform with distinct service lines including Adult Behavioral Health Services, Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Crisis Services (DeKalb Regional Crisis Center), Child & Adolescent Services, Developmental Disabilities Services, and Residential Programs. Additional offerings include Training & Consultation services for other healthcare organizations. The portfolio includes sub-products and programs such as the APEX School-Based Program, Emerging Adult Support Services, Opioid Use Residential Treatment (ORSAT), and the Co-responder Program for mobile crisis response. Telehealth is offered as a service delivery channel for behavioral health needs. A major planned expansion is the $25 million Mental Health Crisis Recovery Community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Behavioral Health Services Comprehensive mental health services for adults covering counseling, therapy, crisis intervention, psychiatric care, medication management, case management, peer support, and supported employment for uninsured and underinsured individuals in DeKalb County.
• Substance Use Disorder Treatment Outpatient, detoxification, and residential substance use disorder treatment including group counseling, individual counseling, case management, medication-assisted treatment, and the Opioid Use Residential Treatment (ORSAT) program for adults with opioid use disorder.
• Crisis Services / DeKalb Regional Crisis Center 24/7 crisis center providing immediate psychiatric evaluation, treatment for up to seven days, emergency receiving facility for involuntary commitment evaluations, and mobile co-responder crisis services with police departments; the largest crisis-stabilization bed capacity (36 beds) in metro Atlanta.
• Child and Adolescent Services Outpatient and community support behavioral health services for children and adolescents including play therapy, group therapy, community support, psychiatric evaluation, family therapy, medication services, and the APEX school-based program in partnership with DeKalb County Schools and City Schools of Decatur.
• Developmental Disabilities Services Educational, therapeutic, and behavioral support services for adults aged 21 and older with developmental disabilities, including Community Residential Alternative, Community Living Services, Host Homes, and Supported Employment programs focused on independent living and community integration.
• Residential Services Residential programs providing housing and wraparound services including a supportive environment, weekly case management, and rehabilitative skill-building designed for individuals with behavioral health needs to transition toward independent living.
• Training and Consultation Services Operations consultation and clinical workforce development services sold to other healthcare agencies, covering HR, IT, quality improvement, finance, utilization management, and staff development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served nearly 11,000 citizens annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DeKalb County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeKalb County is the primary governmental partner; board members are selected by DeKalb County CEO and approved by Board of Commissioners; receives SPLOST funding for facilities
• DeKalb County Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner30+ year co-responder program partnership; mobile crisis unit with clinician and police officer; expanded to cities of Decatur, Dunwoody, Doraville, and Tucker
• Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency oversight; designated as Region 3 behavioral health safety net provider; crisis center certification
• Emory University School of MedicineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for medical education and training
• Emory Decatur HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare coordination and referral partnerships
• Grady Health SystemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare coordination and referral partnerships
• Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState crisis hotline coordination
• DeKalb County SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool-based APEX program providing emotional and behavioral support services
• City Schools of DecaturminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool-based mental health services partnership
• United WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity support and funding partnerships
• Fulton-DeKalb Hospital AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital authority partnership for healthcare coordination
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) DeKalbminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health advocacy and event partnerships including NAMIWalks
• Georgia Council on Substance AbuseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubstance abuse advocacy and event partnerships
• Mercy Care Health CentersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederally qualified health center partnership for integrated care
• MedCura HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederally qualified health center partnership
• DeKalb County Sheriff's OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-responder and crisis intervention partnerships
• DeKalb County CourtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCourt-ordered treatment and justice system coordination
• Augusta University/MCGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical education and training partnerships
• Mercer University (College of Professional Advancement, Pharmacy School, School of Nursing)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnerships for healthcare professional training
• Kennesaw State University School of NursingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNursing student education and clinical placements
• Georgia State University School of NursingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNursing student education and clinical placements
• University of Georgia (College of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, School of Social Work)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnerships for pharmacy, medical, and social work education
• Georgia Regional Hospital-AtlantaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState psychiatric hospital coordination and referrals
• Greater DeKalb YMCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity wellness partnerships
• Greater Piney Grove Baptist ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based community partnerships for mental health awareness
• Brighter DeKalb FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2006 to support Claratel's services through fundraising and event partnerships

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Peachford Hospital: Atlanta-area behavioral health hospital providing inpatient psychiatric and substance abuse treatment. Direct competitor for crisis and inpatient psychiatric services in the metro Atlanta service area.
• Highland Rivers Health: Georgia community service board serving multiple counties with mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services. Operates under the same DBHDD oversight and CSB public nonprofit structure, with crisis stabilization and outpatient programs analogous to Claratel's footprint.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Large national nonprofit provider of behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disability services, including residential and community-based programs. Comparable IDD service line and CARF-accredited program portfolio overlapping Claratel's offerings.
• Ridgeview Institute: Smyrna, Georgia-based psychiatric hospital offering inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services in the same metro Atlanta market. Comparable crisis and inpatient mental health services overlapping Claratel's DRCC emergency receiving function.
• View Point Health: Georgia-based community service board providing behavioral health, developmental disability, and substance use services across Gwinnett and surrounding counties. Same public nonprofit/CSB structure as Claratel with similar safety net provider mandate and comparable crisis, outpatient, and residential programs.
• Aspire Behavioral Health: Middle Georgia community service board providing mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services across multiple counties. Comparable CSB structure with similar crisis, outpatient, residential, and IDD programming.
• Skyland Trail: Atlanta-based nonprofit psychiatric residential treatment provider serving adults with mental illness. Comparable on residential treatment services and Atlanta-area mental health market, though narrower in scope than Claratel's full continuum.
• Cobb & Douglas Community Service Board (Cobb-Douglas CSB): Cobb and Douglas Counties' designated behavioral health safety net provider operating crisis, outpatient, residential, and IDD services. Most direct geographic and structural analog in metro Atlanta to Claratel.

Broad incumbents

• Acadia Healthcare: National for-profit operator of psychiatric hospitals, substance abuse treatment facilities, and behavioral health clinics. While operating at a much larger scale and across geographies, Acadia competes with Claratel for crisis/inpatient psychiatric referrals in the broader behavioral health market.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability and behavioral health services including adult day services, residential, vocational, and mental health programs. Comparable IDD service line and CARF-accredited community-based service delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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• Instagrambit.ly/3vFxyMd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Claratel Behavioral Health