DALLAS and NASHVILLE, Tenn.– Pharos Capital Group, LLC (“Pharos”), through its Family Treatment Network platform (“FTN”), has completed an investment in Alpine Academy and Interventions Unlimited, which together provide Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)-based educational services and ABA therapy to children, the firm announced today. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Both facilities are located in suburban Orlando, FL and center their learning and behavioral solutions around ABA therapy, the scientifically recognized gold standard for treating persons with autism spectrum disorder. Alpine Academy is a private day school serving children who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Interventions Unlimited provides home and clinic-based programs to children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, behavioral or emotional problems, learning disabilities, and other developmental disabilities.
Ed Irby, a longtime behavioral health and special education executive who serves as CEO and Chairman of the FTN platform, said, “The need for specialized, ABA-based autism services continues to grow, and we are pleased to expand our geographic reach into Florida through this high-quality addition to our network. We also welcome Alpine Academy and Interventions Unlimited’s broad capabilities in home, school, clinic and community-based care, which allow us to diversify our care delivery and share best practices across our platform.”
Jing Zhou, who founded Interventions Unlimited in 2000 and Alpine Academy in 2007, will remain with the Company as CEO. Ms. Zhou and members of her management team will continue to lead the growth of the Company as a division of FTN. Ms. Zhou, a leading practitioner in the field, has been studying autism treatment since 1990 and holds a master’s degree in behavior analysis and therapy from Southern Illinois University. She will also become a shareholder of FTN in conjunction with the transaction.
“We are thrilled to join forces with Jing,” said Alison Hulshof, Chief Executive Officer Development & Operations of Behavior Care Specialists, a sister FTN company. “She not only brings the clinical experience and passion necessary to design effective behavioral treatment programs, but she has proven operational experience that will be valuable in growing the business.”
Ms. Zhou commented, “FTN and Pharos share my vision of providing caring, high quality treatment services to children and their families, and their resources will help ensure greater access for those who need services like ours.”
Pharos established its Family Treatment Network platform in 2016 to manage its investments in special schools, psychiatric residential treatment centers and community-based programs for children, adolescents and their families. Alpine Academy and Interventions Unlimited represent Family Treatment Network’s fifth acquisition. FTN’s other facilities include ABA of North Texas, an outpatient autism services provider in Plano; Logan River Academy, a Logan, Utah-based adolescent treatment center; BCS, a South Dakota-based outpatient treatment provider of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) services; and Solterra Academy, a special education day school in Connecticut.
ABOUT FAMILY TREATMENT NETWORK
The Family Treatment Network (FTN) is a complementary platform of child and adolescent behavioral health services businesses, including residential therapy centers, therapeutic day schools, home & community-based outpatient programs, and other child and adolescent psychiatric treatment services. With a strong emphasis on both education and therapy, FTN offers a broad mix of high-quality programs and services with an emphasis on autism and ABA Therapy. FTN’s goal is to provide best-in-class care across the full continuum of behavioral health services to children, adolescents and families from coast to coast.
ABOUT ALPINE ACADEMY AND INTERVENTIONS UNLIMITED
Located in suburban Orlando, FL, Alpine Academy and Interventions Unlimited provide ABA therapy and other learning and behavioral solutions to children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, behavioral or emotional problems, learning disabilities, and other developmental disabilities via a private day school and home and clinic-based services.
ABOUT PHAROS CAPITAL GROUP
Based in Dallas and Nashville, Pharos Capital Group (www.pharosfunds.com) is a physician-founded private equity firm focused on rapidly growing middle market healthcare companies. The firm is also an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Pharos seeks to invest in companies that lower the total cost of care, improve outcomes and expand access to care. Since inception, Pharos has invested in 53 companies and currently has over $810 million of private equity assets under management. Pharos typically invests $25-$50 million in companies seeking later stage funding for internal growth, acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, or recapitalizations.
