Autism therapy provider Helping Hands Family has acquired fellow services provider Mission Autism Clinics.
King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based Helping Hands Family’s takeover of Mission Autism Clinics adds 13 centers to its existing presence in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Helping Hands Family also operates centers in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York.
“Merging with Mission Autism Clinics enables us to combine the strengths of two strong, child-centered, organizations to bring quality [applied behavior analysis (ABA)] therapy to more communities,” Helping Hands Family’s CEO, Fali Sidhva, told Autism Business News.
Hazelton, Pennsylvania-based Mission Autism Clinics was founded in 2019 by Lisa DeAngelo and Paul DeAngelo Sr. The provider offers in-center ABA therapy for children ages 2 to 6 and home, school and community-based care for children, teens and young adults.
The acquisition brings Helping Hands Family’s footprint to 38 locations, according to each company’s website. The company is backed by the health care-focused, New York City-based private equity firm Zenyth Partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In the immediate future, Helping Hands Family plans to maintain each company’s patient services and employee roles. Mission Autism Clinics’ locations and teams will remain intact. The company will later expand staff resources and support structures, new training opportunities, operational improvements and extended staff.
Mission Autism Clinics locations will eventually be rebranded to the Helping Hands Family identity.
Mission Autism Clinics was previously a portfolio company of Seven Isles Capital. The founder and CEO of Mission Autism Clinics, Paul DeAngelo Jr. are executives of Seven Isles Capital, according to each company’s website.
Helping Hands Family recently announced the development of an 18-month-long fellowship program to foster the development of new board-certified behavioral analysts (BCBAs), the clinicians that develop and oversee ABA treatment plans. The autism therapy industry’s demand for BCBAs far outweighs the supply.
In August 2023, Helping Hands Family acquired Doylestown, Pennsylvania-based Invo Healthcare’s Pennsylvania facilities. Earlier that year, Invo Healthcare shuttered several in-home sites and centers to better focus on its school-based business.
