Havencrest Capital-Backed Apara Autism Centers Acquires 2 ABA Providers

Private equity-backed Apara Autism Centers has acquired fellow applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy companies Autism Learning Collaborative (ALC) and Early Autism Services’ Missouri operations.

This deal will bring Dallas-based Apara into four new state markets. 

“The alignment of these companies driven by a common vision of clinical excellence and focus on family support will increase access and quality services in Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas,” Apara CEO Tyler Moore said in a statement. “Together, we will now have the opportunity to serve even more families and continue to deliver best-in-class clinical care to our patients. Also, our combined ability to work collaboratively with payers and support our outstanding clinicians who care for our families will be unmatched in the market today.”

The ALC brings three locations across New Mexico, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Founded in 2020, ALC provides in-home therapy, center-based therapy, telehealth services, school-based services and social skills groups. ALC provides children 18 months to 16 years old with personalized ABA plans and treatment. 

Meanwhile, EAS was founded in 2008. It serves children ages 6 to 13 with autism, and its Missouri practice is based in St. Louis and offers in-home and center-based ABA, teletherapy and social skills groups. 

Before the acquisitions, Apara had more than a dozen locations across Texas. In addition to ABA services, Apara offers feeding therapy, speech and language therapy, caregiver training and community training.

PE firm Havencrest Capital Management acquired Apara in 2021. Havencrest Capital is a lower middle-market private equity fund focused on the health care industry with $600 million of assets. It works with founder-owned health care companies with an EBITDA of $2 million to $15 million.

The autism space is a hot spot for M&A, and many private equity companies have taken note. In the first three quarters of 2022, there were 39 autism-focused deals, according to data from The Braff Group.

At the end of last year, middle-market PE firm MBF Healthcare Partners purchased autism provider Austin Connect and Wellness. Additionally, early this year, pediatric behavioral health provider The Stepping Stones Group announced the acquisition of in-school speech therapy company Catalyst Speech Language Pathology.