"The Council of Autism Service Providers" And "ABA Centers" Partner to Ring Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange

NEW YORK, Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Council for Autism Service Providers (CASP) honored ABA Centers, the nation's fastest growing autism care provider, by partnering to ring the iconic Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange together.

Lorri Unumb, Chief Executive Officer of CASP; Christopher Barnett, Founder & Chairman of ABA Centers; and his daughter, Madison Mulvey, were the official bell ringers during the 1 pm ceremony, marking an early close of the markets in preparation for the upcoming Christmas holiday.

ABA Centers was founded as a testament to a father's love for his daughter, sparked from Mr. Barnett's personal experience attempting to acquire a diagnosis and then quality care for his own child, Ms. Mulvey, who spent years dealing with a misdiagnosis and missing out on the proper treatment that she desperately needed.

What Mr. Barnett experienced as the parent of a child on the spectrum – the inadequacies, the lack of services available, and the long wait lists within the autism care system – were simply unacceptable. As a longtime healthcare entrepreneur, Mr. Barnett recognized that he already harnessed the infrastructure to effectuate real change within the autism care industry, so he set out to create a mission-driven organization, where every employee throughout the corporate and clinical teams is dedicated to making a lasting impact in the lives of autistic children and their families.

"I hope that the sound waves of this bell ringing transcend the trading floor and serve as a rally call for quick, compassionate, and top quality autism care across our country," remarked Mr. Barnett. "Seeing CASP and ABA Centers on the New York Stock Exchange podium should encourage other decision makers and deal makers alike to find ways in which they can positively impact the autism care industry further because there are millions of children currently languishing on wait lists and missing out on the autism care that they deserve during the most crucial times."

In 2024, ABA Centers achieved the following monumental milestones, which served to amplify its commitment to providing every kid in the country with world class autism care:

• ABA Centers debuted on this year's Inc. 5000 as the No. 5 fastest growing private company in America due to an outstanding revenue growth of 32,192 percent in the three-year period assessed for the list. A de novo and self-funded growth strategy set ABA Centers apart – and ahead – of thousands of other enterprises vying for a spot on this highly coveted line-up. The organization has carved out a self-sufficient path to success that has proven to be substantial and sustainable, without any private equity investment, nor any significant debt financing.
  
  
• This achievement was quickly followed by Mr. Barnett winning the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 National Overall Award. Mr. Barnett was chosen by an independent panel of nearly 40 judges from a pool of 214 Entrepreneur Of The Year regional winners, representing 185 companies across the US. His leadership in building ABA Centers into a remarkable business that demonstrates innovation as well as significant positive impact, providing hope for families and continuing to challenge the current autism care market, secured his win of this award.
  
  
• ABA Centers strengthened its footprint along the East Coast and expanded westward, now providing evidence-backed autism care in 34 service markets throughout 10 states. Within these markets, ABA Centers currently operates 26 physical autism care centers, with plans to open nearly 40 new locations throughout the coming New Year.

"For mission-driven organizations like CASP and ABA Centers, this bell ringing ceremony offers a platform to amplify our message and highlight the importance of autism care, as well as the challenges faced by the autism community, to a robust and influential audience," stated Mrs. Unumb.

Mrs. Unumb and Mr. Barnett were joined on the bell ringing podium by the C-suite of ABA Centers: Jason Barker; Joseph Heilner; Kristy Johnson; Quatiba Davis; Michael Holohan; Michael Holzum; Michael Holzum, Jr.; and Ted Bender; members of The Christopher M. Barnett Family Foundation: Julie Barnett, Kaitlyn Mulvey, Madison Mulvey, and Kennedy Mulvey; and Dan Unumb of the Autism Legal Resource Center.

About ABA Centers
ABA Centers provides applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy services to children with autism spectrum disorder through a play-based approach rooted in positive reinforcement. The company was designed to disrupt the autism care industry by demolishing wait times traditionally experienced by those in search of a diagnosis or treatment. Its strategically designed behavioral care centers offer the greatest opportunity for growth to young clients and their families. In-home and in-school therapy services are also available to deliver the most impactful continuum of care and to best meet each client's specific needs. In 2024, ABA Centers was named the No. 5 fastest growing private company in America on the Inc. 5000. More information can be found at www.abacenters.com. 

About the Council of Autism Service Providers
Founded in 2016, the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP) is a non-profit trade association of over 380 autism service provider organizations from all 50 states and multiple countries. It supports members by cultivating, sharing, and advocating for best practices in autism services. From developing clinical practice guidelines for applied behavior analysis to educating legislators about good policy, CASP works every day to ensure individuals with autism receive quality care. Learn more at www.CASProviders.org.

SOURCE ABA Centers