Our Investment Thesis
At PediaMind Search Partners, we believe the future of pediatric behavioral health lies in accessible, high-quality, community-rooted care. We are focused on acquiring and growing a single company that delivers mission-driven services to children, families, and the clinicians who care for them. Through thoughtful operational support and long-term capital, our goal is to build a scalable platform that preserves clinical culture while improving outcomes and expanding access.
Why Pediatric Behavioral Health?
The United States is facing a sustained pediatric mental health crisis, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, rising social pressures, and a shortage of trained providers. Despite growing demand, access to care remains fragmented and underfunded. PediaMind is focused on addressing this gap by partnering with mission-driven providers to build scalable, high-impact solutions in communities that need them most.
Mental health conditions are increasingly prevalent among children and adolescents. Nearly 1 in 10 youth are diagnosed with ADHD or anxiety, while depression and autism continue to rise. This growing burden highlights the urgent need for scalable, youth-focused behavioral health solutions.
Diagnosed Mental Health Conditions in Youth
Access to pediatric behavioral health services is highly uneven. While urban areas face gaps, rural communities are significantly worse off, with up to 69% lacking access to psychiatric nurse practitioners. Addressing this disparity is a core part of our mission.
Counties Without Behavioral Health Providers
Projected Behavioral Health Workforce Shortages
The U.S. is facing a severe shortage of behavioral health providers, with an expected deficit of over 175,000 mental health counselors alone. This gap threatens access to care, especially for children and families in underserved regions, and underscores the need for provider-focused growth strategies.
The Opportunity — What We See
Our approach is designed to create momentum. By acquiring a high-quality clinic and stabilizing operations, we unlock opportunities to enhance reimbursement, invest in infrastructure, and expand services. This foundation supports add-on acquisitions or de novo growth, creating a self-reinforcing cycle that expands access and multiplies impact—one clinic, one community at a time.
Our Approach
At PediaMind, we bring a hands-on, operator-led approach rooted in healthcare experience. We partner directly with founders and clinicians, ensuring a smooth transition, continued quality of care, and aligned incentives. Our focus is long-term: we don’t flip businesses—we build resilient platforms by investing in people, systems, and service expansion. Every step is informed by our deep understanding of behavioral health operations, reimbursement dynamics, and clinician-centered growth.
The pediatric behavioral health sector presents a rare combination of mission and market opportunity. But to build the right platform, you must understand the structure, challenges, and underlying drivers of this industry.
Explore our industry perspective and why this sector demands focused execution.