Forward House

What Forward House does

Forward House, operating under the trade name Maison les Étapes, is a community-based mental health non-profit organization founded in 1957 and headquartered at 2240 Girouard Avenue in Montréal, Québec. The organization serves adults experiencing serious mental health difficulties, including individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and those transitioning out of psychiatric inpatient care. Its core service portfolio comprises four coordinated programs: a Community Centre delivering the Day Educational Program and Vocational Support Services (including the PAAS Action program with Emploi Québec); a Community Support function split into Long-term Support and Intensive Community Support delivered by mobile mental health workers; Residential Services operating three coeducational group homes serving 22 adults; and the MIR Plus short-term intensive residential program for 11 adults (seven men, four women), which is reserved for patients referred through the McGill University Health Centre hospital network over a six-to-nine month reintegration period.

The underlying operating model is human-delivered and labor-intensive — staff supervision, 24/7 on-call assistance for residents, in-person classes, and structured daily activities at a single physical community centre. There is no proprietary technology platform, app, API, or digital service layer; the organization's online presence is limited to a Wix-hosted website and a Facebook page. Service delivery relies on referrals from case managers, healthcare providers, and social workers, supplemented by 35 years of community partnerships with senior centres, hospitals, food banks, and community kitchens that provide volunteer placement opportunities.

As a registered Canadian non-profit, Forward House does not generate commercial revenue in the conventional sense. The organization does not disclose pricing, headcount, funding sources, or financial figures on its website. Operations are confined to Montreal, with all four residential facilities co-located within the city. The business model is therefore best characterized as a grant- and government-funded community service provider, dependent on Quebec health and social service funding channels and referral partners, rather than a revenue-generating enterprise.

Name

Forward House

Legal name

Forward House

Website

https://maisonlesetapes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Forward House (Maison les Étapes) is a Montréal-based non-profit, founded in 1957, providing community mental health services — day programs, mobile community support, and residential housing — to adults with serious mental health difficulties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (62322)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAFACAC

Residential Mental Health Treatment Centers

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Behavioral Health & Substance Use Treatment

SECONDARYHSABAIAF

Behavioral Health & Cognitive Support Coordination (Dementia, Depression, SUD)

Home & Personal Services/Elder Care & In-Home Care Services/Care Coordination & Geriatric Care Management

SECONDARYHLADABAF

Small Residential Care Homes (RCFE/Board & Care)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Elder Care & Long-Term Care/Assisted Living Facilities

Keywords

• Community mental health services
• Transitional housing programs
• Residential mental health support
• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Psychosocial rehabilitation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Forward House provides community-based mental health services for adults experiencing serious mental health difficulties. Services include a Community Centre offering a Day Educational Program and Vocational Support Services (PAAS-Action), Long-term and Intensive Community Support delivered by mental health workers, three coeducational Residential group homes serving 22 adults, and the MIR Plus short-term intensive residential program serving 11 adults transitioning from McGill hospital network psychiatric care.

Product overview

Forward House is a community-based mental health services organization offering a coordinated suite of programs. The core offerings include the Community Centre with Day Educational Program and Vocational Support Services, Community Support through Long-term and Intensive Support teams, Residential Services with three coeducational group homes for 22 adults, and the MIR Plus short-term intensive residential program for 11 adults transitioning from McGill hospital network. These programs work together to help adults with mental health difficulties develop life skills, coping abilities, and independence within the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Centre Day Educational Program

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Hospital NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIR Plus program is reserved for patients currently receiving psychiatric in-patient care from McGill's hospital network. Application must be made through a social worker in the network. This partnership ensures a steady referral pipeline for the short-term intensive residential program designed to reintegrate individuals with persistent mental health disorders.
• Emploi QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Emploi Québec allows participants to take part in the PAAS Action program designed to facilitate progress towards future employment. This program helps participants develop autonomy, discipline, and self-confidence required for future employment endeavors.
• Community Organizations (senior centres, hospitals, food banks, community kitchens)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForward House has developed partnerships over the last 35 years with various community organizations including senior centres, hospitals, food banks, and community kitchens for its volunteer placement program, providing participants with community integration opportunities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Stella's Place: Toronto-based mental health service hub offering peer support, clinical services, and recovery programs for youth and young adults. Comparable for its integrated community mental health hub model combining day programming and peer-led support, though focused on a younger demographic than Forward House.

Direct peers

• AMI-Québec: Québec-based nonprofit providing mental health education, peer support, and advocacy for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Closely comparable to Forward House as a Montréal-area community mental health nonprofit delivering coordinated support services to adults with psychiatric difficulties.
• Fred Victor: Toronto-based multi-service nonprofit combining housing, mental health, and employment supports for people facing homelessness, poverty, and mental health challenges. Comparable for its community-based residential programming and integrated support model for adults with persistent mental health needs.
• Maison Jean Lapointe: Québec-based nonprofit providing addiction treatment, residential housing, and community reintegration services. Comparable as a Quebec nonprofit operating residential and community reintegration programs for adults facing persistent mental health and addiction challenges.
• Revivre: Québec-based nonprofit supporting people living with anxiety, depression, and mood disorders through peer support groups and information services. Comparable as a Quebec community mental health nonprofit serving adults in recovery within the same provincial funding and regulatory environment.
• Thresholds: Chicago-based nonprofit providing mental health, substance use, housing, and employment services, including residential and recovery programs. Comparable as a community mental health organization operating residential group homes and intensive community support for adults with serious mental illness.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): National federation of mental health organizations delivering community programs, housing, and advocacy across Canada. Comparable as a peer operating in the Canadian community mental health nonprofit space, though at a much larger national scale than Forward House's Montréal footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/maisonlesetapesforwardhouse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Forward House