Applied Behavioral Learning Services
Applied Behavioral Learning Services (ABLS), founded in 2002 and headquartered in Wellesley, MA, is a private ABA therapy practice delivering home-based, center-based, remote, and hybrid clinical services to children and young adults with Autism and developmental disabilities across Massachusetts, with the proprietary Boston ABCS assessment as its standout productized asset.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersWellesley, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Applied Behavioral Learning Services does
Applied Behavioral Learning Services (ABLS) is a privately held, founder-led applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy practice founded in 2002 by Dr. Mariela Vargas-Irwin and headquartered at 110 Cedar Street, Wellesley, Massachusetts. The company delivers clinical and educational services to children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, and other Disruptive Behavior Disorders across Metro Boston, the North and South Shores, and Western Massachusetts (Springfield/Amherst). Services span home-based one-to-one instruction, center-based intervention at the Wellesley facility, remote/virtual delivery, learning pods, social skills clubs, academic tutoring, outpatient therapy, consultation, and four assessment types (Functional Behavior Assessment, Independent Program Educational Evaluation, Transition Assessment, Diagnostic Assessment).
The core clinical methodology blends Applied Behavior Analysis with evidence-based approaches including discrete trials, Naturalistic Teaching Methods, Pivotal Response Training, Natural Environment Training, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. ABLS's most differentiated asset is the proprietary Boston Assessment of Behavioral Core Skills (Boston ABCS), a criterion-referenced assessment developed over twenty years that evaluates children across seven domains (Executive Functioning, Verbal, Visual Spatial & Fine Motor, Social/Leisure, Reading, Writing, Math) and is commercialized as a $200 test kit for external clinicians. Materials include a stimulus booklet, blocks, spoons, pencil, eye prompt, ball, Play-Doh, crayons, cat puppet, containers, bingo boards, and instructions.
The business model is predominantly fee-for-service clinical care reimbursed through commercial and public insurance — ABLS is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim, United Behavioral Health, and MassHealth (Massachusetts Medicaid), plus selected self-funded plans. A secondary revenue stream exists through external product sales of the Boston ABCS kit. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via website inquiry forms, organic social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter), educational content marketing through a research/news blog, and earned regional media coverage. The organization is wholly founder-owned with no institutional investors, no parent company, and a small management team (Executive Director, Coordinator of Operations, Insurance Coordinator) overseeing approximately a dozen behavior technicians as of the latest available data.
Applied Behavioral Learning Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Applied Behavioral Learning Services
- Legal name
- Applied Behavioral Learning Services
- Website
- https://ablspartners.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Applied Behavioral Learning Services (ABLS), founded in 2002 and headquartered in Wellesley, MA, is a private ABA therapy practice delivering home-based, center-based, remote, and hybrid clinical services to children and young adults with Autism and developmental disabilities across Massachusetts, with the proprietary Boston ABCS assessment as its standout productized asset.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Applied Behavioral Learning Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Behavioral Health Services
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Educational Services (611), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- ABA Therapy Providers (Home-Based) (EDAKAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- ABA Assessment & Diagnostic Support (Functional Assessments, VB-MAPP/ABLLS-R) (EDAKAHAE), Parent/Caregiver Training & Family Consultation (ABA) (EDAKAHAG), ABA Program Management, Compliance & Outcomes Measurement (Documentation, Audits) (EDAKAHAM)
Keywords
Where Applied Behavioral Learning Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wellesley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Applied Behavioral Learning Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Insurance-covered behavioral health services: ABLS services are covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim, United, MassHealth, and some self-funded plans like Microsoft. The organization bills insurance for services including behavioral therapy, assessments, and social skills programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Boston ABCS Test Kit - one-time purchase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Applied Behavioral Learning Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ABLS delivers Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and related behavioral health services to children, adolescents, and young adults with Autism, ADHD, and other developmental disabilities through home-based, center-based (Wellesley, MA), remote, and hybrid delivery models. Services include one-to-one instruction, Social Clubs, Outpatient Therapy, Academic Tutoring, multiple assessment types, consultation, and Learning Pods. The company also sells a proprietary standardized assessment tool, the Boston Assessment of Behavioral Core Skills (Boston ABCS) Test Kit, for $200.
Product overview
Applied Behavioral Learning Services (ABLS) operates as a clinical services organization rather than a traditional software product company. Their primary offering is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy services delivered through multiple service models: home-based, center-based in Wellesley, remote, and hybrid combinations. The core proprietary assessment product is the Boston Assessment of Behavioral Core Skills (Boston ABCS), a criterion-referenced test kit sold for $200 that evaluates children with Autism across seven domains. Additional services include Social Clubs (social skills groups), Academic Tutoring, Outpatient Therapy, Consultation, Assessments (Functional Behavior Assessment, Independent Program Educational Evaluation, Transition Assessment, Diagnostic Assessment), Learning Pods, and an Enrollment Process for intake. Services are provided to toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children, adolescents, and young adults throughout Metro Boston, Western Massachusetts, and the North and South Shores.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Boston ABCS: Boston Assessment of Behavioral Core Skills - a standardized criterion-referenced assessment developed to assess children with Autism, evaluating seven domains including Executive Functioning, Verbal, Visual Spatial & Fine Motor, Social/Leisure, Reading, Writing, and Math.
