Forge Health
Founded 2016 · 144 employees on LinkedIn · 2 known investors
Forge Health provides in-person and virtual mental health and substance use treatment, including intensive outpatient programs (IOP), for individuals dealing with addiction, trauma, and mental health issues. Its care is evidence-based, personalized, and in-network with major insurers.
Also known as Forge Medical Group, LLC · Forge VFR · Strive Health (former name)
Investors · 2
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Forge Health is a behavioral health provider offering in-person and virtual outpatient treatment for mental health conditions and substance use disorders, including intensive outpatient programming (IOP), individual, couples and family therapy, psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid and alcohol use disorders. Conditions addressed include substance use and addiction, depression, anxiety and stress, trauma and grief, mood disorders and anger management, with specialized programs for cancer patients, LGBTQ+ individuals, and veterans and first responders (branded Forge VFR).
The Forge Care Model is described as an evidence-based, trauma-informed, goal-oriented and client-centered methodology that uses multidisciplinary care teams, data analytics and streamlined care delivery to treat mental health and substance use issues concurrently and to link behavioral treatment plans to patients' physical health conditions. Techniques cited include motivational enhancement therapy (MET) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). All care is outpatient and is delivered in person, via telehealth, or in hybrid form, with appointments available in as little as one business day.
The company positions itself as a value-based care organization rather than a point solution, contracting with payers, health systems, accountable care organizations and employers. It operates clinics across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, including a New York presence delivered together with the Kenneth Peters Center for Recovery, part of the Forge Health family of companies.
Founding story
Forge Health was co-founded by CEO Eric Frieman and launched in 2016; the company describes its founders as experienced clinicians and experts in mental health and substance use care. Building behavioral health services for military members, veterans and first responders was a founding priority for Frieman, whose brother served in the military and was deployed to Iraq.
Business model
Forge Health operates outpatient behavioral health clinics and a telehealth service, contracting directly with health plans rather than relying on cash pay. It is in-network with more than 30 commercial and government payers and layers value-based care arrangements on top of fee-for-service delivery, holding several value-based contracts with health plans, health systems, accountable care organizations and employers; as of April 2022 it managed more than 270,000 members under value-based partnership models. Clinical services are provided by licensed physicians and practitioners practicing within Forge Medical Group, LLC, an independent physician-owned medical group.
Revenue comes from insurance-reimbursed outpatient behavioral health services delivered in network with commercial and government health plans, supplemented by self-pay, and from value-based care contracts with payers, health systems, accountable care organizations and employers under which the company manages member populations.
Traction
The company reported more than 2,000% revenue growth between 2017 and 2020 and 800% revenue growth from 2018 to 2022, ranking No. 792 on the Inc. 5000 list. As of December 2022 it had more than 150 employees, operated in eight states and held several value-based care contracts; in April 2022 it managed more than 270,000 members under value-based partnerships and was in network with over 30 health plans. Patient survey figures cited by the company include 100% reporting feeling safe in its care, 98% feeling supported by the program, and 97% saying they would recommend it.
Latest developments
In December 2022 the company closed a $10 million equity round led by HC9 Ventures into which $11.5 million of April 2022 convertible notes converted, for $21.5 million raised across 2022; the round included 31 investors, with a first sale on December 5, and the CEO said the Series A was not yet complete and additional parties would push totals higher. The company appointed Timothy Wentworth as board chairman and set a goal of 19 clinics by mid-2023, opening both physical and virtual clinics with value-based partners.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Forge Health is one of a group of venture-backed behavioral health providers built around value-based care; Behavioral Health Business named Eleanor Health and Brave Health as comparable companies. Coverage describes it as growing rapidly within a mental health sector that attracted heavy venture investment in 2021 and 2022, with the company aiming to establish itself as a market leader in integrated in-person and virtual behavioral health delivered in network.
