Burrell, Brightli to transition to Centerstone name

Springfield-based Burrell Behavioral Health and parent organization Brightli Inc. will transition to the Centerstone name through a combination of the companies.

The planned name change was announced this morning as officials with the organizations signed a master transaction agreement that formalizes a previously announced merger between Brightli and Centerstone, according to a news release. The merger is expected to close in early November for undisclosed terms.

The merger was announced in July as a nonbinding agreement in the due diligence phase, and a name for the combined organization had not been determined, according to past reporting. 

“Brightli’s member organizations will be thoughtfully rebranded to Centerstone over a one- to two-year period,” Brightli CEO C.J. Davis said in the release. “With such a significant portion of our operations based here in Missouri, our commitment to this state runs deep. We will remain steadfast in providing high-quality mental health care to Missourians now and for generations to come.”

Rance Burger, director of media and public relations for Brightli, confirmed in an email this morning that Burrell's offices and clinics would transition to the Centerstone name over a roughly 18-month period. He said there's not expected to be a disruption of services or provider changes during the rebranding process.

Centerstone's headquarters will remain in Nashville, Tennessee, and Springfield will serve as the headquarters for the combined organization's Missouri operations, according to the release. Administrative operations will stay at Burrell’s campus on West Battlefield Road, and executive and staff relocations are not anticipated.

Also newly announced is that Davis will serve as Centerstone's CEO-elect upon the merger's closure and he’s expected to transition to CEO in January 2027. Current Centerstone CEO David Guth is slated to become CEO emeritus at that time and retire later in 2027 after nearly four decades with the organization.

“I am confident in the leadership and vision that C.J. brings to help continue the growth of Centerstone as a leader in the industry," Guth said in the release. "He is guided by a deep mission of expanding care to the people in our communities."

The combined Centerstone entity would be the largest U.S. nonprofit behavioral health care provider, officials say, with annual revenue projected at roughly $1.1 billion. With Brightli, Centerstone would have more than 10,000 employees, physical operations in nine states and nearly 250,000 annual clients.

“This merger of equals is not about the scale. It’s about the opportunity to lead during this critical point in the landscape of behavioral health services,” Guth said in the release. “The need and public support for quality mental health care is at an all-time high, there is strong bipartisan support for mental health services at the state and federal levels, and stigma continues to erode.”