Hope Network, A Nonprofit, Acquires a Three-Clinic Michigan Autism Practice

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – Hope Network, a health and human services nonprofit that reported $185 million in revenue for its 2025 fiscal year, announced its acquisition of Developmental Enhancement Behavioral Health (DE) in a news release dated Sept. 23. DE is an autism and pediatric behavioral health practice with three West Michigan clinics and about 92 employees. The announcement gave no price and no closing date.

The clinics keep running as they are for now. But DE has told families that billing will eventually move to Hope Network’s tax ID, the federal taxpayer number insurers pay claims under, and that at that point Hope “would technically be classified as a new provider for the learner.” Current authorizations stand for now, DE said, though they may need to be transferred as the integration proceeds; DE said it hopes to avoid “the process of all new authorizations and other steps that would typically be needed when switching providers.”

DE says the two organizations hold contracts with “most, if not all the same insurance companies.” Their Autism Alliance of Michigan directory entries overlap on Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, and Priority Health, among others, but DE’s entry also names Cigna and TRICARE, which Hope’s does not; Hope’s entry says it accepts other insurers not listed. Both accept Medicaid. The directories do not show which plans will cover a given child after the billing change, and both providers’ FAQs tell families to check coverage with their insurer.

The acquisition adds DE’s three clinics to Hope Network’s four sites: Kentwood, Holland, East Lansing, and Livonia. DE’s Grand Rapids and Holland clinics offer ABA; its Grandville clinic handles psychological assessment and counseling. DE says it has operated for nearly two decades, and its website lists psychologist Mark Laman as its president.

Megan Zambiasi, Hope Network’s chief program officer, told WGVU what the purchase adds. “DE has some additional things that we don’t have currently in our autism centers,” she said. “They have a really rich diagnostic service, for instance. They also have some additional staff that can do mental health therapy.” Zambiasi said DE’s clients would gain access to Hope Network’s speech therapy services.

For now, DE told families, children keep the same clinicians, locations, hours, and treatment plans, and local leaders stay in place. Hope Network’s release describes a phased integration focused on continuity of care and employee retention, and a spokesperson told WOOD TV that no “immediate” branding changes are planned.

DE says Hope Network will host an open house for families as the transition proceeds, and that it will notify them by email and mail before any change takes effect. The FAQ does not say when the tax-ID switch will happen. Full integration into Hope Network’s systems is expected around spring 2027, WOOD TV reported.

AT A GLANCE

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