Forge Health contrasts itself with fragmented point-solution behavioral health offerings by treating mental health and substance use concurrently as part of whole-person care that is explicitly tied to patients' physical health conditions and medical adherence. It emphasizes in-network insurance coverage, a combined brick-and-mortar and telehealth footprint, and outcomes evidence: a third-party study conducted by a large national health insurance company reported that patients showed a 62% reduction in emergency room utilization, a 39% reduction in all-cause hospital admissions, a 75% reduction in medical hospital admissions and a 20% increase in primary care visits a full year after treatment. Management has said it prioritized clinical quality before pursuing scale.
Technology
Forge Health integrates digital health services with in-person clinical care, offering telehealth and hybrid treatment models rolled out company-wide in March 2020. Its care model relies on patient data analytics and multidisciplinary care teams to coordinate treatment for patients with multiple comorbidities, and part of its 2022 financing was earmarked for building out technology capabilities.
Go-to-market
Patients and families reach Forge Health directly through its website intake forms, phone and text, while providers and healthcare organizations refer patients; the intake process captures insurance information and preferred location or telehealth. Beyond direct-to-patient channels, the company grows through value-based partnerships and clinic openings with accountable care organizations, payers, health systems and employers, and through in-network status with major insurers including Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Carelon Behavioral Health, Emblem, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, Oxford, Tricare, Highmark, Horizon, UPMC and VA Community Care, plus Medicaid and Medicare at select locations.
Individuals, families and communities affected by mental health conditions, addiction and trauma, particularly those with moderate to severe or co-occurring conditions. Dedicated programs serve active-duty service members, veterans and first responders and their families, cancer patients, and LGBTQ+ individuals. On the payer side, customers include commercial and government health plans, health systems, accountable care organizations and employers.
Geography
Headquartered in White Plains, New York. As of December 2022 the company operated in eight states and listed locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Current site listings include clinics in Manchester, New Hampshire; Paramus, Princeton, West Deptford and West Orange, New Jersey; Hauppauge, Syosset and Queens (Rego Park), New York; and Doylestown, Greensburg, Langhorne and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Telehealth extends access beyond clinic sites.
History
The company launched in 2016 with seed funding from Montage Ventures and was previously known as Strive Health. It deliberately delayed raising growth capital until its care model and business were established, expanding from in-person care to a fully virtual option within a week in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. It raised $11.5 million in convertible notes in April 2022 and closed a $10 million equity round in December 2022, both led by HC9 Ventures, bringing 2022 funding to $21.5 million. In December 2022 it had more than 150 employees, operated in eight states, and had added Timothy Wentworth, former CEO of Evernorth and Express Scripts, as board chairman. Inc. 5000 ranked the company No. 792, citing 800% revenue growth from 2018 to 2022.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 6
launches, deals, and filingsForge Health said it aimed to operate 19 clinics by the middle of 2023, opening both in-person and virtual clinics with accountable care organizations, payers and employers.
Behavioral Health Business reported that a $10 million equity round plus $11.5 million of April 2022 convertible notes that converted into it made up a $21.5 million funding effort spanning two distinct efforts in 2022. The equity round included 31 investors with first sale on Dec. 5, and the CEO said the Series A was not yet complete.
$21.5M source ↗
Forge Health added Timothy Wentworth, former CEO of Evernorth (Cigna's health services arm) and former CEO of Express Scripts, as board chairman; HC9 Ventures introduced him to the company's leadership.
Following its $11 million financing, the company said it would use proceeds to build out technology capabilities, expand clinics in existing and new markets, and grow value-based partnerships.
Forge Health entered a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand veterans' access to substance use and mental health services with the goal of reducing suicide, delivered through its Forge VFR (veterans and first responders) offering.
The Inc. 5000 list ranked Forge Health at No. 792, reflecting 800% revenue growth from 2018 to 2022.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Forge Healthforgehealth.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Forge Health do?
- Forge Health delivers in-network, value-based outpatient mental health and substance use treatment in person and virtually.
- Who are Forge Health's investors?
- Forge Health's investors include HC9 Ventures, Montage Ventures.