The May Institute

What The May Institute does

The May Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1955 and headquartered in Randolph, Massachusetts, that provides educational, rehabilitative, and behavioral healthcare services to autistic individuals, persons with developmental disabilities, and individuals with brain injury and neurobehavioral disorders across the lifespan. The organization operates more than 130 service locations in the Northeast, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and West Coast, including seven special education schools, a dedicated brain injury rehabilitation school, center-based ABA clinics, in-home behavioral services, adult day habilitation and residential programs, and a national PBIS school consultation practice.

The core methodology is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), delivered through evidence-based interventions including early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI), focused interventions, and the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework. The organization employs more than 35 doctoral-level clinicians and nearly 80 BCBA/BCaBA-certified behavior analysts, and houses the National Autism Center, which publishes the National Standards Project, the most comprehensive review of autism interventions ever completed. May Institute also operates an APA-accredited clinical psychology internship program and a Master's in ABA (MABA) program that has graduated 740+ students.

Revenue is generated primarily through fees for service paid by state Medicaid programs (notably the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services), federal sources including Department of Defense and Department of Education grants, insurance reimbursement, school district contracts for PBIS and consultation services, and private pay. Annual revenues have grown from $42M in 1997 to $123M as of the most recent reporting, with a staff complement of more than 2,000. Strategic positioning emphasizes vertical integration across the care continuum (early intervention through adult services), regulatory accreditation (CARF, BHCOE), and research credibility through the National Autism Center and academic partnerships with 50+ universities and teaching hospitals.

Name

The May Institute

Legal name

The May Institute, Inc.

Website

https://mayinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The May Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1955 that provides Applied Behavior Analysis-based educational, rehabilitative, and behavioral healthcare services to autistic individuals and those with developmental disabilities or brain injury across more than 130 U.S. service locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Behavioral Healthcare and Special Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism-Specific Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Early Intervention (Educational) (EDAKAKAB), Autism Teacher Training & Professional Development (EDAKAKAL), Autism Assistive Technology & Learning Tools (Educational) (EDAKAKAM), Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked) (EDAKAKAJ), Autism Communication Support (AAC, Pragmatics & Language) (EDAKAKAG)

Keywords

• Applied behavior analysis
• Autism educational services
• Special education schools
• Developmental disability services
• Brain injury rehabilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Randolph

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Educational and Rehabilitative Services: May Institute operates as a nonprofit organization providing educational, rehabilitative, and behavioral healthcare services. Revenue is derived from service fees paid by government agencies, insurance providers, and families. The organization has grown from $42M to $123M in annual revenues since 1997.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The May Institute is a nonprofit behavioral healthcare and special education organization that delivers Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)-based services to autistic individuals and those with developmental disabilities, brain injury, and neurobehavioral disorders across the lifespan. Its offerings include a network of special education schools (autism and brain injury), center-based and in-home ABA therapy, early intervention, speech and language therapy, adult day habilitation and residential programs, PBIS implementation and school consultation, and assistive/supportive technology services. The National Autism Center division conducts research and publishes national standards for evidence-based autism intervention.

Product overview

The May Institute provides a comprehensive portfolio of behavioral healthcare and educational services for autistic individuals and those with developmental disabilities, brain injury, and neurobehavioral disorders. The organization operates as a network of interconnected services including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services (the foundational methodology), multiple autism schools across Massachusetts and California, a brain injury school, children's services (early intervention, center-based, in-home), adult services (day habilitation, residential), PBIS school consultation, supportive technology, and the National Autism Center. These services work together to provide care across the lifespan from early childhood through adulthood, with the National Autism Center serving as the research and standards arm of the organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• National Autism Center: A center dedicated to supporting effective, evidence-based treatment approaches for autism. Established in 2005, it conducts research and publishes national standards reports. Celebrated 20 years in 2025.
• May Centers for Children & Families
• May Centers for Adult Services
• PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)

