Dexter Braff - Private Equity Invests in Autism & ABA Services

For what may prove to be the last episode of the Sr+ podcast (we have not fully decided yet), Dr. ABR sits down for a long overdue conversation with two incredible souls. Carey Beranek is our VP & Clinical Director of Children & Youth Services, as well as the president-elect for the AZ Association of Behavior Analysis. Dr. Ehren Werntz is our VP & Clinical Director of Family & Community Services, and leads our state SIG on Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). This one is definitely worth a listen!

In this special episode we welcome back two previous guests, Lorri Unumb from the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP), and Sara Litvak from the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence.  We discuss the resources and support each has been providing for leaders of ABA organizations during the COVID-19 emergency period.

Dr. Jonathan Tarbox is the Program Director of the MS ABA program at USC, Director of Research at FirstSteps for Kids, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Behavior Analysis in Practice, and a well-known leader in the field. In this episode we examine how autism services organizations can take a values-based approach to expansion, so that as they grow they can successfully scale clinical quality. We discuss his experience, observations, pitfalls to avoid, and suggestions for organizations to grow with purpose.

Dr. Lauren Solotar is CEO of the May Institute and President of their National Autism Center, where she manages the senior leadership team and oversees expansion of global services.  As a licensed psychologist, she previously served as Chief Clinical Officer to set quality standards for clinical practice, training programs and research. She is an expert in cognitive behavior therapy and treating eating and anxiety disorders, with research published in several peer-reviewed journals.

Lorri Unumb is best known for leading a nationwide effort to get state mandates passed that require insurance coverage of ABA services for individuals with autism.  She recently transitioned from her role as Head of State Government Affairs for Autism Speaks to CEO for the Council of Autism Service Providers (www.CASProviders.org).  In this interview we discuss her personal story, the legislative process, her new role at CASP, changes in the autism services field, and tips for growing organizations.

Chris Sullens is the current CEO of CentralReach, a practice management software for ABA and related autism service provider companies that manages billing, scheduling, data collection and more. In this interview we talk about what the software can do to help organizations, his background in growing technology companies, and how technology is playing an important role in the evolution of the autism services field. Learn more at www.CentralReach.com

Dexter Braff is the President of The Braff Group, a leading health care mergers and acquisitions advisor specializing in autism services.  Since starting in 1998, the firm has completed more than 325 health care deals.  In this episode, we discuss the wave of private equity investment that is sweeping the autism and ABA services industry across the nation, especially over the last two years. Dexter explains what private equity is and shares insight on how the field is rapidly changing as a result.

Join us for some invaluable tips from Sara Litvak of the BHCOE.  They provide accreditation for ABA organizations and have identified best practices and suggestions for organizations to grow successfully and ethically.  This episode also features an update from your host Dr. ABR on his organization, AZA United, and what's going on with their expansion efforts.  Lots of great tidbits for organizational leaders and BCBAs to digest in this episode as our field is experiencing transformational change.  

Many organizations across the country are focused on growth. Season 2 will take an inside at look at what's going in the autism ABA field, with interviews from guests that can teach us something about successful expansion. As your host, I will also provide a behind-the-scenes look at how AZA United is approaching the challenge.  You can learn more about that in this blog:  https://azaunited.org/blog/plans-for-an-east-valley-center

Dr. Patrick Progar, BCBA-D, is the Executive Director of Princeton Child Development Institute in New Jersey. In this episode we discuss the history and program models of PCDI, as well as Patrick's background in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).