ABA Centers of America

Named for the company, the ABA Centers headquarters building sits at 110 E. Broward Blvd in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

ABA Centers of America is a United States–based healthcare company that provides applied behavior analysis (ABA) and diagnostic services to autistic children and adolescents.[1] The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[2][3]

Business model and corporate structure

ABA Centers of America is owned by ICBD Holdings.[4] The company maintains its headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and operates regional offices in New England and elsewhere. It provides services through physical centers and in-home programs in various states, including Massachusetts and New Hampshire.[5] The company primarily bills clients' health insurance plans as an out-of-network provider[4] (a provider who has not entered into a billing contract with an insurer[6]), a rare practice in the ABA industry, which often leaves patients responsible for the full cost of denied claims.[4][7][8]

History

ABA Centers of America was founded in 2020 by Christopher Barnett, an entrepreneur with a background in healthcare and business development.[9] Barnett established the company after personal experiences seeking care for his autistic daughter. The organization was created to address issues, including long diagnostic wait times and limited availability of services.[10]

ABA Centers of America opened its first autism-focused care center in 2020. Between 2020 and 2023, it reported substantial revenue increases, and was cited by the Financial Times and Inc. magazine for its growth over this period.[11][12] By mid-2023, the company reported serving more than 700 children.[13]

Following a $1 million donation from Barnett in October 2022, Temple University's College of Public Health established an autism-focused research, training, and diagnostic hub named after ABA Centers of America.[10]

In June 2026, healthcare services company Optum terminated its business relationship with ABA Centers of America. Later that month, ABA Centers of America began a months-long downsizing of its workforce, including the termination of individual clinical directors (consolidating leadership regionally) and all behavior-technician paraprofessionals who did not become industry-certified within 90 days of hiring. The company also ceased operations in the state of Ohio.[4][14][15]

In December 2024, ABA Centers of America sued Point32Health—the parent company of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care—in Massachusetts Superior Court, demanding $80 million in compensation for delayed claims. The defendants countersued in October 2025, demanding $19 million. The countersuit alleged ABA Centers of America grossly inflated its reimbursement rates and submitted fraudulent claims and documentation (including $1.9 million improperly billed using a physician-specific code and $137,000 improperly billed for non-therapeutic movie screenings and trampoline-park visits). The countersuit also accused the company of taking kickbacks by falsely reporting the collection of patient fees it had routinely waived, as well as artificially creating in-network provider scarcity by encouraging licensed behavior analysts to drop their industry certifications.[14][15]

In August 2025, ABA Centers of America sued the supermarket chain Publix in Florida state court, demanding compensation for partially paid and unpaid claims it submitted to Publix's employee health insurance plans. Publix countersued ABA Centers of America in federal court the same month, alleging the company submitted over $7 million in grossly inflated and fraudulent out-of-network health insurance claims.[16] Publix filed an amended complaint in September 2025, alleging fraud totaling approximately $15 million.[17] The lawsuit also alleged ABA Centers of America engaged in organized crime as defined by the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.[15][18][19]

Management

  • Christopher Barnett – Founder and Chairman[20][21]
  • Jason Barker – Chief Executive Officer[22][23]

Recognition and awards

ABA Centers of America has been recognized by regional and national business media for its growth:

  • Financial Times Americas' Fastest-Growing Companies 2025: Ranked No. 1 with a reported growth rate of 33,511.5 percent between 2020 and 2023.[11]
  • Inc. 5000 (2025): Ranked No. 25 among the fastest-growing private companies in the United States.[12]
  • Inc. 5000 (2024): Ranked No. 5 nationwide.[24]
  • EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2024: Founder Christopher Barnett received the U.S. overall award from Ernst & Young.[25]
  • South Florida Business Journal: Recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies with revenue over $25 million in South Florida in 2024.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "We Don't Know What Causes Autism, but This Company Knows How to Treat It—ABA Centers of America employs an innovative strategy to help children with autism". Inc. Magazine.
  2. ↑ "Why this behavioral provider is among America's fastest-growing companies". August 26, 2024.
  3. ↑ "ABA Centers Of America Inks Deal To Occupy 48,000 SF". December 2, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Larson, Chris (August 5, 2026). "ABA Centers of America Continues to Shed Jobs". Behavioral Health Business. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
  5. ↑ "ABA Centers of America | Autism Alliance". autismalliance.org. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  6. ↑ "What does out of network mean?". healthinsurance.org. November 6, 2024. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  7. ↑ Larson, Chris (October 15, 2025). "Why Most Payers, Providers Abhor Out-of-Network Billing in Autism Therapy". Behavioral Health Business. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  8. ↑ Weaver, Christopher; Mathews, Anna Wilde (June 2, 2026). "The Autism-Therapy Business Is Booming—and So Is the Billing Abuse". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Christopher Barnett joins Temple's Board of Trustees". College of Public Health. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  10. 1 2 "How Christopher Barnett Built the Nation's Fastest-Growing Autism Care Company". Breaking News ABA. March 12, 2026. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  11. 1 2 "FT ranking: The Americas' Fastest-Growing Companies 2025". www.ft.com. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  12. 1 2 "ABA Centers of America is a 2024 Inc. 5000 honoree". Inc.com. Archived from the original on September 19, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  13. ↑ Larson, Chris (August 2, 2023). "ABA Centers of America To Double Its Footprint Without PE Backing". Behavioral Health Business. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  14. 1 2 Larson, Chris (June 12, 2026). "ABA Centers of America Lays Off Staff". Behavioral Health Business. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 "ABA Centers of America Cut Off by Optum, Lay Off Staff". Breaking News ABA. June 22, 2026. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
  16. ↑ Larson, Chris (August 29, 2025). "Updated: ABA Centers of America, Publix Sue Each Other". Behavioral Health Business. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  17. ↑ O'Donnell, Christopher (September 15, 2025). "Publix and autism therapy firm at war over $15 million in medical bills". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  18. ↑ YourABAHelp (October 1, 2025). ABA Therapy Giant Hit with RICO Fraud Lawsuit by Publix. Retrieved March 4, 2026 – via YouTube.
  19. ↑ "Publix Super Markets, Inc., et al v. ABA Centers of America, LLC et al". Justia Dockets & Filings. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Christopher Barnett joins Temple's Board of Trustees". College of Public Health. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Board of Directors". Eden II Programs. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  22. ↑ Larson, Chris (December 2, 2024). "Fast-Growing ABA Centers of America Names New CEO, Looking for Financial Partner". Behavioral Health Business. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  23. ↑ Sammut, Dylan (December 16, 2024). "How ABA Centers Is Transforming Autism Care: A Conversation with Founder Christopher Barnett and CEO Jason Barker". Levin Associates.
  24. ↑ Larson, Chris (August 14, 2024). "The 40 Fastest-Growing Behavioral Health Companies in 2024". Behavioral Health Business. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  25. ↑ "US Entrepreneur Of The Year". www.ey.com. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  26. ↑ Zbar, Jeff (August 22, 2024). "Meet the 2024 fastest-growing companies with revenue over $25 million". South Florida Business Journal. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
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