SHARP (Self Help Addiction Recovery Program )

What SHARP (Self Help Addiction Recovery Program ) does

The Foundation Clinic, operating as part of Ubuntu Addiction Community Trust (U-ACT), is a South African non-profit substance use disorder (SUD) treatment provider founded in 2001 and based in Johannesburg. It delivers a five-stage continuum of care spanning medically assisted detox, inpatient treatment, outpatient/aftercare, family reintegration, and a halfway house, anchored in a biopsychosocial treatment framework that integrates cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), trauma-informed practice, and systemic family coaching. The clinical model is delivered by a multidisciplinary team that includes staff with lived recovery experience, and the clinic maintains an explicitly LGBTQ+-affirmative care stance. The organisation is registered as a non-profit (NPO 243-605) and Public Benefit Organisation (PBO 930/037/894), and operates under the regulatory oversight of the South African Department of Social Development and Department of Health, with affiliation to the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF).

The clinic's customer base comprises individuals with substance use disorders, their families, and LGBTQ+ clients, including international patients sourced primarily from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Patient acquisition blends medical aid reimbursement, direct self-pay at a published patient management fee of R3,600, and inbound digital channels including a website, blog content, social media, and WhatsApp-based booking. On the payer side, the clinic is contracted with all major South African medical aid schemes, providing diversified reimbursement access. The business model is service-fee-based and volume-driven, with no disclosed revenue, no external funding rounds, and no equity capital structure, consistent with its non-profit operating form. Technology usage is conventional clinical practice management plus standard digital marketing channels; no AI/ML, data flywheel, or proprietary platform components are indicated.

Operationally, the organisation sits in the 11-50 employee band typical of a mid-sized single-site treatment provider, and its 25+ years of continuous operation since 2001 establish durability rather than rapid scaling. Strategic positioning emphasises clinical differentiation through the biopsychosocial model and inclusion of marginalised patient groups, while geographic expansion is pursued informally via international patient intake rather than via satellite clinics or formal cross-border licensing arrangements.

Name

SHARP (Self Help Addiction Recovery Program )

Legal name

The Foundation Clinic (operating as part of Ubuntu Addiction Community Trust / U-ACT)

Website

https://thefoundationclinic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Foundation Clinic is a Johannesburg-based non-profit substance use disorder treatment provider operating since 2001, delivering detox, inpatient, outpatient, reintegration, and halfway house programmes under a biopsychosocial model, and serving individuals, families, LGBTQ+ clients, and international patients from the UK and Netherlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Substance Abuse Treatment & Addiction Recovery Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Substance Use Rehabilitation (Inpatient Rehab) (HLAFACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Detoxification Centers (Medical Detox) (HLAFACAD), Outpatient Mental Health & Counseling Clinics (HLAFABAC), Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

Keywords

• Substance abuse treatment
• Addiction recovery services
• Medical detoxification
• Inpatient rehabilitation
• Outpatient counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Medical Aid Payments: Contracted to all major medical aids in South Africa. Medical aid authorization process handles claims for treatment programmes. Covers detox, inpatient, and outpatient care.
2. Self-Pay Treatment Fees: Patient management fee of R3,600 payable on all admissions. Cash, EFT or credit cards accepted. Programme fees differ based on medical aid coverage and length of stay.
3. Aftercare and Outpatient Services: 11 months of aftercare support included at no additional cost following inpatient treatment. Extended reintegration and halfway house programmes for additional fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Foundation Clinic delivers a continuum of substance use and addiction recovery services, including medically-assisted detox (5-14 days), 21-day inpatient residential treatment, outpatient and aftercare programmes (available 12 months), extended recovery reintegration, and halfway house sober living accommodation. Treatment is delivered through a biopsychosocial model combining cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), systemic coaching, and trauma-informed care, with a multidisciplinary team of doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, traumatologists, and recovery coaches. Family support sessions and LGBTQ+ affirming care are integrated across programmes, and the clinic is contracted to all major South African medical aids.

