SOMERSET HILLS LEARNING INSTITUTE

What SOMERSET HILLS LEARNING INSTITUTE does

Somerset Hills Learning Institute (SHLI) is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational program headquartered at 1810 Burnt Mills Road, Bedminster, New Jersey. Founded in 1998 by five families and opened in February 1999, the Institute delivers science-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) treatment and education to children and adolescents with autism, ages 18 months through 21. It operates from a single purpose-built facility (opened April 23, 2007) that includes 1:1 instructional classrooms, a distance-learning conference room, mock life-skills environments, and an outdoor recreation area, serving 29 students and over 100 individuals including families and extended supports daily. Students are drawn from seven New Jersey counties.

SHLI's service platform is anchored by its core ABA Program, supported by Home Programming (4-5 monthly visits to coach parents on generalization), a Transition Program (preparing students ages 14-21 for public school reintegration or employment), and Staff Training Services delivered under a 1:5 trainer-to-teacher supervision model with Masters/Ph.D.-credentialed clinicians. The Institute is a formal dissemination site of the Princeton Child Development Institute and maintains an academic partnership with Caldwell University's ABA Masters and Ph.D. programs, contributing to a published research base.

SHLI's revenue model is hybrid: school districts in New Jersey fund placements covering approximately 75% of educational cost per student on an annual basis, while the remaining ~25% deficit is closed through community fundraising, donations (including vehicle donations via CARS, planned giving via FreeWill, and Amazon Smile), and annual events (Golf Outing, Halloween Ball). Admissions are referral-only (no waiting list) and originate from parents or district personnel. Per a third-party study, the Institute has saved NJ taxpayers over $60 million by transitioning more than half of its graduates back into regular education classrooms.

Name

SOMERSET HILLS LEARNING INSTITUTE

Legal name

Somerset Hills Learning Institute

Website

https://somerset-hills.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Somerset Hills Learning Institute is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Bedminster, New Jersey that delivers science-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) education and transition services to 29 children and adolescents with autism, ages 18 months to 21, primarily funded by NJ school district placements and supplemented through community fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education and Autism Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism-Specific Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Early Intervention (Educational) (EDAKAKAB), Autism Behavioral Support (School-Based ABA/PBIS) (EDAKAKAE), Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked) (EDAKAKAJ), Parent/Caregiver Training & Family Consultation (ABA) (EDAKAHAG)

Keywords

• Applied behavior analysis
• Autism education services
• Special education programs
• Behavioral intervention therapy
• Transition program autism

Headquarters

HQ city

Bedminster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. School District Funding: Primary revenue source. School district funding covers only a portion (approximately 75%) of the total cost to educate each student.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The institute relies on community support through annual fundraising activities to make up the deficit between school district funding and actual educational costs. Accepts donations via PayPal, mail, and vehicle donations.
3. Vehicle Donations: Accepts vehicle donations (cars, trucks, RVs, boats, motorcycles) through CARS (Charitable Auto Resources) partnership
4. Planned Giving: Estate planning partnerships including bequests, IRA/401(k) gifts, life insurance policies, and other non-probate assets through FreeWill partnership

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Somerset Hills Learning Institute provides science-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) treatment and education for children and adolescents with autism, ages 18 months to 21. Services include individualized 1:1 classroom instruction, monthly home and community-based parent coaching (Home Programming), and a Transition Program preparing older students for public school reintegration or employment. The organization operates as a NJ Department of Education-approved private nonprofit program from its Bedminster, NJ facility.

