About Action Behavior Centers - ABA Therapy for Autism · Denver
Action Behavior Centers (ABC) is a large multi-state provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The Denver Central Park location, situated in the Stapleton neighborhood at 8959 East 40th Avenue, serves children ages 18 months to 8 years with center-based therapy, and supports autism evaluation for children ages 18 months to 6 years. The clinic is staffed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) and operates Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. ABC accepts more than 120 insurance plans and is in-network with most major Colorado payers, including Medicaid, Aetna, Anthem BCBS, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and the Colorado Laborers Health and Welfare Fund.
Action Behavior Centers was founded in April 2016 in Austin, Texas by husband and wife team Ryan and Holly Lambert after a close family friend struggled to get timely autism evaluation and ABA services for their child. The first center filled within months, prompting the Lamberts to open a second Austin-area center and then expand across Texas. In 2018, New York-based NexPhase Capital recapitalized the company, fueling multi-state growth. ABC expanded into Colorado, Arizona, and Illinois beginning in 2019, and in 2020 Hersh Sanghavi became CEO after Ryan Lambert stepped back due to a battle with cancer (Lambert remains cancer-free on the board). In 2022, Boston-based middle-market private equity firm Charlesbank Capital Partners acquired ABC at an $840M valuation, then the largest ever for a standalone ABA provider. Today, ABC operates more than 200 centers across Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Illinois, North Carolina, Minnesota, and additional states, employing thousands of teammates including roughly 400 graduate-level clinicians. The Action Institute for Outcomes Research (led by Dr. Linda LeBlanc) and a Compassionate Care Team (led by Dr. Greg Hanley) underpin the clinical model. The Denver Central Park center serves families in the Stapleton, Park Hill, Aurora, Lowry, and surrounding Denver-metro neighborhoods, providing center-based ABA, autism diagnostic support including ADOS-2 and IDE evaluations, ABC Academy school-readiness programming, twice-monthly Family Guidance parent training, and coordination with outside speech, occupational, feeding, and physical therapists.
- In business
- Founded April 2016; Denver Central Park location opened 2019 as part of ABC's multi-state expansion
- Owner
- Founded by Ryan Lambert and Holly Lambert (Austin, TX). Current CEO: Hersh Sanghavi (since June 2020). Owned by Charlesbank Capital Partners since September 2022 (acquired at $840M valuation); previously recapitalized by NexPhase Capital in October 2018.
- Serves
- Denver, Colorado (Stapleton, Central Park, Park Hill, Lowry, Aurora, Westminster, Parker, Broomfield, Lakewood, Englewood, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, Littleton, Fountain) and surrounding Denver-metro communities
- Rating
- 4.7 (1,009 reviews) on ABA Navigator for Action Behavior Centers overall; 4.5 (45 ratings) on the Denver location page
About Action Behavior Centers
Action Behavior Centers (ABC) is one of the largest Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy providers in the United States, founded in Austin, Texas in April 2016 by Ryan and Holly Lambert after a family friend faced multi-year waitlists for autism evaluation and therapy. From a single Austin center, ABC has grown into a 200+ location organization operating across Texas, Colorado, Arizona, Illinois, North Carolina, Minnesota and additional states. The Denver Central Park center is one of more than 23 Colorado locations and brings ABC's evidence-based, compassionate-care ABA model to families in the Stapleton/Central Park, Park Hill, Aurora, and Lowry neighborhoods.
- Founded April 2016 by Ryan and Holly Lambert
- Current CEO: Hersh Sanghavi (since June 2020)
- Recapitalized by NexPhase Capital in October 2018
- Acquired by Charlesbank Capital Partners in September 2022 at $840M valuation
- 200+ centers nationwide with thousands of teammates
ABA Therapy Services in Denver Central Park
The Denver Central Park center provides center-based ABA therapy for children ages 18 months to 8 years and supports autism evaluations for children 18 months to 6 years. Therapists use evidence-based strategies including Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) and Natural Environment Teaching (NET) within a compassionate care framework. Each child is matched with a BCBA who sets individualized goals and supervises sessions, and an RBT who delivers 1:1 therapy. Twice-a-month Family Guidance sessions equip parents and caregivers with practical strategies to support their child at home.
