After Active Year, Monte Nido Outlines Multi-Pronged Growth Strategy for 2021

Despite the pandemic, 2020 was a busy year on the growth front for Monte Nido & Affiliates. Last year alone, the private equity-backed eating disorder treatment provider added five new residential treatment sites and acquired an inpatient facility, while also entering multiple new states.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Monte Nido & Affiliates has more than 30 treatment facilities across 12 states. It offers patients the continuum of care, from inpatient treatment to day services. Plus, it’s owned by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners.

Monte Nido & Affiliates plans to continue forging its need-based growth path in the year ahead, according to CEO Candy Henderson. Behavioral Health Business recently connected with Henderson via email to discuss Monte Nido & Affiliates’ M&A strategy, which she said is buoyed by the vast supply-demand mismatch in eating disorder recovery treatment. 

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Already, the company has its sights set on opening another new residential treatment program early this year and continuing to enter new markets as necessary from there.

You can find BHB’s conversation with Henderson below, edited for length and clarity.

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BHB: What differentiates Monte Nido & Affiliates from its competitors?

Henderson: Monte Nido & Affiliates has been a leader in the eating disorder treatment industry for 24 years. We pride ourselves on being the first in many ways – first residential program in a home environment; first to incorporate yoga into treatment; first to produce 10 year outcomes-results data.

We continue that tradition of leadership and being innovative today, which helps us stand apart.

You guys offer a variety of different programs and levels of care. What do you consider your bread and butter?

We specialize in eating disorders; therefore clients that have a primary eating disorder is our focus. We offer four distinct levels of care in the company — all necessary parts of eating disorder and co-occurring treatment.

What’s spurred all the recent growth and expansion?

It’s simple: Over 28 million people nationwide need eating disorder treatment. We are here to serve those in need.

You just entered Georgia for the first time. Why there?

For years we’ve been asked by professionals to bring our programming to the region. This is an underserved market that could benefit from residential eating disorder treatment for adults and adolescents of all genders.

We are always evaluating markets that need eating disorder treatment services.

What’s the growth strategy going forward? Acquisitions? New developments? Other?

Possibly all the above. We are open to all opportunities that allow us to expand our ability to provide high quality eating disorder treatment.

What are your growth goals in the next year to five years?

2020 [was] a busy year for us. [We] opened five residential sites (two in Chicago, one in Northern California and two in Atlanta). Simultaneously, we completed the acquisition of Rosewood which expands our footprint into Arizona and adds inpatient treatment beds to the company. We now offer a full complement of treatment services in the organization.

Lastly, we plan to open an adult residential program for all genders in Portland, Oregon in early 2021. Outside of that, we will see!

On the COVID front, how are you guys faring operationally and financially?

The company is stable and doing extremely well.

We have been able to adapt our protocols to keep clients and families safe, which has allowed them to feel comfortable being with us. We are able to provide telehealth services selectively within our day treatment programs.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing your organization right now?

The biggest challenges we face at the moment range from the more novel — managing a health care company during a pandemic — to more traditional concerns, such as insurance reimbursement and managing our growth.

On the opportunities side, there are still millions of people that need treatment. Opening sites in underserved markets and the possibility of expanding telehealth services are two areas in which we see an opportunity to expand access to quality treatment for those in need.

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