Manhattan Childrens Center

What Manhattan Childrens Center does

Manhattan Children's Center (MCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit private school operating on Manhattan's Upper West Side, serving children ages 5-21 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related neurodiversities. Founded in 2007 by Perrie and Tom Gelb, MCC delivers individualized educational and therapeutic services through its proprietary Transdisciplinary Behavioral Model®, which integrates Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, sensory integration, natural environment training, and family support. The school operates three instructional models (ABA 1:1, ABA 2:1, and the Crossbridge transition program), supplemented by specialized facilities including Snoezelen multi-sensory rooms, a vocational training bakery (Bear's Boomin' Bakery), and a 700 sq. ft. Life Skills Apartment equipped with consumer smart-home technology for daily-living instruction.

The organization currently serves over 110 students across two active campuses (111 West 92nd Street and 124 West 95th Street), with a third campus at 715 Columbus Avenue in active development as of 2025. MCC employs and trains more than 200 educators, clinical therapists, and support staff, all receiving structured onboarding and ongoing professional development through a dedicated Fellowship Program. Revenue is generated primarily through private-pay tuition, supplemented by tax-deductible donations, an MCC Foundation endowment vehicle, community fundraising events, and official charity partnership slots in the TCS NYC Marathon. The business model is fundamentally that of a high-touch service provider rather than a scalable software platform: instruction is delivered in person at fixed Manhattan campuses, with admissions managed directly through a Head of Admissions and pricing quoted per family based on program and intensity.

MCC's GTM motion combines direct sales (campus tours, admissions consultations), content marketing (blog, newsletter, social media on Facebook/Instagram/YouTube), and community-led engagement (MCC Marathon, Carnival Fun Fair, marathon charity fundraising). Customer segments include the primary student/family cohort (children with ASD and their caregivers), plus a secondary pipeline of special-education professionals developed through the Senior Fellow and Teaching Fellow tracks. There is no disclosed B2B channel, no software product, and no indication of geographic expansion beyond New York City.

Name

Manhattan Childrens Center

Legal name

Manhattan Childrens Center

Website

https://manhattanchildrenscenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Manhattan Children's Center is a NYC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit private school serving 110+ students ages 5-21 with autism, delivering individualized ABA-based instruction, speech and occupational therapy, and vocational/life-skills training across multiple Upper West Side campuses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education and Autism Therapy Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism-Specific Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pediatric Rehabilitation & Developmental Therapy Centers (PT/OT/SLP) (HLAFAJAL), Autism Executive Functioning & Academic Skills Intervention (EDAKAKAI)

Keywords

• Autism education services
• ABA therapy programs
• Special education school
• Occupational therapy services
• Speech language therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Educational Services: MCC operates as a private school providing educational and therapeutic services to children with autism. Revenue is generated through tuition payments from families. The school also accepts donations and runs fundraising campaigns. Additionally, MCC participates in the TCS NYC Marathon charity partnership, raising funds through runners.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Manhattan Children's Center is a private school in New York City serving children ages 5–21 with autism spectrum disorder and related neurodiversities. It delivers individualized ABA-based instruction through 1:1 and 2:1 classroom models and a Crossbridge transition program, alongside integrated speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, social skills programming, and family support services. Specialized facilities include Snoezelen Multi-Sensory Environments, a Life Skills Apartment, and Bear's Boomin' Bakery vocational training, all unified under the proprietary Transdisciplinary Behavioral Model®.

Product overview

Manhattan Childrens Center is a private school for children ages 5-21 with autism spectrum disorder, offering a unified educational and therapeutic program built around its proprietary Transdisciplinary Behavioral Model. The portfolio consists of core instructional programs (ABA 1:1 and 2:1 Classroom Models, Crossbridge Program), therapeutic services (Speech & Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy), enrichment programs (Social Programs, Family Programs), and specialized facilities (Life Skills Apartment, Snoezelen Multi-Sensory Environments, Bear's Boomin' Bakery vocational training). All offerings integrate ABA principles with speech, occupational therapy, sensory integration, natural environment training, and family support to deliver individualized instruction and measurable outcomes. The center also provides a Fellowship Program for professional development in behavior analysis and special education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bear's Boomin' Bakery: A vocational training bakery program providing real-world employment and self-management skills for older learners with autism.
• Transdisciplinary Behavioral Model®