Product overview

The Foundation Clinic is a licensed substance use treatment centre offering a continuum of care through five interconnected programmes: Medically-Assisted Detox (5-14 days), Inpatient Treatment (initial 21-day residential programme), Outpatient and Aftercare (12 months), Recovery Reintegration Programme (extended residential), and Halfway House/Sober Living accommodation. The clinic combines cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and systemic coaching within a bio-psycho-social framework, distinguishing itself from 12-step Minnesota Model approaches. Individual Recovery Coaching is available as an add-on service. All programmes are evidence-based and include family support components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medically-Assisted Detox

Quantifiable outcome

• Aftercare support available for 11 months following treatment at no additional cost
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UBUNTU ADDICTION COMMUNITY TRUST (U-ACT)coreOthersThe clinic forms part of the Ubuntu Addiction Community Trust (U-ACT), a non-profit organisation (NPO 243-605) providing community-based addiction recovery support. U-ACT is the parent organisational structure governing the clinic's operations.
• Discovery HealthcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor South African medical aid provider contracted with the clinic for substance abuse treatment coverage. Authorisation and claims processing handled through clinic's professional admissions team.
• Bonitas Medical FundcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor South African medical aid provider contracted with the clinic. Covers medical detox, inpatient, and outpatient treatment services.
• MedschemecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor medical scheme administrator contracted with the clinic for addiction treatment coverage across multiple scheme options.
• All Major Medical AidscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClinic is contracted to all major medical aids including Momentum, Bestmed, Bankmed, Medihelp, Liberty, Imperial Med, Medshield, Fedhealth, GEMS, Topmed, and others. Professional team handles medical aid authorisation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Priory Group: UK's largest independent mental health and addiction treatment provider, operating many residential sites across Britain. A broad incumbent offering addiction rehab alongside wider mental health services — relevant scale benchmark for clinical quality and medical aid/insurer contracting.
• American Addiction Centers: Largest US-listed addiction treatment operator with multiple residential facilities and broad telehealth aftercare. Comparable broad incumbent reference point for residential addiction treatment as a multi-site, multi-channel business model.
• Recovery Centers of America: US multi-site residential and outpatient addiction treatment operator with medical insurance contracting. Comparable in private-pay-plus-insurance revenue model and continued growth via site expansion.
• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: US-based large nonprofit addiction treatment provider operating multiple residential sites with a full continuum of care. Relevant broad incumbent benchmark for nonprofit-led addiction treatment scale and clinical governance.

Direct peers

• Caron Treatment Centers: US nonprofit residential addiction treatment organisation with a full continuum from detox through extended aftercare and a multidisciplinary clinical model. Comparable nonprofit-led, multidisciplinary approach with a long operating history.
• Smarmore Castle Private Clinic: Ireland-based residential rehab offering medically supervised detox and inpatient treatment for international clients including South Africa referrals. Comparable in program mix, medical-led model, and international patient focus.
• The Cabin Chiang Mai: Thailand-based residential rehab with strong international intake and CBT-based treatment philosophy. Comparable in serving international English-speaking patients at price points below Western rehab markets.
• The Kusnacht Practice: Swiss luxury residential addiction and mental health treatment centre with bespoke programmes and strong international (including UK) intake. Comparable to The Foundation Clinic as a premium-priced, CBT-integrated, internationally positioned residential rehab.
• Castle Craig Hospital: UK-based residential addiction treatment hospital with established international patient pipeline and a full continuum from detox to aftercare. Closely comparable to The Foundation Clinic in target market (international self-pay) and program structure.
• Houghton House Addiction Treatment Centre: Established Johannesburg-based addiction treatment provider offering residential and outpatient programmes with medical aid contracting. The most directly comparable local peer to The Foundation Clinic within the South African market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXJGXFuDeie5wl1T0LsDcMg
• Facebookfacebook.com/thefoundationclinic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/professional-progressive-addiction-treratment
• Instagraminstagram.com/thefoundationclinic

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 SHARP (Self Help Addiction Recovery Program )