Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1 in 44 children nationwide, a number that has increased by 10% since 2014. This rise in diagnoses highlights a growing need for specialized care and therapy services tailored to children with autism. Among these therapies, applied behavior analysis (ABA) stands out as the gold standard in autism care. As demand for ABA and other autism-related services continues to surge, the domestic autism care market has expanded to $2.1 billion in size. At the heart of this growth is the autism therapy centers expansion phenomenon, as providers strive to reach underserved populations across new states and regions.
Action Behavior Centers: A Case Study in Autism Therapy Centers Expansion
Founded in 2016 by Ryan and Holly Lambert, a husband-and-wife team based in Austin, Texas, Action Behavior Centers (ABC) began as a mission-driven organization focused on delivering high-quality ABA therapy to children ages 18 months to 10 years old. The Lamberts were inspired to start ABC after witnessing a close family friend struggle to obtain timely ABA services for their child with ASD. They discovered that waitlists in the Austin area stretched as long as two to three years—far too long for effective early intervention.
Given the critical window for autism therapy—especially between ages two and six—the Lamberts set out to fill the gap. Their first center in Austin quickly reached full capacity, prompting the opening of a second center in the Dallas suburb of Round Rock. This initial success marked the beginning of a broader autism therapy centers expansion, as ABC sought to bring its services to more families across Texas and beyond.
Strategic Growth Fueled by Private Equity and Community Demand
By 2018, ABC had opened several centers in Texas and attracted investment from New York-based NexPhase Capital. This capital infusion allowed ABC to accelerate its growth plans, leading to new centers in Arizona, Colorado, and Illinois. Today, ABC operates more than 65 centers across these states, exemplifying one of the most significant autism therapy centers expansion efforts in the country.
ABC’s growth strategy remains focused on organic, community-driven expansion. Each new location is selected based on patient demand, with families often traveling 20 to 30 miles to reach existing centers. By listening to feedback from families, pediatric neurologists, and clinicians, ABC targets underserved areas to reduce travel burdens and improve access. This approach ensures that the company’s autism therapy centers expansion is both sustainable and responsive to real-world needs.
Prioritizing Quality and Personalized Care in Autism Therapy Centers Expansion
While many providers focus on sheer size, ABC emphasizes delivering the highest quality care as the foundation of its autism therapy centers expansion. One key differentiator is the clinician-to-patient ratio. Whereas many ABA providers assign 20 to 25 patients per board-certified behavioral analyst (BCBA), ABC maintains a ratio closer to six patients per BCBA, capped at eight. This allows for highly personalized therapy tailored to each child’s unique needs.
In addition to patient care, ABC invests heavily in supporting its clinicians. By fostering professional growth, career progression, and workplace wellbeing, ABC ensures its therapists remain engaged and effective. Given the demanding nature of ABA therapy, preventing burnout among staff is critical to maintaining consistent, high-quality services—a cornerstone of their autism therapy centers expansion strategy.
The Role of Telehealth and In-Home Services in Expansion
The COVID-19 pandemic challenged many behavioral health providers to adapt rapidly to telehealth. ABC carefully evaluated telehealth’s role in autism care and found that while it can be effective for parent guidance and supervision, it falls short as a replacement for one-on-one therapy for young children with ASD, many of whom experience sensory and attention challenges.
As a result, ABC continues to prioritize in-person therapy and has expanded in-home service offerings. This combination ensures safety while preserving the clinical effectiveness of ABA therapy. Thoughtful adoption of telehealth as a complementary service highlights ABC’s commitment to quality throughout its autism therapy centers expansion.
Moving Toward Value-Based Care
A significant trend shaping autism therapy centers expansion is the movement toward value-based care. Traditional fee-for-service models compensate providers for volume rather than outcomes, which can limit incentives for quality improvement.
ABC is actively working with payers to develop alternative payment models that reward clinical excellence and therapist qualifications. While still early in this process, ABC has structured agreements where therapists with higher credentials receive greater reimbursement, aligning financial incentives with care quality. This transition represents an important evolution in autism therapy centers expansion toward more sustainable, outcome-driven healthcare delivery.
Medicaid Access and Equity Challenges
Access to autism services via Medicaid remains uneven across states. ABC accepts Medicaid patients in states like Arizona and Colorado but not in Texas, where Medicaid coverage for autism care is partial.
Expanding Medicaid access is both a moral and strategic priority for ABC. The company views it as a crucial equity issue—ensuring all children with ASD receive timely care regardless of socioeconomic status. Addressing these disparities is a core component of ABC’s vision for widespread autism therapy centers expansion and improved community health outcomes.
Workforce Development as a Key to Sustained Expansion
One of the biggest barriers to autism therapy centers expansion nationwide is the shortage of qualified BCBAs and therapists. To address this, ABC has partnered with local universities to create training pipelines, ensuring a steady supply of well-trained clinicians.
Investing in workforce development not only expands capacity but also safeguards care quality. ABC’s focus on clinician recruitment, retention, and professional development supports both its mission and the sustainability of its expansion efforts.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Autism Therapy Centers Expansion
As ABC looks to the future, its leadership envisions operating centers in every U.S. state. The goal is to eliminate geographic access barriers and make high-quality ABA therapy widely available. Alongside expansion, ABC is committed to maintaining low clinician-to-patient ratios, supporting clinician wellbeing, and advancing value-based payment models.
Through these efforts, ABC aims to transform the autism therapy landscape, making delays and waitlists a thing of the past. Their autism therapy centers expansion is more than business growth—it’s a commitment to delivering life-changing care for children with ASD and their families nationwide.
