Align Consulting Group executes de novo behavioral health facility buildouts end-to-end, transforming a concept, property, or license path into an operational, referral-ready, payer-capable program with systems, staffing, compliance, and revenue infrastructure built in from day one.
This is not “consulting.” It is build + launch + stabilize with operator discipline.
Who this is for
- Owners / operators launching a new SUD or MH program (RTC, Detox, PHP/IOP, OP, or mixed LOC campus).
- Private equity / family offices that need speed, governance, and risk control.
- Real estate-backed groups executing a PropCo/OpCo or management-services model.
- Turnaround-minded founders who want to avoid the classic de novo failure mode: “we opened, but nothing works.”
The problem we solve (tell it like it is)
Most de novos fail for predictable reasons:
- The facility opens before the operating system exists (admissions, payer, clinical documentation, staffing model, tech stack).
- The team is built without role clarity, KPI accountability, or training infrastructure.
- Licensing/accreditation is treated like paperwork instead of a risk-management system.
- Marketing is deployed without a conversion engine (speed-to-lead, CRM discipline, call handling, intake workflows).
- Revenue assumptions ignore payer reality: credentialing timelines, UR friction, documentation standards, denial patterns, and rate strategy.
Align prevents those failures by building the business like a machine, not a mood.
What Align delivers
1) Market + Model Architecture
- Service line and level-of-care design (SUD, MH, co-occurring) aligned to demand and clinical reality
- Target census model and break-even math (staffing, occupancy, payer mix, rates)
- Competitive positioning: where you win, why you win, and what you refuse to be
2) Licensing, Accreditation, and Compliance Readiness
- State licensure path, documentation package, and readiness cadence
- Accreditation roadmap (CARF / Joint Commission readiness as applicable)
- Policies, procedures, risk controls, incident response, and QA/PI loop design
3) Facility, Vendor, and Infrastructure Build
- Vendor selection and implementation oversight (EMR, CRM, billing/RCM, call tracking)
- SOP library buildout: admissions, UR, billing, clinical documentation, discharge planning, alumni/aftercare
- Facility operational readiness: staffing plan, shift coverage, workflows, daily management system
4) Revenue Engine Launch
- Admissions and business development operating system: scripts, training, SLAs, pipeline governance
- Payer strategy: credentialing plan, contracting targets, SCA workflows, rate logic, negotiation prep
- Marketing + conversion readiness: lead routing, call handling standards, CRM hygiene, KPI scorecard
5) Stabilization and Performance Management
- Daily/weekly operating cadence (flash meetings, KPI reviews, leadership rhythm)
- Leadership coaching and accountability structure
- Ramp plan for census growth with leading indicators tracked weekly
Execution approach (phased, measurable, fast)
Phase 1: Due Diligence + Blueprint (Weeks 1–4)
You get the full facility build plan: operating model, staffing, tech stack, compliance roadmap, payer strategy, launch timeline, and KPI scorecard.
Phase 2: Build + Implementation (Weeks 5–16)
We stand up the system: workflows, SOPs, vendors, staff structure, admissions engine, and documentation standards.
Phase 3: Launch + Stabilize (Weeks 17–28+)
We operationalize execution: census ramp, QA/PI cadence, payer/UR discipline, conversion optimization, and leadership governance.
(Exact timelines flex based on state licensing, property readiness, credentialing, and LOC.)
Signature deliverables (what clients actually walk away with)
- De Novo Buildout Master Plan (timeline, owners, dependencies, risk register)
- Staffing Model + Role Clarity Pack (org chart, job scorecards, training ramp)
- Admissions + BD Playbook (SLA, scripts, pipeline stages, reporting)
- Payer Strategy Pack (target list, credentialing tracker, SCA workflow, negotiation prep)
- Documentation + UR Standards aligned to payer expectations
- Tech Stack Implementation Plan (CRM/EMR/billing/call tracking integration)
- Operations Cadence System (daily/weekly/monthly meeting rhythm + KPIs)
- Launch Readiness Checklist (go/no-go criteria before first client)
Outcome language you can use (de novo proof framing)
- “Launch-ready operations with a built-in revenue engine, not a facility with good intentions.”
- “Shorten time-to-stability by installing systems before the first call comes in.”
- “Reduce licensing, payer, and documentation risk by building compliance into the operating model.”
- “Create investor-grade visibility: KPIs, governance, and performance controls from day one.”
Where Align is different
Most firms sell “strategy” and disappear. Align builds:
- Operating systems that work under pressure
- Revenue infrastructure that survives payer friction
- Accountability structures that scale
- Documentation and compliance that protect cashflow
We don’t optimize after launch. We engineer before launch.