RELEASE RECOVERY ACQUIRES LEADING MEN’S PERSONAL WELLBEING PLATFORM MANUAL TO EXPAND NATIONAL REACH AND OFFER MORE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES

New Entity Combines Release Recovery’s Best in Class Behavioral Health Care Services to Include MANUAL’s Technology Platform and College Campus Network

NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Release Recovery, a premier substance use and mental health recovery organization based in New York and founded by renowned expert and CEO Zac Clark, has announced the acquisition of MANUAL, an innovative personal development and wellbeing platform tailored for young men. Currently available in more than 50 colleges and high schools, MANUAL serves over 50,000 male members. This strategic alliance significantly enhances Release Recovery’s nationwide presence, providing more people in need with access to comprehensive, accessible, and effective mental health tools. Matthew Stefanko, MANUAL’s founder, will join the new venture as COO, reporting directly to Clark.

“As an early investor in MANUAL, I’ve seen firsthand how Matthew and his team have developed a groundbreaking platform that has transformed the lives of thousands of young men across America,” said Clark. “Combining Release Recovery’s deep expertise in addiction and recovery treatment with MANUAL’s innovative and accessible tools, our new venture is poised to lead the way in men’s mental health. Together, we will create a unique space that blends the profound, in-person engagement of Release Recovery with MANUAL’s digital reach, offering young men both what they want and what they need.”

MANUAL, founded by Matthew Stefanko and developed by health care and behavior change professionals, is a digital personal development platform designed to address the unique needs of young men, who often hesitate to seek help. MANUAL partners with various academic institutions, fraternities, high schools, and businesses to promote health literacy and reduce stigma. Despite being less than two years old, the app has scaled quickly and shown significant positive outcomes, such as a 39% decrease in anxiety symptoms and a 54% increase in the likelihood of graduation among its users. (UCSF Psychiatry) (Manual Care).

“At MANUAL, we’ve built a platform that reaches thousands of young men at universities across the country, but with Release Recovery, we now have the opportunity to deepen our impact,” said Stefanko. “MANUAL’s scalable, tech-enabled platform, combined with Zac’s extensive, human-centered approach at Release Recovery, creates the perfect synergy of breadth and depth. Our complementary skills make this partnership a natural fit, and I’m excited to collaborate under Zac’s visionary leadership and expertise.”

The combined organization plans to deliver exceptional mental health support and tools for young men, including new programs tailored to their unique needs. The new vision includes expanding Release’s model beyond New York and enhancing MANUAL’s digital offerings to address critical issues like substance misuse and gambling addiction, ensuring a holistic approach to mental health and addiction recovery.

MANUAL’s growth and success have been significantly bolstered by the support of key investors, including 12-48, the Inner Foundation, Temerity Capital Partners, and Expanse Venture Partners. Their investment and partnership in MANUAL’s mission have been instrumental in its development and expansion, culminating in this strategic acquisition by Release Recovery.

ABOUT RELEASE RECOVERY
Release Recovery is a premiere substance use and mental health recovery organization co-founded by Zac Clark and Matthew Rinklin. Established in 2017, the New York based organization provides comprehensive care with transitional living, interventions, case management, and essential family and recovery support services. Most recently, Release Recovery expanded its services in Westchester, NY, providing Intensive Outpatient (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization (PHP) services.
(Release Recovery) (Release Recovery).

In addition to the core services, Release Recovery also runs the Release Recovery Foundation, founded in 2020. This nonprofit organization aims to provide scholarships for treatment to individuals who cannot afford it, particularly focusing on underserved communities including people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, college students, and women. The foundation has raised over $4,000,000 to support its mission (Release Recovery) (Release Recovery Foundation).

ABOUT MANUAL
MANUAL is an online men’s personal development and mental health platform that aims to improve health literacy and well-being for young men. Through evidence-based content and engaging resources, MANUAL addresses various health topics, including mental health, sexual health, nutrition, fitness, and more. MANUAL’s mission is to empower men with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed decisions about their health and lead fulfilling lives, particularly for young men resistant to support. To learn more, visit manual.care

Contact:
Laura Markofsky, CIVIC PR for Release Recovery
laura.markofsky@civic-us.com

Release Recovery
Press@releaserecovery.com

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SOURCE Release Recovery