Stepping Stones Acquires New England to Expand In-Home ABA Therapy Services for Children with Autism

On September 24, 2019, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that health services company Stepping Stones (“Stepping”) announced the acquisition of New England ABA, a provider of applied behavior analysis (ABA) in-home therapy.

Upon completion of this acquisition, New England will operate as a subsidiary of Stepping and continue to conduct business under its current name. Tim Sullivan, Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director of New England, will serve as Executive Director of the subsidiary. Ben Sullivan, Co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of New England, will serve as Director of Finance and Operations.

Headquartered in Colorado, USA, Stepping Stones is a leading provider of therapeutic and behavioral health services for children, including those with special needs and autism. The company currently serves more than 450 school districts and 100,000 students across over 30 states in the United States.

Stepping’s team, with over 30 years of experience, comprises more than 2,100 licensed clinicians and special education professionals dedicated to delivering high-quality therapeutic and behavioral health services. The company is owned by Five Arrows Capital Partners, a North American private equity firm under Rothschild & Co Merchant Banking.

New England ABA was established in 2015 to provide Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) home-based therapy services for children and adolescents with autism. ABA is a therapeutic approach that empowers parents and teachers to identify, analyze, and address various challenging behaviors exhibited by children with autism.

New England ABA is committed to tailoring plans for each client. The company’s staff have undergone various training programs, such as Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), Discrete Trial Training (DTT), and the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). New England ABA provides appropriate treatment plans for different patients.

Tim Murphy, CEO of Stepping Stones, stated, “We are delighted to join forces with New England ABA, marking our first entry into home-based autism services. This acquisition enhances our capacity to improve the lives and health outcomes of children. Over the past four years, Tim Sullivan and his team have grown into a leading autism service provider in Massachusetts, and we are thrilled to welcome them to our team.”

Tim Sullivan, CEO of New England ABA, stated, “By joining Stepping Stones, New England ABA has found like-minded partners to fulfill our mission of transforming patients’ lives. I have full confidence in Stepping Stones; their exceptional clinical and operational capabilities will drive New England ABA to even greater success.”

(Compiled by Hu Yifan)