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The Council on Recovery

EIN 74-1173235 · Houston, TX

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The mission of the Council is to lead the community in creating a path to freedom from substance abuse and related issues.

Income
$8.4 million
Spending
$7.9 million
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
1.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 54%
Employees
105
Volunteers
103
Highest pay
$292,476, president & ceo to 3/19/25

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 35% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    26 of 26 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $5.5 million spent. The Council provides service through six activities: Education, Counseling, Navigation, Screening & Referral, Therapy & Treatment, and Recovery Support. - Our education services include community workshops, professional education events, evidence-based curricula programs, and education for mental health and healthcare professionals. Education services are offered in schools, community centers, probation offices, and other places for people who may be interested in or struggling with substance use issues. Our long-term objective for our education activities is to help prevent future generations from experiencing the devastation this disease causes. - Counseling services support clients affected by another's substance use and those experiencing harm from their own use. Counseling introduces clients to conversations about their struggles and focuses on building coping skills for environmental and social challenges related to substance use, without addressing deeper psychological issues addressed in therapy. - Navigation services connect clients to various community resources that may help reduce or eliminate stressors, known as social determinants of health, which can lead to substance use. -Screening & referral use standard questions to assess substance use level and motivation for change. Based on the results and ability to pay, referrals connect individuals to the right treatment providers. - Outpatient therapy and treatment services explore how a client's family of origin and current family dynamics influence their problematic behaviors. Services provided include structured outpatient therapy to gain insight. Treatment is designed to offer an intensive, structured therapeutic opportunity with minimal disruption to daily life, while gaining insight, skills, and support to create healthier family systems. The program includes group therapy, educational sessions, skill-building activities, family therapy, multi-family education, support groups, and individual therapy. - Recovery support services are non-clinical support offered to two groups of participants: 1) those who have achieved some level of sobriety and 2) participants taking initial steps to seek treatment and begin the recovery process. We provide face-to-face, phone, virtual, and Internet coaching to help participants start or stay in recovery, offer emotional support in addressing personal life issues, aid in understanding the recovery process, and connect them to the recovery community. We also provide indirect coaching that improves participants' life circumstances and removes obstacles to recovery. Recovery support services, such as Navigation, help participants address social determinants of health needs, including affordable housing, food insecurity, transportation assistance, childcare, and health and wellness activities. Recovery support also includes providing educational services, such as offering classes on nutrition, parenting, resume building, completing job applications, conducting a job search, budgeting, preparing for the GED exam, and relapse prevention. We served 38,520 individuals in FY25, including 20,558 under 18 and 17,962 adults.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending August 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1953.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.