ACTION FOR AUTISM
Action for Autism is a St. Louis-area 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a Therapy & Learning Center in Fenton, Missouri that delivers Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, special education, and supplemental therapies to children and young adults ages 2-21 with autism spectrum disorders, funded through insurance billing, private pay, and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersFenton, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ACTION FOR AUTISM does
Action for Autism (AFA) is a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization founded in 2008 to deliver therapeutic, educational, and financial support services to children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). AFA operates the AFA Therapy & Learning Center at the Window World Campus in Fenton, Missouri, serving learners ages 2 through 21 across a portfolio of age-tiered programs: ABA Therapy (the core clinical offering), Focused Intensive Therapy (FIT) and Readiness & Behavior Intervention (RBI) for early learners ages 2-7, Transition to Academic Placement (TAP) for ages 7-11, Behavior & Adaptive Skills Education (BASE) for ages 11-16, and Functional & Adaptive Skills Training (FAST) for learners over 16. Supplemental speech, physical, and occupational therapy services are available to enrolled families.
The organization's clinical technology stack is grounded in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), an evidence-based therapeutic approach, utilizing established methodologies including Discrete Trial Training (DTT), Natural Environment Training (NET), and Functional Behavior Assessments. Clinical staffing comprises on-staff Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs), and Behavior Technicians operating at 1:1 technician-to-learner ratios with regular parent training. The therapy programs deliver skill and functional behavior assessments, weekly therapy hours, behavior intervention plans, and integration of certified special education teachers within the ABA-informed academic setting.
AFA generates revenue through three streams: (i) insurance billing for applicable programs arranged as a recurring billing mechanism, (ii) private pay/parent pay options for out-of-pocket purchasers, and (iii) donations and fundraising through 501(c)(3) charitable channels including multiple annual events (Rock & Roll Bingo, Golf Event, Family Carnival, Bowling Night, 17th Annual Trivia Night with Window World, and an Annual Gala). The Financial Assistance Program / Scholarship Program extends financial aid to families within a 250-mile radius of St. Louis for summer camps, therapy services, equipment, assessments, and program fees. Distribution is primarily direct enrollment at the Fenton Therapy & Learning Center, with the scholarship program providing a regional funding mechanism that broadens access. The organization is led by Executive Director Sheila Charlton, supported by clinical directors and a Board of Directors chaired by J.B. Bryan of Window World. The 2010 affiliation with Howard Park Early Intervention Center (founded 1975) provides the institutional backbone for the operation's 45+ years of combined specialized autism services experience.
ACTION FOR AUTISM firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ACTION FOR AUTISM
- Legal name
- Action for Autism
- Website
- https://afastl.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Action for Autism is a St. Louis-area 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a Therapy & Learning Center in Fenton, Missouri that delivers Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, special education, and supplemental therapies to children and young adults ages 2-21 with autism spectrum disorders, funded through insurance billing, private pay, and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ACTION FOR AUTISM industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Autism Therapy and Special Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Autism-Specific Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- ABA Assessment & Diagnostic Support (Functional Assessments, VB-MAPP/ABLLS-R) (EDAKAHAE), Early Intervention ABA (Birth–3) (EDAKAHAD), Behavioral Therapy (ABA/ESDM/Positive Behavior Support) (EDACAFAE), Parent/Caregiver Training & Family Consultation (ABA) (EDAKAHAG), Autism Executive Functioning & Academic Skills Intervention (EDAKAKAI), Autism Communication Support (AAC, Pragmatics & Language) (EDAKAKAG), Autism Diagnostic & Educational Assessment Services (EDAKAKAA)
Keywords
Where ACTION FOR AUTISM is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fenton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ACTION FOR AUTISM business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Insurance Billing: Insurance billing can be arranged for applicable programs and therapies, providing a recurring revenue stream from health insurance providers.
- Private Pay: Parent pay/private pay options available for families who prefer to pay out-of-pocket for programs and services.
- Donations and Fundraising: The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and generates revenue through donations and fundraising events including Rock & Roll Bingo, Golf Events, Family Carnival, Trivia Night, Bowling Night, and Annual Gala.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Insurance billing or private pay options available |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
ACTION FOR AUTISM product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Action for Autism provides applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, special education, and related therapeutic programs for children with autism ages 2-21. The organization runs multiple structured programs — ABA Therapy, SPED, RBI, TAP, BASE, FAST, and FIT — supplemented by scholarships and supplemental therapy to broaden access for families across the St. Louis region.
Product overview
Action for Autism operates as a unified therapy and learning center offering multiple interconnected programs for children and young adults with autism spectrum disorders. The organization provides a comprehensive suite of services organized across age groups (ages 2-21) and therapeutic needs: ABA Therapy serves as the foundational behavioral intervention across all programs; the RBI and FIT programs serve early learners (ages 2-7) with intensive behavior intervention and readiness training; SPED services and TAP/BASE programs serve school-age children (ages 7-16) with academic and adaptive skills education; the FAST program serves older learners (16+) with functional life skills training. Supplemental speech, physical, and occupational therapy services are available as add-ons to the core programs. A scholarship program provides financial assistance to families across all services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ABA Therapy Applied behavior analysis therapy delivered to children with autism, supervised by the ABA Program Director and clinical staff, billed through insurance and private pay.