- Center-based ABA therapy (18 months - 8 years)
- Autism evaluation support (18 months - 6 years)
- Family Guidance sessions twice monthly
- ADOS-2 and IDE diagnostic assessments
- Coordinated speech, OT, feeding, and PT services in-center
Insurance & Financial Assistance
ABC's insurance specialists work directly with families' health plans to verify benefits, handle pre-authorization, and bill insurers. The Denver Central Park center accepts Colorado Medicaid for ABA services and is in-network with more than 120 insurance plans. Colorado law (Senate Bill 09-244 of 2009 and Senate Bill 15-015 of 2015) requires most major plans to cover autism diagnosis and treatment, with no age or dollar caps on ABA services. Families without coverage or facing high out-of-pocket costs may qualify for need-based sliding-scale financial assistance.
- Aetna
- Anthem BCBS
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- CHAMPVA
- Cigna
- Cofinity
- ComPsych
- Colorado Laborers Health and Welfare Fund
- Medicaid (Colorado)
- Optum
- PHCS
- Beacon Health
- UMR
- UnitedHealthcare
- 120+ plans accepted; new ones added regularly
The Denver Central Park Therapy Environment
ABC designed the Denver Central Park center as a multisensory therapeutic environment that encourages learning and social interaction. The facility includes spacious therapy areas for group activities, game rooms, reading corners, crafting areas, and indoor play spaces, giving children a variety of settings to practice communication, social, and life skills.
- Spacious therapy areas for group activities
- Game rooms
- Reading corners
- Crafting areas
- Indoor play spaces
Why Choose ABC for ABA Therapy in Denver
ABC emphasizes immediate-start, no-waitlist access so families do not lose critical developmental time. The clinical model pairs master’s-level BCBAs with RBTs, runs a centralized BCBA training cohort, and uses an outcomes-measurement program through the Action Institute for Outcomes Research. The Compassionate Care Team, led by Dr. Greg Hanley, supports clinicians across the network, and a Clinical Council governs clinical quality. ABC reports that many Colorado graduates transition successfully into general education classrooms after their time in services.
- Immediate openings; no waitlists
- Consistent care across the Denver region
- BCBAs (master's-level) set individualized goals
- RBTs deliver 1:1 therapy
- Action Institute for Outcomes Research measures progress
Autism Screening & Early Intervention Resources
ABC encourages families who notice developmental differences to use free online screeners before scheduling a full evaluation. The M-CHAT-R (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised) helps parents assess toddler risk for ASD, while the CAST (Childhood Autism Spectrum Test) is a parent questionnaire for older children. When screeners suggest possible autism, the Denver Central Park team guides families through next steps, including in-center or telehealth diagnostic evaluations by a licensed psychologist.
- M-CHAT-R online screener for toddlers
- CAST online questionnaire for parents
- ADOS-2 and IDE diagnostic evaluations
- In-center and telehealth evaluation options
Getting Started at the Denver Central Park Center
Families begin with a roughly three-minute online new-client application. An ABC team member then calls to discuss the family's needs, schedule a center visit, and arrange an ADOS evaluation if appropriate. After intake paperwork, the family meets their assigned BCBA for an assessment and to prepare for the first day of therapy. The center recommends appointments in advance.
- Step 1: Submit new-client application online
- Step 2: Phone consultation with ABC team
- Step 3: Center tour and ADOS evaluation
- Step 4: BCBA assessment and first-day planning
- Schedule via actionbehavior.com or call (303) 268-1216
Locations Across the Denver Metro
ABC operates multiple Denver-area centers so families can access care close to home and, in most cases, keep consistent therapy even if relocation is needed. Colorado locations span Denver (including the Central Park site), Castle Rock, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Lakewood, Lone Tree, Englewood, Parker, Aurora, Westminster, Broomfield, Fountain, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs.
- Denver Central Park (Stapleton)
- Aurora
- Westminster
- Parker
- Broomfield
- Lakewood
- Lone Tree
- Englewood
- Highlands Ranch
- Castle Rock
- Littleton
- Fountain
- Fort Collins
- Colorado Springs