Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Industry Profile

The US mental health and substance abuse services industry includes about 15,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of more than $20 billion. Major companies include The Betty Ford Center, CRC Health, and Psychiatric Solutions. The industry is highly fragmented: the top 50 companies account for only about 20 percent of industry revenue.

The industry includes establishments that provide residential and rehabilitation care with minimal medical care, along with outpatient facilities with medical staff to provide treatment.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand for mental health and substance abuse services is driven by availability of new drugs and treatments and funding policies of healthcare insurance programs. The profitability of individual facilities depends on controlling costs and attracting physician referrals. Large companies have advantages in group purchasing and in marketing to physicians and managed healthcare companies. Small facilities compete effectively by providing superior patient service, integrating treatment with follow-up procedures, and specializing by treatment or demographic group. Mental health and substance abuse facilities are labor-intensive: average annual revenue per worker is about $60,000.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Revenue for mental health and substance abuse facilities comes primarily from patient care. Other sources of revenue include the management of healthcare programs for corporations and hospitals. Not-for-profit organizations such as Betty Ford and Hazelden also receive private contributions. Outpatient facilities account for about 60 percent of industry revenue; residential facilities account for about 40 percent.

The most common ...