Since its founding in December 2020, ABA Centers has established itself as a leading company in the behavioral health sector, driven by its mission to transform autism care. ABA Centers’ rapid growth has not gone unnoticed, earning a spot on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies. Specializing in applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, the Fort Lauderdale, FL-based company focuses on providing care to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Under the leadership of founder Christopher Barnett, ABA Centers has expanded to 34 markets across 10 states. The company describes its success as stemming not just from its rapid expansion, which has been done purely through a de novo strategy, but also from its commitment to clinical excellence, a client-first philosophy and a sustainable approach to growth. And now, with its newly appointed Chief Executive Officer at the helm, Jason Barker, ABA Centers is preparing for its next growth phase with a focus on creating a national footprint.
For Barnett, the company’s mission is especially meaningful. His daughter has autism, and he stated that the challenges he faced in finding appropriate care inspired him to create a solution that would benefit other families facing similar struggles.
“Our model works because it’s client-first. I have a daughter with autism, and the market’s offerings weren’t good enough for her,” said Barnett. “That litmus test—what I would want for my own child—drives everything we do… For us, this work is deeply personal. My daughter deserves this level of care, and so do other children across the country.”
According to Barnett, this philosophy has guided every aspect of ABA Centers’ operations, from the care provided to the culture cultivated within the organization.
In November, Barnett’s leadership was further recognized when he was named the national overall winner of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award. This program has, for nearly 40 years, celebrated bold leaders who disrupt markets, revolutionize industries and transform lives. ABA Centers’ financial success, underscored by an extraordinary 32,192% revenue growth over three years (according to Inc. 5000), and coupled with its unwavering commitment to the autism community, secured Barnett this honor.
Taking over as CEO on September 3, 2024, Barker brings a wealth of experience from his time scaling ChenMed, a national healthcare company. Since being appointed Chief Operating Officer of ChenMed in January 2020, Barker oversaw a period of rapid expansion, during which ChenMed grew to operate more than 120 primary care centers across 15 states. In 2022 alone, the company opened 33 new centers, marking a 36% increase in its service to underserved neighborhoods.
“We’re going to continue our hyper-growth trajectory, but my focus is to put the infrastructure in place to sustain that growth, reinforce a client-centered culture and ensure we provide the best care to clients while supporting our clinicians with the resources and leadership they need,” said Barker. “At some point, we’ll expand westward and establish a national footprint.”
ABA Centers’ strategy is deliberate: enter new markets carefully, learn from each experience and adapt to the needs of the local communities
“When we enter a state, we learn how not to enter the next one,” Barnett reflected. “Those lessons have helped us go from profitability in a year to being cash flow positive within the first few months of entering a new market.”
A key factor in ABA Centers’ ability to scale so rapidly, according to Barnett, is its commitment to maintaining clinical excellence. For him, expansion isn’t just about increasing the number of locations; it’s about ensuring that every new clinic operates at the highest standard of care.
“Clinical excellence is imperative to us. Growth for growth’s sake isn’t enough. We’ve built a business around a best-in-class brand while maintaining the highest clinical standards,” said Barnett.
This commitment is reflected in the company’s de novo approach to expansion, which focuses on building new clinics from the ground up rather than acquiring existing practices. This strategy allows ABA Centers to create a foundation for each new location, ensuring that it operates according to the same standards that have made the original clinics successful.
As part of its commitment to quality, ABA Centers has speedily expanded its facilities, growing from its initial clinic to larger, more specialized spaces.
“Our first clinic was 1,800 square feet. We quickly realized that was too small. Now, we’re opening 16,000-square-foot spaces. That growth reflects our ability to adapt and scale effectively,” said Barnett.
The expansion of these facilities is not just a reflection of physical growth but of the company’s evolving approach to care. Larger spaces allow ABA Centers to accommodate more children, provide specialized services and foster an environment where clinicians have the tools they need to provide high-quality care. This capacity to adapt and scale is a key driver of ABA Centers’ success.
As ABA Centers continues to grow, the company places a strong emphasis on its team members, understanding that the quality of care provided to clients directly correlates with the support and resources given to clinicians. Barker underscores the importance of talent acquisition, training and maintaining a positive work culture:
“We want to make sure we onboard and train talent well, provide a good work environment and put people in positions to do what only they can do. That’s how we ensure that our growth doesn’t come at the expense of care quality,” said Barker.
ABA Centers’ focus on fostering a positive environment for its staff results in better patient outcomes, as clinicians are empowered to do their best work. By prioritizing the needs of its employees, ABA Centers can maintain its commitment to providing a high standard of care while scaling its operations.
ABA Centers has also funded additional research in autism therapy treatment. In 2022, the company made a $1 million donation to Temple University to establish the ABA Centers Autism Laboratory.
As part of this partnership, Temple University developed a virtual track for its ABA master’s program, offering full-ride scholarships to ABA Centers’ employees. This initiative helps address the need for a well-trained autism care workforce while broadening access to education.
“We fund research and innovation through initiatives like the ABA Centers Autism Laboratory,” said Barnett. “By investing in innovation, we attract the best clinicians and continuously improve care for children.”
This focus on research not only supports the development of more effective treatment methods but also positions ABA Centers as a leader in the field. Looking ahead, both Barnett and Barker see ABA Centers becoming the national leader in ABA therapy.
“Within five years, I see us being the nation’s leader in ABA services, both in terms of clinical excellence and the number of children under our care,” said Barker. “I don’t see any other organization with the drive, passion and infrastructure to match us.”
ABA Centers’ commitment to its mission, clients and employees will continue to drive its success as it expands across the country. As the company moves forward with its expansion plans, its continued focus on clinical excellence and a client-first approach will likely set the standard in the autism care industry.
While ABA Centers has expanded entirely through a de novo strategy, the broader trend in the ASD treatment sector highlights the sector’s growing importance and the varied strategies being employed by other players. In 2024 (as of December 16), 17% of all Behavioral Health Care (BHC) deals focused on ASD treatment providers, a notable increase from 14% in the previous two years.
The largest deal in the ASD treatment space so far this year was Tenex Capital Management‘s acquisition of Behavioral Innovations for $300 million, announced in May. Interestingly, there have been no repeat acquirers in the ASD space so far in 2024, suggesting a competitive environment with numerous players seeking to capitalize on the demand for autism care services. This lack of repeat acquirers may indicate a more fragmented market, where fresh entrants are actively exploring opportunities rather than consolidation by a few dominant firms.
ABA Centers’ success through its de novo strategy exemplifies the growing importance of ASD treatment providers in the broader behavioral health landscape. As the company continues to lead the way, we’ll be monitoring how its model evolves and its influence on the broader behavioral health landscape at LevinPro HC.