Products and services

• ABA 1:1 Classroom Model Individualized Applied Behavior Analysis instruction throughout the day for learners requiring intensive one-on-one support, building foundations in academic, self-management, social, verbal behavior, and leisure skills. Designed for children with ASD requiring high-intensity support.
• ABA 2:1 Classroom Model Structured classroom model providing intensive ABA instruction with two students per trained staff member, supporting individualized learning goals for students with autism in a small-group setting.
• 2:1 Crossbridge Program Transition program designed to bridge the gap between restrictive 1:1 ABA settings and less restrictive, more traditional academic classroom settings, supporting students moving between intensity levels as they progress.
• Speech & Language Therapy Therapeutic service that supports language development, stimulates socialization, and improves communication through articulation instruction, language understanding, and Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices for students with ASD.
• Occupational Therapy Therapeutic service that helps children strengthen coordination, handle daily routines, and feel more in control through tailored sensory exercises and structured plans; incorporates coding games and tech-based applications to build problem-solving, planning, attention, and navigation skills.
• Social Programs Weekly social skills groups and events including peer buddy and inclusion sessions designed to address core social deficits of autism through structured social opportunities throughout the day.
• Family Programs Parent support and advocacy groups, training programs, support groups, and practical workshops that foster effective communication and promote consistency between home and school environments for families of children with ASD.
• Bear's Boomin' Bakery A tailored learning environment providing vocational skills training and real-world employment experience for older learners with autism, operated as a fully functional bakery that enables practice of job and self-management skills.
• Life Skills Apartment A 700 sq. ft. one-bedroom apartment on 95th Street with six distinct areas (living room/bedroom, kitchen, dining area, bathroom, home gym, access to laundromat) for hands-on daily living skills training including cooking, household chores, self-care, and community transition; incorporates smart-home technology such as Amazon Echo Show for guided exercises and AAC communication support.
• Snoezelen Multi-Sensory Environments Multi-sensory environments with gentle light, soothing sound, relaxing smells, and textures designed to calm and reduce agitation, aiding in relaxation, stimulation, development, and therapy for students with ASD.
• MCC Fellowship Program An immersive paid learning experience for professionals in behavior analysis and special education, offering pathways including Senior Fellow (leadership) and Teaching Fellow (instructional excellence) through MCC's Transdisciplinary Behavioral Model.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 110 students served with individualized educational and therapeutic plans
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TCS NYC Marathon (NYRR)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025MCC was selected as an Official Charity Partner for the 2025 TCS NYC Marathon. MCC recruits runners who commit to raising a minimum of $3,800 as part of Team MCC. Runners participate in the marathon as fundraising ambassadors for MCC.
• Lefrak OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023MCC partnered with New York's Lefrak Organization for space to house the new campus at 715 Columbus Avenue. This partnership supports MCC's campus expansion initiative to serve older learners with autism, including new features such as Bear's Boomin' Bakery, Snoezelen rooms, and Life Skills training spaces.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The McCarton School: NYC-based private school providing integrated ABA, speech, occupational therapy, and educational services to children with autism and developmental disabilities. Closest peer to MCC in geography, mission, and clinical model.
• Rebecca School: NYC private school serving children with neurodevelopmental disorders (including autism) ages 4-21 using the DIR/Floortime developmental model. Comparable in geography, age range, and therapeutic-education integration.
• Aaron School: NYC private school serving students with language-based learning disabilities, autism, and developmental delays with integrated speech, OT, and academic programming. Competes in the same NYC special-ed private school segment.
• Gateway Learning Group: West Coast-based ABA and autism education provider operating schools and clinics with an integrated clinical-technology approach. Comparable in proprietary ABA methodology, school-based delivery, and life-skills focus.
• Ivymount School: Washington DC-area private school serving students with autism, intellectual disabilities, and learning differences through integrated academics and therapies. Comparable model with strong outcomes focus and transition programming.

Broad incumbents

• May Institute: Large multi-state nonprofit providing autism, behavioral health, and special education services across schools, residences, and clinics. Comparable in clinical methodology (ABA-based) and program breadth, but at much greater scale and geographic reach.
• The Help Group: Los Angeles-based nonprofit operating schools and programs for children with autism and special needs, including vocational transition programming. Comparable breadth of services and life-skills focus, but at materially larger scale.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Large national nonprofit operating autism-specialized schools, residential programs, and behavioral health services. Overlaps with MCC in ASD-specific school programming and clinical service integration.

Emerging players

• LEARN Academy: Texas-based private school for children with autism and developmental delays using ABA-based methodology with life-skills focus. Comparable in clinical approach and age range, though serving a different regional market.

Regional players

• Forum School: New Jersey-based private school for students with autism and developmental disabilities offering ABA, speech, and occupational therapy. Comparable service model and clinical approach, operating in an adjacent Northeast market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMcwxAeuLZsRx6OaDgyrMCw
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheManhattanChildrensCenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/manhattanchildrenscenter
• Xx.com/mccuws

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Manhattan Childrens Center