Products and services

• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Services Comprehensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) interventions for autistic individuals and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) typically delivered 10-40 hours per week, focused interventions for specific behavioral targets, center-based programs, and in-home services. Designed for individuals across the lifespan with autism, developmental disabilities, brain injury, and neurobehavioral disorders.
• Autism Schools (May Center Schools for Autism and Developmental Disabilities) Special education schools for children and adolescents with autism and developmental disabilities. Includes May Center Schools in Chicopee, Mansfield, Randolph, West Springfield, and Wilmington, Mass., and The Bay School in Santa Cruz, Calif. Schools deliver academics, behavior support, speech and language services, and family support.
• Brain Injury School (May Center School for Brain Injury and Neurobehavioral Disorders) Specialized school for children and adolescents with acquired brain injury and neurobehavioral disorders, located at the Norwood, Mass. campus. Provides rehabilitation, academics, behavior support, medical care, transition to adulthood, employment and life skills training, and residential services.
• Children's Services Comprehensive services for children with autism and developmental disabilities, including early intervention, center-based therapy, in-home behavioral services, and speech and language therapy. May Centers for Children & Families offer center-based ABA therapy and early intervention in Massachusetts. Speech and Language Therapy Services launched in 2025 in Randolph and West Springfield.
• Adult Services (May Adult Living & Learning Services) Day habilitation programs, residential services (more than 100 residential group homes, supported living apartments, and shared living opportunities), and vocational training for adults with developmental disabilities and autism across Massachusetts. A new Day Habilitation Program opened in Randolph, Mass. in 2025. CARF three-year accredited.
• PBIS and School-based Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,428 individuals and families received intensive, community-based services in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and historical.

• WORK, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaborative venture with WORK, Inc. for vocational programs providing employment training and supported employment for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. This partnership enables integrated adult autism services through the Center for Integrated Adult Autism Services opened in 2016.
• Cleveland ClinicmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019May Institute partnered with Cleveland Clinic, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and University of Rochester School of Medicine as part of a $7 million Department of Defense-funded study to evaluate early intensive behavioral intervention for autism spectrum disorder.
• Vanderbilt University Medical CentermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership as part of $7 million DoD funding to evaluate early intensive behavioral intervention for autism spectrum disorder.
• Nationwide Children's HospitalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership as part of $7 million DoD funding to evaluate early intensive behavioral intervention for autism spectrum disorder.
• University of Rochester School of MedicinemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership as part of $7 million DoD funding to evaluate early intensive behavioral intervention for autism spectrum disorder.
• Children's Hospital (Boston)historicalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Pioneering partnership established in 1983 with Children's Hospital Boston for home-based early intervention services for children with autism and their families.
• National Technical Assistance Center for PBIScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMay Institute serves as Northeast Regional Partner to the National Technical Assistance Center for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a Center funded by the U.S. Department of Education. This partnership enables national implementation support for PBIS in schools.
• 50+ Universities and HospitalsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive affiliations with more than 50 universities, teaching hospitals, and human service organizations worldwide for research, training, and professional development.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves23 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) / ACES: CARD, now part of ACES, operates one of the largest U.S. networks of ABA clinics and autism services centers, directly competing with May Institute's center-based ABA, early intervention, and school consultation offerings across overlapping geographies.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Devereux is a large nonprofit operating autism, I/DD, and emotional/behavioral health schools, residential programs, and community-based services nationally — a near-direct structural analog to May Institute in mission, service mix, and operating model.
• Catalight (formerly Easterseals Bay Area): Catalight operates a network of autism and behavioral health service centers and research initiatives — comparable to May Institute's combination of ABA service delivery plus a research/standards arm (National Autism Center).
• Hopebridge: Hopebridge runs a multi-state network of autism therapy centers offering ABA, occupational, and speech therapy with similar center-based and diagnostic services that overlap with May Centers for Children & Families.
• LEARN Behavioral: LEARN Behavioral is a national network of ABA providers serving children with autism and related disabilities via home, center, and school-based programs, directly comparable to May Institute's distributed ABA delivery model.
• Kadiant (formerly Trumpet Behavioral Health): Kadiant provides center-based and in-home ABA services for children and adolescents with autism — a direct services-side competitor to May Centers' clinical offerings.
• Bancroft: Bancroft is a nonprofit provider of residential, day, and educational programs for individuals with autism, I/DD, and brain injury in the Mid-Atlantic, structurally comparable to May Institute's residential, day habilitation, and school programs.

Broad incumbents

• Easter Seals (National): Easter Seals is a broad-incumbent nonprofit delivering disability services (autism therapy, I/DD, vocational, residential) across more states than May Institute and at larger scale, providing a national umbrella competitor in overlapping service lines.

Others

• ACCSES (Access to Community Based Programs): ACCSES is a national association of nonprofit disability service providers; May Institute competes with several of its member organizations for state I/DD contracts, making it a relevant ecosystem peer for funding and policy positioning.
• The Arc of the United States: The Arc is a national advocacy and service-network organization for people with I/DD, overlapping with May Institute's adult day, residential, and family support services through shared state-Medicaid HCBS funding sources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/mayinstitute6
• Facebookfacebook.com/mayinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-may-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/mayinstitute
• Xx.com/mayinstitute

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The May Institute