Product overview

Somerset Hills Learning Institute is a private nonprofit educational program that provides a comprehensive, science-based treatment and education system for children and adults with autism. The organization operates a unified platform of interconnected services anchored by its Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Program, which delivers individualized 1:1 instruction to students. Supporting the core ABA program are Home Programming services (monthly home and community visits), a Transition Program (preparing students for public school reintegration or employment), and planned Adult Day Programs for adults. Staff Training Services ensure consistent, high-quality education through continuous hands-on supervision and university partnerships. The organization serves children from Pre-K through age 21 (and is expanding to adults) using a multi-component approach that includes classroom instruction, home support, and community integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Program Science-based treatment program using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis to help children with autism develop language, academic, and social skills and reduce problematic behaviors. Delivered through 1:1 instruction, data collection, and individualized programming for students as young as 18 months.
• Home Programming Ongoing community and home visits (4-5 times per month on average) that help students generalize skills to home and community settings and teach parents to implement ABA techniques outside the classroom.
• Transition Program Program preparing students ages 14-21 for transition to public schools or employment, including job-sampling opportunities, life-skills training, and career placement services. 60% of participants transition to public school.
• Staff Training Services Hands-on supervision and training for clinical staff with a 1:5 staff trainer-to-teacher ratio, including graduate-level mentorship through the Caldwell University ABA Master's and Ph.D. programs partnership. 26% of clinical staff are pursuing or have completed advanced degrees through this relationship.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50% of graduates return to regular education classrooms, saving NJ taxpayers $60 million+
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Caldwell UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership with Caldwell University's Applied Behavior Analysis Masters and Ph.D. programs. 26% of clinical staff are pursuing or have completed advanced degrees through this relationship. Caldwell University students routinely visit the Institute for data collection activities, research participation, and teaching experience.
• Princeton Child Development InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSomerset Hills Learning Institute is a formal dissemination site of the Princeton Child Development Institute, implementing their comprehensive intervention models nationally and internationally.
• FreeWillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing free online will and estate planning tools for supporters interested in planned giving to the Institute.
• Amazon SmileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon Smile program donates a percentage of eligible purchases to the Institute when customers select them as their charity.
• CARS (Charitable Auto Resources)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVehicle donation processing partner that accepts car, truck, RV, boat, and motorcycle donations on behalf of the Institute.
• Alliance for Scientific Autism InterventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-organization consortium focused on advancing high-quality ABA service delivery. SHLI contributed to system components and outcome data publication in 2023.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Melmark: Nonprofit provider of ABA-based special education schools, residential, and adult services for children and adults with autism and intellectual disabilities. Directly comparable continuum-of-care service model.
• Princeton Child Development Institute: Pioneering ABA-based autism education program and parent organization of SHLI's dissemination model. Directly comparable because it operates the same science-based ABA curriculum and school-day structure that SHLI disseminates.
• Elwyn: Nonprofit providing special education, ABA, adult day, and residential services for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities, primarily in the Mid-Atlantic. Comparable clinical and educational program mix.
• YAI (Young Adult Institute): Large nonprofit providing education, employment, residential, and clinical services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism. Comparable lifespan service model.
• Bancroft: Regional nonprofit providing ABA, special education, residential, and adult day programs for individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities in the Mid-Atlantic. Closely comparable service portfolio.
• Eden Autism Services: New Jersey-based nonprofit providing ABA-based education, adult services, and employment programs for individuals with autism across the lifespan. Highly comparable service mix and geographic overlap with SHLI.
• New England Center for Children: Nonprofit special education school and research center providing ABA-based education for children with autism. Comparable 1:1 instruction model, school-and-home programming, and research orientation.
• The Center for Children with Autism and Related Disorders (CCARD): ABA therapy and special education provider offering 1:1 instruction, social skills groups, and school consultation. Comparable in core ABA delivery model and clinical methodology.
• May Institute: National nonprofit providing ABA, special education, and adult services for children and adults with autism and developmental disabilities. Comparable in offering school, home programming, and transition/adult services.

Others

• Caldwell University Applied Behavior Analysis Programs: Academic partner providing the M.S./Ph.D. ABA pipeline feeding SHLI's clinical staff. Not a service competitor, but tightly linked as a talent and research partner shaping SHLI's capabilities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Somerset-Hills-Learning-Institute-181324132204169
• Instagraminstagram.com/somersethillslearninginstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 SOMERSET HILLS LEARNING INSTITUTE