The Center for Autism

What The Center for Autism does

The Center for Autism is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit outpatient treatment organization founded in 1955 by Dr. Bertram A. Ruttenberg as a demonstration project of the University of Pennsylvania, making it the oldest autism treatment center in the United States. Headquartered at 4601 Market Street in Philadelphia with a satellite facility in Northeast Philadelphia (2801 Grant Avenue), the Center delivers a full continuum of evaluation and treatment services for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) across the lifespan.

Its service portfolio spans diagnostic evaluations (using ADOS-2 and multidisciplinary biopsychosocial assessment), Level of Care Assessments, and five core treatment programs: IBHS-ABA Services (ages 2-6 using the Group-Based Early Start Denver Model), the Social Competency Program (ages 6-16), the S.T.E.P. transition program for older teens and young adults, an Outpatient Therapy program including medication management, and the Certified Autism Peer Specialist (CAPS) program for ages 14+. The Center also generates ancillary revenue through a STEP Store selling handcrafted items made by program participants and offers fee-based autism training services to mental health providers, schools, first responders, and businesses. In 2020, the Center was acquired by the Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) and now operates as a subsidiary.

The business model is a hybrid of clinical fee-for-service and nonprofit donations. Services are reimbursed primarily through Medical Assistance/Medicaid (administered locally by Community Behavioral Health) and accepted private insurance, supplemented by donations to the Center and its associated Autism Foundation through fundraising events. The Center holds Pennsylvania Department of Human Services outpatient clinic licensure and CARF International accreditation for its Pre-K Program. As a regional, single-market operator with deep clinical heritage but limited geographic reach, the Center's investment-relevant positioning is that of a stable, mission-driven specialty provider embedded within a larger nonprofit health system.

Name

The Center for Autism

Legal name

The Center for Autism

Website

https://thecenterforautism.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Center for Autism is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit and PHMC subsidiary founded in 1955 that provides diagnostic evaluation, ABA, outpatient therapy, and lifespan transition services for individuals with autism and their families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Autism Treatment Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Diagnostic & Educational Assessment Services (EDAKAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Early Intervention (Educational) (EDAKAKAB), Autism Transition Planning & Postsecondary Readiness (Educational) (EDAKAKAK), Autism Teacher Training & Professional Development (EDAKAKAL), Autism Communication Support (AAC, Pragmatics & Language) (EDAKAKAG)

Keywords

• Autism treatment services
• Behavioral health services
• Applied behavior analysis
• Diagnostic evaluation services
• Special education therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Medical Assistance/Medicaid: Services are paid for through Medicaid in Philadelphia by Community Behavioral Health. Pennsylvania children with disabilities like autism spectrum disorders are eligible for Medicaid through Social Security regardless of parent's income (Pennsylvania Loophole).
2. Private Insurance: The Center accepts some private insurance plans for services rendered.
3. Donations/Fundraising: The Center for Autism and its Autism Foundation are 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that raise funds through donations to expand and improve services. Donations support the full continuum of assessment and treatment services.
4. STEP Store Revenue: The STEP Store sells hand-crafted items made by participants in the Student Transition Enrichment Program. Items include squishies, painted rocks, sensory items, t-shirts, stickers, magnets, bracelets, rings, and necklaces.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Center for Autism delivers comprehensive autism treatment, evaluation, and support services across the lifespan through five core treatment programs—IBHS-ABA Services, Social Competency Program, S.T.E.P. Program, Outpatient Therapy, and Certified Autism Peer Specialist (CAPS) services—together with Diagnostic Evaluations and Level of Care Assessments. Services are provided in-person at two Philadelphia locations and via telehealth, reimbursed through Medical Assistance/Medicaid, private insurance, and donations.

