On January 1, 2022, non-profits Burrell Behavioral Health and Preferred Family Healthcare (PFH) formed a joint partnership to create a new parent company, Brightli. The new organization will provide high-level oversight, strategy, and advocacy. Both Burrell and PFH will continue to operate under their existing names and structures.
Additionally, Brightli will guide any future mergers and acquisitions efforts that would affect both companies. Matthew Lemmon, vice president of communications for Burrell Behavioral Health and primary spokesperson for Brightli said “future partners could join under the Brightli umbrella rather than the Burrell or PFH ‘child’ umbrellas; wherever it makes the most business sense.” Mr. Lemmon said that through Brightli, the partners may later pursue economies of scale with shared processes and resources such as facilities/engineering, information technology equipment and expertise, and linked population health data. However, at this time no mergers or acquisitions are being considered.
Together Burrell and PFH have revenue of approximately $400 million. Through more than 200 locations in five states, Burrell and PFH provide primary and behavioral health, addiction treatment, dental care, case management, crisis, developmental disability, and employment services. Their service areas overlap in southwest and central Missouri, but they share only three markets (Springfield, Bolivar, and Kansas City metro).
Brightli is led by the current chief executive officers (CEOs) of the two companies. Burrell’s president and CEO C.J. Davis will serve as Brightli’s CEO. PFH president and CEO Mike Schwend will serve as Brightli’s president. The combined board of directors will be led by former Burrell board chair Paul Williams. The CEOs of Burrell and PFH began considering a joint partnership in mid-2020. In February 2021, they signed a letter of intent to explore a partnership. During due diligence, they identified formation of a parent company as the best structure for the partnership.
Through its locations throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, and Oklahoma, PFH provides integrated health services. Its service line includes medical and dental, behavioral health, addiction rehabilitation and prevention, developmental disability services, supportive employment services, housing, and child welfare. Its revenue for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021, was $137 million. PFH also operates divisional brands under names including Bridgeway Behavioral Health, Clarity Healthcare, and Dayspring Community Services.
Burrell Behavioral Health is a large behavioral health center, working with more than 40,000 consumers annually across 25 counties in Missouri and Arkansas. Its service line includes individual therapy and counseling, addiction recovery, psychiatric and medication management, educational and therapeutic groups, crisis intervention, medication-assisted treatment, adult stabilization, case management, residential treatment, autism, diagnostic testing and evaluations and developmental disability support. Its annual budget for 2022 is about $180 million. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021, Burrell reported revenue of $166 million.
OPEN MINDS last reported on Burrell in “Burrell Behavioral Health Merges With Comprehensive Mental Health Services,” which published on January 4, 2022. The article is available at https://openminds.com/market-intelligence/bulletins/burrell-behavioral-health-merges-with-comprehensive-mental-health-services/.
For more information, contact: Matt Lemmon, Vice President, Communications, Burrell Behavioral Health, 2885 W. Battlefield Road, Springfield, Missouri 65807; 417-761-5000; Email: matthew.lemmon@burrellcenter.com; Website: www.burrellcenter.com.