Burrell parent enters merger to create $1B organization

Springfield-based Brightli Inc., the parent company of Burrell Behavioral Health, announced a merger with Nashville, Tennessee-based Centerstone.

Officials said in a news release that the merger, which is in the due diligence phase through a nonbinding agreement, would create a combined organization with annual revenue exceeding $1 billion. Rance Burger, director of media and public relations for Brightli, said about $550 million of that total comes from Brightli.

“This partnership represents an incredible opportunity to shape the future of care,” Brightli CEO C.J. Davis said in the release. “Across Brightli’s history, our organization and affiliates have led more than 25 successful mergers and affiliations across our network. We have seen firsthand the power of joining forces to expand access and improve outcomes. We share Centerstone’s deep commitment to compassion, connection and measurable impact."

Burger called the agreement "a merger of equals."

"Exact terms and financials will not be known until we are a lot closer to closing the deal, and that would be sometime in November, we hope," he said via email.

Brightli has more than 6,000 employees working at over 220 locations in five states, and Centerstone has 4,300 employees at 140 locations in six states, according to the release. Centerstone also has an international network comprised of more than 1,500 providers who serve patients globally.

A name for the combined entity is not yet known, Burger said.