Products and services
- Home-Based Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Less than 0.005% of ABLS children have required residential placement
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Applied Behavioral Learning Services
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Applied Behavioral Learning Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Applied Behavioral Learning Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Blue Cross Blue ShieldcoreMajor health insurance provider accepted by ABLS for coverage of behavioral health services including ABA therapy, assessments, and related treatments.
- Harvard PilgrimcoreHealth insurance provider accepted by ABLS for coverage of behavioral health services.
- United Behavioral Health (UnitedHealth)coreBehavioral health insurance provider accepted by ABLS for coverage of behavioral health services.
- MassHealthcoreMassachusetts Medicaid program accepted by ABLS for coverage of behavioral health services.
- Microsoft (Self-Funded Plan)minorSelf-funded insurance plan accepted by ABLS for employee health benefits coverage of behavioral services.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Applied Behavioral Learning Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers: Multi-state ABA and diagnostic provider offering center-based, home-based, and telehealth services. Comparable to ABLS in service modalities but operates at significantly larger scale with de novo clinic expansion.
- Autism Learning Partners: ABA provider offering home-based, center-based, and school-based services. Closely mirrors ABLS's multi-modal service structure and target population.
- Centria Healthcare: National provider of ABA, speech, and occupational therapy for children with autism. Operates across multiple states and competes directly with ABLS for clinical talent, payer contracts, and referrals in overlapping geographies.
- Trumpet Behavioral Health: Multi-state ABA provider delivering home-based, center-based, and school-based interventions. Comparable clinical model and target population to ABLS.
- LEARN Behavioral: National ABA platform providing center-based and home-based services with a similar multi-modal delivery model to ABLS. Direct competitor for clinical staff and payer relationships.
- Behavioral Concepts (BCI): Massachusetts-based ABA provider offering center-based and home-based services. Direct geographic overlap with ABLS in Central and Metro Boston, competing for the same families and payers.
Emerging players
- Cortica: Multi-state provider combining ABA with neurology, developmental pediatrics, and therapy under one roof. Comparable integrated-care approach to ABLS's center-based model but with broader clinical scope.
- BrightView Behavioral Health: ABA provider with center-based and home-based services for children with autism. Comparable service offering and customer base to ABLS at smaller scale.
Others
- Rethink Behavioral Health: Digital platform providing ABA training, clinical tools, and parent-facing content for autism services. Adjacent to ABLS rather than direct competition; represents a technology-enabled model that could complement or compete with traditional clinical delivery.
Regional players
- The May Institute: Massachusetts-headquartered organization providing ABA, special education, and residential services for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. Larger and broader scope than ABLS, but overlapping clinical approach and geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Applied Behavioral Learning Services social profiles
Digital presenceApplied Behavioral Learning Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Applied Behavioral Learning Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Applied Behavioral Learning Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Applied Behavioral Learning Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Applied Behavioral Learning Services
What does Applied Behavioral Learning Services do?
ABLS delivers Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and related behavioral health services to children, adolescents, and young adults with Autism, ADHD, and other developmental disabilities through home-based, center-based (Wellesley, MA), remote, and hybrid delivery models. Services include one-to-one instruction, Social Clubs, Outpatient Therapy, Academic Tutoring, multiple assessment types, consultation, and Learning Pods. The company also sells a proprietary standardized assessment tool, the Boston Assessment of Behavioral Core Skills (Boston ABCS) Test Kit, for $200.
Is Applied Behavioral Learning Services a public or private company?
Applied Behavioral Learning Services is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Applied Behavioral Learning Services founded?
Applied Behavioral Learning Services was founded in 2002. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Applied Behavioral Learning Services based?
Applied Behavioral Learning Services is headquartered in Wellesley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Applied Behavioral Learning Services make money?
One revenue line is on record: insurance-covered behavioral health services.
Who are Applied Behavioral Learning Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers, Autism Learning Partners, Centria Healthcare, Trumpet Behavioral Health, LEARN Behavioral and Behavioral Concepts (BCI). Emerging players are Cortica and BrightView Behavioral Health. Rethink Behavioral Health is listed as an others. The May Institute is listed as a regional player.
Does Applied Behavioral Learning Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Applied Behavioral Learning Services.
What industry is Applied Behavioral Learning Services in?
Applied Behavioral Learning Services's product category is Behavioral Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKAHAB, ABA Therapy Providers (Home-Based), with a secondary code of EDAKAHAE, ABA Assessment & Diagnostic Support (Functional Assessments, VB-MAPP/ABLLS-R). Its NAICS code is 624120 and its SIC code is 8000.