Private equity investor Fletch Equity has purchased California-based provider Autism Spectrum Interventions (ASI). ASI was founded in 2009 by Timothy and Kristen Prior. It provides applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy in home- and school-based settings. It works with school districts, Medi-Ca, Medicaid and several commercial health plans. “We are extremely pleased with the outcome of […]

There are currently no treatments for a genetic anomaly that causes a type of autism spectrum disorder and Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS), an autism-related condition.  Biotechnology company Jaguar Gene Therapy is launching the first human gene therapy trial to address the root cause of the condition. The therapy, called JAG201, targets the SHANK3 gene. Mutations in […]

EdTheory, a special education and K-12 mental services provider, has expanded into center-based applied behavioral analysis (ABA) services.  The company, which also offers ABA therapy in schools, homes and via telehealth, is aligning its affiliate companies, Proficio Speech Therapy Group and AGES Learning Solutions, to launch a new ABA company, Proficio Therapy Services (PTS). Fairfield, […]

A handful of organizations, like the Adult Autism Center in Murray, Utah, are leading the charge to help adults with autism receive services after age 21. When students with autism or developmental disabilities turn 22 years of age, they are no longer eligible for special education services provided by their state. Young people often receive […]

The intellectual and developmental disability software giant CentralReach has acquired the company SILAS. The deal, announced on Feb. 8, beefed up Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based CentralReach’s offering for educational settings. The SILAS platform included products related to screening, tracking and curricula related to social-emotional learning (SEL), applied behavior analysis (ABA), executive functioning and transitional-vocational efforts. The […]

Want to read more content like this? Subscribe to Autism Business News today! Navigating the health care system can be challenging for families of children with autism. On top of the challenges the condition itself brings, going through the multiple administrative hoops and many specialist appointments adds further distress.  UNIFI Autism Care, a new Carmel, […]

Despite some public stumbles among private-equity-backed ABA providers, investors are still interested in the space. And 2024 could be a crucial M&A year for autism practices. This is partly because many ABA and autism providers completed their last transaction between 2017 and 2019.  “As you think about the typical investment period, for those capital partners, […]

The Biden-Harris administration announced new initiatives in December 2023 to combat “corporate greed in health care.” The initiatives will likely not directly block behavioral health deals, but headline risk has caused investors to “suddenly” become more cautious.  Behavioral health, and other provider categories that serve vulnerable populations, may experience less interest from large private equity […]

Hopebridge Inc.’s CEO, David McIntosh, is leaving the company. Its previous CEO, Dennis May, resumed his role, effective Tuesday. The Indianapolis-based autism therapy provider announced in April 2023 that McIntosh, the company’s then-president and chief operating officer, would take over the CEO spot on May 1, 2023. May started as CEO in 2016. Since leaving […]

A startup that pays parents to become registered behavior technicians (RBTs) to treat their kids with autism has raised $55 million.  San Francisco-based Forta helps parents become RBTs with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) and pays them from payer reimbursements for delivery services to their child. The company also provides an AI-backed tech stack […]