Product overview

The Center for Autism offers a comprehensive suite of autism treatment and evaluation services for individuals of all ages. The organization provides five core treatment programs: IBHS-ABA Services (early intervention using Applied Behavior Analysis and Early Start Denver Model), Social Competency Program (social skills development for ages 6-16), S.T.E.P. Program (transition support for teens and young adults), Outpatient Therapy Program (individual, family, and group sessions across the lifespan), and Certified Autism Peer Specialist (CAPS) program. Evaluation services include Diagnostic Evaluation (multi-disciplinary team assessment using ADOS-2) and Level of Care Assessment. Additional services include Autism Training Services for professionals and organizations, and the STEP Store selling products made by program participants. The organization operates two locations in Philadelphia and provides both in-person and telehealth services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IBHS-ABA Services Intensive Behavioral Health Services – Applied Behavior Analysis program for children ages 2 to 6 years, utilizing the Group-Based Early Start Denver Model. Combines center-based programming with in-home and community services to address core deficits of autism.
• Social Competency Program Treatment program for children and adolescents ages 6-16 with Autism Spectrum Disorder that addresses social cues, perspective taking, emotions, self-esteem, and collaborative skills. Meets twice weekly for two hours.
• S.T.E.P. Program Student Transition Enrichment Program for older teens and young adults with ASD, designed to promote community engagement and transition to post-secondary education and/or workplace. Focuses on pre-vocational and independent life skills.
• Outpatient Program Outpatient therapy services for clients across the lifespan, offered in one-on-one, family, and small group therapy sessions. Includes medication management by child and adolescent psychiatrist.
• Certified Autism Peer Specialist (CAPS) Program pairing individuals ages 14 and older with trained Community Autism Peer Specialists who provide one-on-one support, employment support, financial and budgeting support, travel training, and life skills assistance.
• Diagnostic Evaluation Comprehensive biopsychosocial evaluation conducted by a multi-disciplinary team including psychiatrist, psychologist, and clinical social worker. Includes cognitive/educational testing and ADOS-2 administration for people of all ages.
• Level of Care Assessment (LCA) Assessment for individuals with an existing ASD diagnosis to recommend appropriate level of services and type of care needed. Conducted by a master's level clinician.
• Autism Training Services Specialized autism training provided to mental health providers, businesses, first responders, schools, medical professionals, and community agencies. Includes Autism 101, Diving Deeper into the Spectrum, Environmental Consultation, and First Responders training.
• STEP Store Retail store featuring unique items hand-crafted by participants in CFA's Student Transition Enrichment Program (STEP), including squishies, painted rocks, sensory items, jewelry, and artwork. Operates out of both CFA locations for pickup only with cash-only transactions.

Quantifiable outcome

• CARF International accreditation for Pre-K Program (achieved 2011)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2020PHMC, a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities, acquired The Center for Autism on February 4, 2020. The Center operates as a subsidiary of PHMC. PHMC President and CEO Michael Pearson serves on CFA's board.
• Holly Robinson PeeteminorOthersCelebrity who visited the Center for Autism and participated in awareness efforts, including video content about autism.
• Champions of the Community Event SponsorsminorOthersEvent sponsors including Bernadette and Marc Armstrong, The Board of Directors of City Trusts, Brian Mcelwee, Judson Pearl Risk Solutions LLC, Leo Niessen Foundation, NetCarrier, NFP, Pamela Lehrer, SJP Financial Group, and Stradley Ronon.
• Robert Neroni PhotographyminorOthersPhotography services provided for Champions of the Community event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers: Large autism therapy provider operating center-based ABA, diagnostic, and outpatient services across multiple U.S. states. Closely comparable to CFA in service mix and clinical model.
• May Institute: Nonprofit organization providing autism services, ABA, special education, and clinical supports across the lifespan. Comparable to CFA as a multi-program, lifespan-focused autism provider with a nonprofit model.
• Autism Learning Partners: National ABA therapy provider serving children and families with autism across multiple states. Directly comparable to CFA as an ABA-focused, insurance-funded outpatient autism treatment provider.
• BlueSprig Pediatrics: Multi-state ABA therapy provider for children with autism. Comparable to CFA in clinical model (ABA-based), payer mix (Medicaid and private insurance), and center-based service delivery.
• Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD): One of the largest ABA therapy organizations in the U.S., providing center-based and home-based autism services. Comparable to CFA as an ABA provider serving children with insurance-funded therapy.

Others

• Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC): Parent organization of CFA, providing broader public health, behavioral health, and social services across Pennsylvania. Relevant as the structural parent and ecosystem enabler for CFA's operations.

Regional players

• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Autism Programs: Regional academic medical center providing autism diagnostic and treatment services in the Philadelphia market. Comparable to CFA in patient population and clinical services, though embedded within a broader hospital system.
• A.J. Drexel Autism Institute: Philadelphia-based autism research and program institute at Drexel University. Comparable to CFA as a regional autism-focused organization serving individuals and families in the same Philadelphia market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cfaphilly
• YouTubeyoutube.com/cfaphilly
• Facebookfacebook.com/cfaphill
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-center-for-autism
• Pinterestpinterest.com/cfaphilly

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

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 Center for Autism