Benhaven

What Benhaven does

Benhaven is a private, not-for-profit agency founded in 1967 in Connecticut by Amy Ladin Lettick, originally as a school for children with autism. Headquartered in North Haven, CT with operations in Wallingford, the organization delivers a comprehensive suite of autism and developmental disability services through eight program areas: Benhaven Academy and Benhaven School (educational services for students aged 5-22), Children's Behavioral Services (home- and community-based ABA therapy for ages 3-21), Career & Transition Services, Residential Services (eight group homes across southern Connecticut), Shared Living Community Companion Homes, Individual & Family Support, and the Benhaven Learning Network consulting practice. The underlying methodology across programs is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), supplemented by person-centered planning, positive behavioral support, and the proprietary "Positive Approaches" framework coined by Herb Lovett in 1988.

The business model is a hybrid public-pay, insurance-reimbursement, and donation structure. Approximately the majority of operating revenue derives from Connecticut state agency contracts (Department of Developmental Services, Department of Education, Department of Children and Families) and Medicaid/Husky A reimbursement; private insurance (Anthem, Aetna, Cigna) bills the Children's Behavioral Services line; and private donations supplement program funding. Go-to-market is referral-driven via state caseworkers, school districts, and healthcare providers, combined with community outreach (e.g., annual Benhaven Walk, 300+ attendees since 2018) and a board-led governance structure. The organization holds CT State DOE approvals and DDS licensing that function as regulatory barriers to entry, and maintains a long-standing affiliation with the Yale Child Study Center dating to 1983 for clinical research and psychiatric coverage.

Strategically, Benhaven has pursued programmatic diversification rather than geographic expansion, remaining concentrated in south-central Connecticut. Notable recent moves include the 2017 launch of Children's Behavioral Services (extending into insurance-reimbursable home-based ABA), the 2018 opening of Career & Transition Services and the eighth residential group home (Blue Trail, Hamden), the 2016 leadership transition to Executive Director Kathryn du Pree following Larry Wood's 30-year tenure, and ongoing facility consolidation in Wallingford. The organization employs 51-100 staff and serves a long-term residential and educational population across the lifespan.

Name

Benhaven

Legal name

Benhaven, Inc.

Website

https://benhaven.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Benhaven is a Connecticut-based private nonprofit founded in 1967 that provides educational, residential, behavioral, career, and family support services to individuals with autism and developmental disabilities across the lifespan, using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) across eight program areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Autism and developmental disability services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAKAHAB

ABA Therapy Providers (Home-Based)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Behavioral Intervention & Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

SECONDARYEDAKAKAB

Autism Early Intervention (Educational)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Autism Support Services (Educational)

Keywords

• Autism services
• Special education
• Developmental disability programs
• Applied behavior analysis
• Residential care

Headquarters

HQ city

Wallingford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: Benhaven receives public funding for the programs and services offered to children, adolescents, adults and their families. This includes state government funding from Connecticut Department of Education and Department of Developmental Services.
2. Medicaid/Husky A: Children's Behavioral Services accepts Medicaid (Husky A) as a funding source for home and community-based ABA assessment and ongoing therapy services.
3. Private Insurance: Children's Behavioral Services is covered by qualifying insurers including Anthem, Aetna, and Cigna for ABA services.
4. Private Donations: Benhaven receives public funding for programs but has programs, individuals and families who benefit from private donations made by people who care about services and supports for individuals with autism.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Benhaven provides a comprehensive continuum of autism and developmental disability services across the lifespan, including specialized education (Benhaven Academy and Benhaven School), home and community-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for children, residential and shared living arrangements, career and transition services for young adults, individual and family support, and professional consultation to school districts through the Benhaven Learning Network. Services are delivered at facilities in Wallingford and North Haven, in group homes across Southern Connecticut, and through home-based programs funded by state agencies, Medicaid, private insurance, and donations.

