The Help Group

What The Help Group does

The Help Group is a California-based nonprofit human-services organization, founded in approximately 1941 and headquartered in Sherman Oaks, that operates an integrated continuum of programs for children, adults, and families affected by autism, developmental disabilities, learning differences, ADHD, behavioral challenges, and mental health needs. Across nine locations in Los Angeles County, it runs nine state-certified nonpublic day schools (preschool through young-adult transitional programs), therapy and clinical support services delivered in-person and through the Lumina online counseling platform, vocational training and job placement (including the P.L.A.N. Assessment Center and Bridgeport Vocational), arts and recreation programs (Kids Like Me, Advance LA, Kaleidoscope), residential living for adolescents and adults (P6 programs), and a Knowledge Exchange offering professional training and university research collaborations. The organization reports serving approximately 25,000 individuals annually, including 10,000 in therapy services, 1,100 in enrichment programs, and 36 in residential care.

The Help Group is led by founder, president, and CEO Barbara Firestone, with Gary H. Carmona serving as chairman of the board. Its revenue model is a mix of individual and corporate donations, foundation and government grants, and program fees for tuition, therapy, vocational, residential, and recreation services; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is fully direct, delivered through the organization's own facilities and staff across the LA County footprint, with telehealth delivered through Lumina. The organization unveiled a refreshed brand identity in 2026 to mark its 85-year history and has been expanding partnerships, including a deepened inclusion partnership with Curtis School and a $10,000 NEXT for AUTISM grant funding vocational training for autistic young adults.

The underlying technology stack is modest and service-delivery oriented: the Lumina platform provides online counseling access, and the Knowledge Exchange maintains webinar and professional-training infrastructure. No proprietary AI/ML capabilities, patents, APIs, or third-party technology integrations are disclosed in the available data. The organization is privately held with no parent entity, no listed securities, and no identified institutional investors; it has not undergone a typical venture-style funding trajectory, consistent with its nonprofit structure and 85-year operating history.

Name

The Help Group

Legal name

Help Group

Website

https://thehelpgroup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Help Group is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, founded in 1941, that operates nine state-certified nonpublic schools, therapy services, vocational training, residential living, and arts programs for children, adults, and families with autism, developmental disabilities, learning differences, and mental health needs across Los Angeles County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education and Disability Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Classroom & School Program Support (Inclusion/Resource) (EDAKAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Autism Spectrum (ASD) Academic & Social-Communication Support Tutoring (EDANAFAD), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Transition & School-Readiness Support for Special Needs Children (HSAAAIAO)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Mental health therapy
• Vocational training programs
• Developmental disability services
• Residential care programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sherman Oaks

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Help Group receives donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to support their programs and services. The website prominently features donation options.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: Nonprofit receives grant funding from organizations such as NEXT for AUTISM ($10,000 grant for vocational training expansion) and likely government sources for educational services.
3. Program Fees: Fee-for-service programs including school tuition, therapy services, vocational training, residential living, and arts/recreation programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Help Group operates an integrated continuum of educational, therapeutic, vocational, residential, and recreational services for children, adults, and families affected by autism, developmental disabilities, learning differences, ADHD, behavioral challenges, and mental health needs. The organization delivers programs through nine state-certified nonpublic day schools, therapy centers (including the Lumina in-person and online counseling service), vocational training facilities, residential living centers, and arts/recreation programs across nine locations in Los Angeles County.

Product overview

The Help Group is a nonprofit human services organization offering an integrated continuum of educational, therapeutic, and support services for children, adults, and families across Los Angeles. The organization operates nine state-certified nonpublic day schools, therapy services under the Lumina brand, vocational training programs, arts and recreation activities through Kids Like Me and Advance LA, residential living facilities (P6 Adolescents and P6 Adults), and the Knowledge Exchange for professional development. The portfolio includes specialized programs such as the P.L.A.N. Assessment Center, Summit View School, Bridgeport Vocational, and Kaleidoscope LGBTQIA+ support, all unified by the mission to help individuals Learn, Thrive, Work, Play, Belong, and Grow.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Schools State-certified nonpublic day schools offering educational programs from preschool through young adults, including K-12 diploma and certificate tracks, and transitional programs for young adults with diverse learning needs.
• Therapy & Support Mental health services including in-person and online therapy, intensive youth programs, community-based clinical services, case management, family and parenting services, and support groups for children, adults, and families.
• Vocational Training Employment-focused programs providing job readiness training, work experience opportunities, vocational assessments, job placement assistance, and work-based learning for young adults with autism and other developmental differences.
• Arts & Recreation Enrichment programs including youth and adult activities, summer camps, after school enrichment, social events, and specialized programs such as Kaleidoscope for LGBTQIA+ support, designed for neurodivergent individuals.
• Residential Living Supportive residential care for adolescents and adults, offering structured living environments with 24-hour support, life skills development, and independent living preparation at P6 Adolescents and P6 Adults facilities.
• Knowledge Exchange Lifelong learning opportunities for parents and professionals including webinars, parent education, clinician training programs, and university collaborations for research purposes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25,000 individuals served annually through dozens of programs and events
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Curtis SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024What began with a Unified Games Day has grown into a deeper, student-centered exchange grounded in understanding and connection. The expanded partnership fosters inclusion and connection between students at both schools through collaborative activities and programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability, special education, vocational, and therapy services across many states; directly comparable to Help Group's integrated schools/therapy/vocational model but at a much larger, multi-region scale.

Direct peers

• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Large nonprofit operating special education schools, residential programs, and behavioral health services for individuals with autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities, closely matching Help Group's schools-plus-residential model.
• May Institute: National nonprofit providing special education schools, ABA, vocational, and residential services for children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, overlapping heavily with Help Group's program mix.
• Bancroft: Nonprofit serving people with autism, intellectual, and developmental disabilities through special education schools, day programs, residential living, and vocational services, with a comparable full-lifespan continuum.
• Elwyn: Nonprofit operating special education schools, behavioral health, vocational, and residential programs for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and behavioral health needs, with a similar integrated service stack.
• Kennedy Krieger Institute: Nonprofit providing special education schools, pediatric rehabilitation, mental health, and research for children with developmental disabilities and autism, comparable to Help Group's schools and therapy/mental health lines.
• Melmark: Nonprofit providing special education, residential, vocational, and clinical services for children and adults with autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities, closely paralleling Help Group's program portfolio.

Regional players

• AHRC New York City: Large New York-based nonprofit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through schools, day programs, residential, vocational, and family support services; comparable in scope but geographically separate from Help Group's LA footprint.
• Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired: California-based nonprofit providing rehabilitation, education, and supportive services for individuals with visual impairments, overlapping with Help Group in disability-services mission and California footprint, though narrower in population served.
• Exceptional Children's Foundation: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing special education, therapy, and adult day/vocational services for children and adults with developmental disabilities; a direct LA regional peer with a very similar schools-and-therapy model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thehelpgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheHelpGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-help-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Help Group