Four behavioral health providers in Arkansas have announced plans to merge and form one integrated behavioral health system.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The new non-profit, Arisa Health, will be headquartered in Springdale and have 49 locations in 41 counties in the northern half of the state. Counseling Associates, Mid-South Health Systems, Ozark Guidance and Professional Counseling Associates are combining their services and staff to make it happen.
The organizations signed a letter of intent last week.
Ozark Guidance CEO Laura Tyler will lead Arisa Health, which is expected to have nearly 1,300 employees when the merger is finalized in early 2020, according to a press release announcing the news. That’s when providers will begin operating under the Arisa name.
“This merging of missions will ensure better outcomes for clients, families and the communities we serve and allow for greater efficiency in the delivery of behavioral health services,” Tyler said in the press release. “Our core commitment is to utilize innovative approaches in the provision of comprehensive, integrated behavioral health care services.”
The merger will allow the previously separate practices to share ideas and economies of scale, while creating a new organization that is financially stronger and more sustainable. Additionally, it creates opportunities for collaboration and more comprehensive behavioral health care service offerings for patients, according to the press release.
Companies featured in this article:
Arisa Health, Counseling Associates, Mid-South Health Systems, Ozark Guidance, Professional Counseling Associates
