Strategic Mergers Are Reshaping IDD and Behavioral Health Care: CFHS Leads Agencies Through Growth With Purpose

Increased oversight, shrinking margins, and workforce shortages drive a new wave of nonprofit consolidation—with CFHS guiding agencies from uncertainty to sustainability.

LEHI, Utah, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Across the intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and behavioral health sectors, mergers and acquisitions are becoming a way to ensure continued care, despite external pressures. To support this shift, Giv and CFHS have created a free resource to guide agencies through the M&A process.

Facing stagnant reimbursement rates, mounting regulatory complexity, and a national workforce crisis, human services agencies are rethinking how they scale. Many are turning to strategic partnerships, affiliations, and mergers to expand capacity, stabilize operations, and strengthen mission impact.

A 2025 HUB International survey found that 48% of nonprofits plan to pursue a merger, acquisition, or partnership in the coming year. And among those that do, 92% report success within the first year, according to La Piana Consulting. For agencies under strain, consolidation is becoming a path to sustainability, not just growth.

Consulting for Human Services (CFHS), the nation's leading advisory firm in this space, has emerged as a trusted partner for agencies navigating this shift. With decades of experience and a national bench of subject matter experts, CFHS helps organizations move from reaction to readiness, bridging the gap between vision and execution.

"What used to be a rare move for nonprofits is now a regular boardroom discussion," said the CFHS team. "But success requires far more than good intentions. Without clear integration plans, cultural alignment, and governance buy-in, even the best opportunities can turn into liabilities."

CFHS has supported transformational partnerships across the country. In Ohio, they helped facilitate the merger of I Am Boundless and Koinonia Homes, forming the state's largest IDD provider while preserving leadership continuity and program depth. In Maine, CFHS guided three mid-sized agencies through a collaborative merger that resulted in a unified $38 million organization with statewide reach.

These examples reflect a growing reality: many small and mid-sized providers can no longer keep pace with value-based Medicaid models, EVV requirements, and managed care demands. CFHS helps agencies assess readiness, align leadership, and build integration strategies that prioritize care quality and compliance.

As more organizations explore strategic growth, CFHS has partnered with Giv, a leading all-in-one platform for IDD and behavioral health providers, to release a free guide: Mergers & Acquisitions in IDD: What to Know Before You Grow. The resource outlines key indicators of readiness, real-world examples, and integration planning considerations for agencies at any stage of the M&A conversation.

The guide is available for free download here.

About CFHS
Consulting for Human Services (CFHS) is one of the nation's leading advisory firms for IDD, behavioral health, and human services organizations. With a national network of experts, CFHS supports agencies in M&A planning, board education, integration strategy, and operational transformation. Learn more at consultingfhs.com.

About Giv
Giv is an all-in-one software platform built for agencies delivering community-based care across intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), behavioral health, and mental health services. The system unifies documentation, billing, compliance, scheduling, pharmacy integration, and care coordination, helping providers reduce administrative burden and grow sustainably. Based in Utah, Giv supports agencies nationwide. Learn more at givhealthcare.com.

Media Contact
Bentley Smith
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SOURCE Giv