How many autism therapy centers does private equity now own?

A January 2026 JAMA Pediatrics study from Brown University identified 574 PE-owned autism centers across 42 states as of December 2024, with nearly 80% acquired between 2018 and 2022 across 147 deals. California (97), Texas (81), and Colorado (38) lead. Full coverage: Private Equity Acquires Over 500 Autism Centers in Ten Years .

What's behind the recent push by Havencrest and Apara into Texas?

Havencrest Capital and Apara Autism Centers are concentrating growth capital on Texas, where insurance coverage and prevalence data make ABA economics most attractive to sponsors. The strategy mirrors a broader PE pattern of stacking platforms in high-mandate, high-prevalence states. See Havencrest and Apara Target Texas for ABA Growth Surge .

Is PE moving beyond pure-play ABA into multi-specialty pediatric therapy?

Yes — Leavitt Equity Partners' partnership with Pediatrics Plus signals appetite for integrated ABA, speech, OT, and feeding under one platform, even as some sponsors (notably ACES with Ally) are stripping allied services to concentrate on ABA's higher reimbursement. Read Leavitt Equity Partners Expands PE Reach into Multi-Specialty Therapy .

What happened to CARD after Blackstone's bankruptcy?

CARD founder Doreen Granpeesheh has rebuilt a clinical operation out of the wreckage of the $600 million Blackstone-era collapse, which closed roughly 100 of CARD's 250 locations before the June 2023 bankruptcy. Profile: Granpeesheh Resurrects CARD After $600 Million Collapse .

Why did KKR put $5.45 billion behind ABA?

Ali Satvat, KKR's global head of health care strategic growth, built the investment thesis around BlueSprig Pediatrics and the conviction that fragmented, mandate-protected autism services could absorb large-scale capital. How Satvat Convinced KKR to Bet $5.45 Billion .

Is state-level oversight of PE in ABA tightening?

New PE healthcare oversight laws taking effect in 2026 expand reporting and approval requirements in several states, and Illinois is reconsidering its clinician-ownership rule that effectively bars PE structures. Coverage: New State Laws Set to Increase PE Oversight by 2026 .

Private Equity in ABA: PE Deals & Rollups

Gryphon-Backed LEARN Acquires Little Leaves From FullBloom

May 29, 2026

The May 11 deal puts Florida on LEARN’s map for the first time and pulls FullBloom out of direct ABA delivery, narrowing the American Securities portfolio toward K-12 education and school-based mental…

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JoyBridge Expands Southeast ABA Clinics to 24 Locations

May 13, 2026

Backed by Frontline Healthcare, JoyBridge Kids grows from one clinic to a robust platform across three states, enhancing its service offerings.

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Goldman Sachs Quietly Shapes ABA Landscape with CSD-BCI Deal

April 30, 2026

The tuck-in acquisition of Behavior Change Institute signals a strategic shift in ABA consolidation as industry focus shifts to smaller transactions.

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Nautic Partners Divests Its 100-Location Behavioral Health Network

April 30, 2026

The Providence-based private equity firm is selling its diversified behavioral health platform, which includes nearly 100 locations across the East Coast.

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Autism Learning Partners Closes Texas Centers, Expands in California

April 25, 2026

The company shuttered five Texas locations due to low Medicaid rates, opening three new centers in California just days later.

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Aquitaine Capital Invests in Oklahoma’s Growing ABA Therapy Market

April 25, 2026

The investment in KidsChoice aims to enhance multimodality therapy in a state with limited autism service coverage and high growth potential.

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Granpeesheh Resurrects CARD After $600 Million Collapse

April 24, 2026

After Blackstone's costly acquisition and subsequent bankruptcy, founder Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh reclaimed CARD for $48.5 million.

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Behavioral Framework Expands with Autism ETC Acquisition

April 21, 2026

The deal marks a significant move into new markets, signaling renewed M&A activity among private equity-backed ABA providers.

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Havencrest and Apara Target Texas for ABA Growth Surge

April 19, 2026

Apara Autism Centers expands its Texas footprint through strategic acquisitions, positioning itself in the second-largest ABA market for future growth.

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Leavitt Equity Partners Expands PE Reach into Multi-Specialty Therapy

April 17, 2026

The partnership with Pediatrics Plus marks a shift in private equity's focus, integrating ABA with other pediatric therapies.

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Private Equity Acquires Over 500 Autism Centers in Ten Years

April 14, 2026

A new study reveals the rapid expansion of private equity in autism therapy, mapping 574 centers across 42 states and detailing future implications.

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A Diagnosis, a Mission, and a $400 Million Bet: How Lighthouse Autism Center Became the Midwest’s Leading ABA Provider — and Why It’s Just Getting Started

March 18, 2026

Gregg and Sandy Maggioli founded Lighthouse Autism Center in 2012 after their son's autism diagnosis led them through Indiana's near-empty early intervention landscape. Twelve years and two private equity rounds later —…

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Three BCBAs, One City, 25 Years: How Behavioral Innovations Built a 100-Clinic Empire That Almost Nobody Outside Texas Has Heard Of

March 17, 2026

In 2000, Billy Edwards, Carla Edwards, and Lori Russo opened Dallas-Fort Worth's first ABA consultation office. They were among the earliest Board Certified Behavior Analysts in the country, and they had a…

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How Ali Satvat Convinced KKR to Bet $5.45 Billion on the Most Underserved Patients in America

March 16, 2026

The architect of KKR's Health Care Strategic Growth platform launched BlueSprig Pediatrics with a blank check and a conviction that the autism therapy sector was where private capital could do the most…

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PitchBook Primary database for tracking PE ownership, sponsor changes, and deal multiples in autism services
Private Equity Stakeholder Project Watchdog publishing monthly tracking reports on PE healthcare acquisitions, including autism
The Braff Group M&A advisory whose autism services deal-volume data is widely cited in industry reporting
JAMA Pediatrics Peer-reviewed journal that published the Brown University mapping of PE-owned autism centers
SEC EDGAR Filings disclosure system for PE sponsors and portfolio companies with public debt or registration obligations

New CPT codes. Medicaid shifts. Clinics changing hands.

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