Product overview

Benhaven is a private, not-for-profit agency providing a comprehensive suite of autism services in Connecticut. The organization operates eight main program areas: Benhaven Academy (educational services), Career & Transition Services, Children's Behavioral Services, Individual and Family Support, Benhaven Learning Network (consulting services), Residential Services, Benhaven School, and Shared Living Community Companion Home. These programs work collaboratively using a person-centered approach to support educational, behavioral, and personal growth for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities across all ages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Benhaven Academy
• Benhaven School
• Children's Behavioral Services (CBS)
• Career & Transition Services
• Individual and Family Support
• Benhaven Learning Network
• Residential Services
• Shared Living - Community Companion Home (CCH)

Quantifiable outcome

• Individual and Family Support Program grew from serving 10 families to more than 60 families since 1996
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 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.

• Yale Child Study CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1983Benhaven developed an unofficial affiliation with the Yale Child Study Center through its Director, Dr. Donald Cohen. The affiliation, now contractual, continues to this day, allowing Benhaven access to distinguished professionals in the field and some of the newest research being done at Yale. The Child Study Center provides psychiatric coverage for most of the residents of homes managed or supported by Benhaven.
• Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), Bureau of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBenhaven Career & Transition Services is recognized by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), Bureau of Education as a Transition/Vocation provider. This recognition enables Benhaven to provide career and transition services and supports for school age students ages 18+ and post-secondary individuals with disabilities.
• Department of Developmental Services (DDS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Department of Developmental Services (DDS) in coordination with Benhaven staff oversees the licensing process for Shared Living Homes. DDS South Region recruits young adults ages 18-35 for PEERS social skills programs. DDS approached Benhaven in 1996 about a grant to start the Individual and Family Support Program.
• Connecticut Department of Children and FamiliesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKen Cabral, Benhaven President & CEO, served as Regional Administrator for both Region 5 and Region 1 at the Department of Children and Families, creating a connection for referral and collaboration on services.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SARAH Inc. Connecticut-based nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across residential, day, employment, and family support programs — directly comparable geographic and programmatic overlap with Benhaven's eight-program, lifespan service model.
• Ability Beyond: Bethel, CT-headquartered nonprofit providing residential, vocational, behavioral, and community-based supports for people with IDD and autism. Operates a similar Connecticut-anchored, multi-program service portfolio targeted at the same DDS/DOE funding sources and family customer segments.
• The Arc Connecticut: State chapter of The Arc providing advocacy, residential, day, and family services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Connecticut. Competes for the same state funding contracts and family referrals in Southern CT.
• Marrakech Inc. Woodbridge, CT nonprofit providing residential, employment, day, and behavioral services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities statewide. Directly comparable scale, geography, and program mix.
• Vista Life Innovations: Westport, CT nonprofit supporting individuals with autism and IDD to live and work independently through post-secondary, career, and shared living programs. Overlaps directly with Benhaven's Career & Transition Services and Community Companion Home offerings.
• New England Center for Children: Southborough, MA autism education and ABA provider operating 24/7 residential and day school programs for children with autism. Closest analog to Benhaven's Academy/School model with deeper specialisation in K-12 autism education.
• Melmark: Pennsylvania-based nonprofit operating residential schools, adult day programs, ABA clinic, and consultation services for children and adults with autism and IDD. Closely parallels Benhaven's eight-program structure with comparable ABA methodology and lifespan coverage.

Broad incumbents

• May Institute: Massachusetts-headquartered multi-program provider of ABA, special education, residential, and adult services for individuals with autism and IDD across multiple states. Comparable service portfolio at meaningfully larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Large national nonprofit operating residential, educational, and behavioral health programs across 13+ states for individuals with autism, IDD, and emotional/behavioral challenges. Comparable multi-program model with substantially broader reach.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit federation providing disability and autism services across education, therapy, employment, and community living nationwide. Overlaps with Benhaven's full-lifespan mix but at affiliate-network scale across all 50 states.

Market position

Strengths6 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/benhavenct

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Benhaven