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In the words of our judges
“The challenges of autism know no geographic boundaries. Chris has revolutionized ABA, achieving a staggering 100x growth in three years, breaking new ground in autism care and delivering life-changing support to families worldwide.”
When Christopher Barnett realized that his autistic daughter had been misdiagnosed as a young child, he set out to prevent others from having to endure a similar long wait for a proper diagnosis. A serial entrepreneur in the healthcare space, Barnett opened ABA Centers’ first autism care center in 2020, determined to rewrite the accepted standards for autism care. But he didn’t just rewrite them — he turned them upside down, building an innovative, disruptive business that has set new standards for autism health care.
Early diagnosis is critical for children on the autism spectrum; autism affects one in every 36 children in the US. The national average wait for a child to receive autism care is more than four months, with some waiting several years. ABA Centers slashed the standard wait time and typically has a child in service within 47 days from the time initial contact is made with the organization.
To achieve this, Barnett hired well-compensated, qualified therapists and reduced their clinical caseloads. He also arranged for ABA Centers to operate on the client’s schedule, opening facilities at nights and on weekends and offering in-home therapy. Building on his background in behavioral care, he structured a therapy program that features a play-based approach that emphasizes positive reinforcement.
Guided by his vision and energy, ABA Centers has established itself as one of the fastest-growing, premier solutions for autism-related care in the United States. This year, ABA Centers strengthened its footprint along the East Coast and expanded westward, now providing evidence-backed autism care in 31 service markets throughout 10 states. Within these markets, ABA Centers currently operates 22 physical autism care centers, with plans to open nearly 40 new locations throughout 2025. He also anticipates the company moving beyond its footprint on the East Coast to become a national brand within a few years.
A strong believer in leveraging data to provide better care, Barnett has made significant investments in AI, self-funding $9.8 million to incubate cutting-edge software within ABA Centers. But the success of the company has always been more than a professional goal for Barnett — it’s also a personal mission as he seeks to make a lasting impact in the life of autistic children and their families.