- Special Education (SPED) Special education classroom and curriculum services for children with autism, integrated with the organization's therapy programs.
- Relationship-Based Intervention (RBI) Relationship-based intervention services supporting social and developmental goals for children with autism.
- TAP (Transitional Activities Program) Transitional activities program designed to support children with autism as they move between developmental and educational stages.
- BASE Program Structured developmental program supporting foundational skills for children with autism.
- FAST Program Targeted developmental program addressing specific skill-building goals for children with autism.
- FIT Program Functional integration and therapeutic program supporting social and life-skill development for children with autism.
- Scholarships Financial assistance scholarships that subsidize the cost of therapy and education services for families in need, funded through donations and fundraising.
- Supplemental Therapy Supplemental therapy services complementing the core ABA and special education programs to address additional developmental, behavioral, or communication needs.
Companies that use ACTION FOR AUTISM
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
ACTION FOR AUTISM technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
ACTION FOR AUTISM partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Howard Park Early Intervention CentercoreHoward Park Early Intervention Center entered an affiliation agreement with Action for Autism in 2010. Howard Park Center, founded in 1975, now operates as the AFA Therapy & Learning Center, providing over 45 years of specialized autism services.
- Window WorldflagshipWindow World is the host sponsor of the Window World Campus where AFA's Therapy & Learning Center is located. Window World & Friends hosts the 17th Annual Trivia Night benefiting AFA, demonstrating ongoing corporate partnership and support for the organization's mission.
- St. Louis AmbushcoreSt. Louis Ambush hosts AFA Day at their games, with a portion of proceeds from each ticket sold benefiting the kids at AFA. This partnership combines community outreach with fundraising opportunities.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ACTION FOR AUTISM competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bierman Autism Centers: Center-based ABA provider serving children with autism from early childhood through school age with BCBA-supervised programs — closely comparable therapeutic focus and staffing model.
- Behavioral Innovations: Mid-sized multi-state ABA therapy provider offering center-based and home-based services to children with autism across age groups — overlapping directly with AFA's ABA Therapy, RBI, and TAP programs.
- Kindering: Nonprofit early intervention and special education provider serving young children with developmental disabilities including autism, with a comparable mission-driven, multi-program nonprofit structure to Action for Autism.
- LEARN Behavioral: Network of ABA providers offering early intervention, social skills, and family training for children with autism — directly comparable to AFA's early intervention (RBI/FIT) and parent training programs.
- ACES (Autism Comprehensive Educational Services): Provides ABA therapy, social skills groups, and family support for children with autism from early intervention through adolescence, with a clinical/educational integration model comparable to Action for Autism.
- BlueSprig Pediatrics: One of the largest U.S. providers of ABA therapy for children with autism, operating hundreds of clinics with a clinical focus nearly identical to AFA's (BCBA-led, early intervention through school-age).
- Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers: Multi-site outpatient provider of ABA therapy and related services for children with autism, with a comparable age range and ability to combine therapy and education under one organization — directly mirrors Action for Autism's model.
- Autism Learning Partners: National ABA and behavioral health provider offering home-, center-, and community-based services for children with ASD across multiple states — similar to AFA's multi-channel delivery model.
- Firefly Autism (formerly CABA): ABA and autism services organization offering clinic- and home-based programs alongside family and community services — analogous to AFA's center-plus-financial-assistance model.
Broad incumbents
- Easterseals Midwest: Large regional nonprofit delivering autism services, ABA therapy, special education, and family support across multiple Midwest states — broad mission-adjacent incumbent in AFA's geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ACTION FOR AUTISM social profiles
Digital presenceACTION FOR AUTISM financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ACTION FOR AUTISM leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
ACTION FOR AUTISM funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ACTION FOR AUTISM 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 ACTION FOR AUTISM
What does ACTION FOR AUTISM do?
Action for Autism provides applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, special education, and related therapeutic programs for children with autism ages 2-21. The organization runs multiple structured programs — ABA Therapy, SPED, RBI, TAP, BASE, FAST, and FIT — supplemented by scholarships and supplemental therapy to broaden access for families across the St. Louis region.
Is ACTION FOR AUTISM a public or private company?
ACTION FOR AUTISM is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ACTION FOR AUTISM founded?
ACTION FOR AUTISM was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ACTION FOR AUTISM based?
ACTION FOR AUTISM is headquartered in Fenton, United States, in the North America region.
How does ACTION FOR AUTISM make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Insurance Billing is the primary driver. The others are private Pay and donations and Fundraising.
Who are ACTION FOR AUTISM's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bierman Autism Centers, Behavioral Innovations, Kindering, LEARN Behavioral, ACES (Autism Comprehensive Educational Services), BlueSprig Pediatrics, Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers, Autism Learning Partners and Firefly Autism (formerly CABA). Easterseals Midwest is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does ACTION FOR AUTISM have an API?
No public API is recorded for ACTION FOR AUTISM.
What industry is ACTION FOR AUTISM in?
ACTION FOR AUTISM's product category is Autism Therapy and Special Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKAAAA, Autism-Specific Schools & Programs, with a secondary code of EDAKAHAE, ABA Assessment & Diagnostic Support (Functional Assessments, VB-MAPP/ABLLS-R). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.