Since early 2021, Sacramento-based Mindpath Health has been steadily growing its footprint with the goal of becoming a nationally recognized behavioral health provider. What started as a California-centric operation has expanded rapidly through acquisitions and new locations, establishing the company’s presence in multiple states and positioning it for significant growth in 2022 and beyond. This rapid Mindpath Health expansion reflects the increasing demand for accessible, high-quality behavioral health services nationwide.
Early Roots and Strategic Rebranding
Mindpath Health was originally founded in 1995 as Community Psychiatry by Mark Levine, who served as CEO for nearly two decades. The company built a strong foundation with 44 locations throughout California and became one of the early adopters of telehealth in the state, helping to broaden access to mental health care well before the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated virtual care.
However, as the company’s ambitions grew beyond California and the services expanded beyond traditional psychiatric care, the name Community Psychiatry began to feel limiting. After its acquisition by private equity firms Centerbridge Partners and Leonard Green & Partners (LGP) in 2021, the provider rebranded as Mindpath Health. CEO Christopher Brengard explained the decision as more than a name change—it was a signal of a new era for the company’s Mindpath Health expansion strategy.
“We were really drawn to the word ‘Mindpath,’” Brengard said. “It’s much more descriptive and meaningful around what we’re trying to share with our patients and reflects the broader scope of care we aim to provide.”
This rebrand also aligns with the company’s strategy of creating a cohesive national brand as it continues its Mindpath Health expansion. Brengard emphasized that having a single, recognizable name will be crucial for building awareness and trust as the company enters new markets across the country.
Aggressive Growth Through Acquisitions and De Novo Development
Mindpath Health’s rapid growth strategy is a blend of acquiring existing regional providers and opening new de novo facilities. The company’s first major expansion beyond California came in May 2021 with the acquisition of Durham, North Carolina-based MindPath Care Centers. This deal brought over 25 outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment centers under the Mindpath umbrella, marking the company’s first significant foothold in the Southeast — a pivotal step in the Mindpath Health expansion.
Since then, Mindpath has expanded into several key states:
- Texas: The company has opened more than a dozen new locations in the state, with many more in development. Texas represents a major growth opportunity for Mindpath due to its large population and growing demand for behavioral health services.
- Florida and Ohio: Mindpath entered these states through facility acquisitions, including the recent purchase of four outpatient treatment programs in Ohio from Vertava Health.
- Arizona: The acquisition of Chandler-based Metropolitan Neuro Behavioral Institute added nine facilities in the Grand Canyon State to Mindpath’s portfolio.
Overall, Mindpath now operates over 80 locations nationwide and employs more than 500 clinicians providing in-person and telehealth services to over 70,000 patients. This rapid and strategic Mindpath Health expansion highlights the company’s commitment to serving more communities and improving access to care.
Brengard highlighted the complementary nature of the companies Mindpath has acquired, noting similar clinical models and shared commitment to growth. This alignment helps facilitate smoother integrations and consistent quality of care across the expanding network.
Looking ahead to 2022, Mindpath plans to open between 60 and 75 new de novo locations in at least 15 states. The company intends to continue pursuing acquisitions of strong regional providers, using these as platforms for further Mindpath Health expansion through new facility development.
Embracing Value-Based Care as the Future of Behavioral Health
One of the most important shifts currently reshaping behavioral health care is the move from traditional fee-for-service reimbursement toward value-based care models. Under value-based arrangements, providers are compensated based on patient outcomes and overall quality rather than the quantity of services delivered.
Mindpath Health has been an early proponent of value-based care, especially in its home state of California, and CEO Brengard sees this as a critical component of the company’s future — tightly woven into its ongoing Mindpath Health expansion efforts.
“Value-based care is going to be an important part of all health care now and in the future,” Brengard said. “It’s only going to get more intricate and more detailed.”
While the concept of value-based care is widely supported, there remain challenges related to measuring outcomes in behavioral health, which is inherently complex and nuanced. Brengard acknowledged that the industry is still working to establish consensus on effective health outcome metrics.
Despite these challenges, Mindpath is actively engaging with payers and has entered contracts that include value-based care initiatives. The company believes that integrating these models will improve patient care and align incentives between providers and payers.
According to the Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network, approximately 41% of all healthcare services are currently reimbursed under some form of value-based payment arrangement, indicating a significant shift that behavioral health providers like Mindpath are eager to embrace.
Navigating Challenges with Payer Mix and Clinician Integration
Mindpath’s current payer mix consists of approximately 85% commercial insurance plans, with the remainder split between Medicare and Medicaid. As the company expands by acquiring existing clinical practices, many of which are cash-only providers, one challenge is integrating these clinicians into insurance networks.
Brengard explained, “Many of these clinicians are cash-only providers. The entire challenge of the industry is to work with clinicians in these markets and get them to open up into new payer sources.”
This transition is critical to expanding patient access and aligning with the company’s broader goal of scaling through insurance-based reimbursement models. It requires collaboration, education, and sometimes cultural shifts within practices to navigate new billing processes and payer requirements.
By growing its network of clinicians who accept a broad array of payer types, Mindpath is positioning itself to meet the rising demand for behavioral health services while maintaining financial sustainability — a key pillar of its ongoing Mindpath Health expansion.
Meeting the Rising Demand for Behavioral Health Services
The COVID-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on the urgent need for accessible behavioral health care, and demand continues to increase nationwide. Mindpath Health’s rapid growth and diversified service model, combining in-person and telehealth options, aim to address these needs comprehensively.
Brengard is optimistic about the company’s ability to serve more patients through its expanding footprint and payer relationships. “We’re going pretty broad at the payers and trying to figure out how we best fit into their world and help patients,” he said.
The company’s ability to adapt to evolving reimbursement models, integrate diverse providers, and deliver high-quality care across states positions it as a rising leader in the behavioral health space.
Conclusion: Mindpath Health’s Vision for a National Behavioral Health Network
From its origins as a California-focused psychiatric provider, Mindpath Health has transformed into a national behavioral health network with ambitious growth plans and a strong commitment to innovation. The rebranding to Mindpath Health symbolizes not just a name change but a broader vision of comprehensive, accessible mental health and substance use disorder care.
By blending acquisitions with new facility development, embracing value-based care, and navigating complex payer landscapes, Mindpath is poised to meet the growing demand for behavioral health services in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.
As the company continues to expand in 2022 and beyond, its integrated approach and national ambitions could make it a key player in shaping the future of behavioral health care delivery in the United States. The ongoing Mindpath Health expansion is set to improve access and quality of care for countless patients across the country.
