About Action Behavior Centers · Austin
Action Behavior Centers (ABC) is an Austin-based provider of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The North Austin location delivers personalized, evidence-based ABA therapy in a center-based setting for children ages 18 months to 8 years, with home-based services available for ages 18 months to 13. Founded in 2016 by Ryan and Holly Lambert after a close family friend faced years-long waitlists for autism care, ABC has grown from a single Austin center into the largest ABA organization in the United States, with more than 300 centers across nine states.
Action Behavior Centers began in April 2016 when Ryan and Holly Lambert, frustrated by the 2–3 year waitlists they saw a family friend face, opened the first ABC clinic in Austin, Texas. The center filled immediately; the second location, in nearby Round Rock, filled even faster, signaling a structural shortage of autism providers that the Lamberts set out to address directly. The North Austin center on Kramer Lane, near The Domain, was part of that early growth and continues to operate as a flagship facility of the ABC network. Today the North Austin clinic specializes in Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI), widely regarded as the gold-standard form of ABA therapy for young children on the autism spectrum. Children typically receive 25 to 40 hours per week of 1:1 intervention, delivered by Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) under close supervision of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). ABC maintains an industry-leading clinician-to-patient ratio capped at 8:1 (averaging 6:1), compared with industry norms as high as 25:1. The 2100 Kramer Lane facility features spacious individual and group therapy rooms, a roughly 1,500 square-foot Natural Environment Training (NET) space, quiet reading nooks, craft areas, and safe indoor play zones designed for movement and social exploration. In addition to center-based therapy, ABC North Austin offers ABC at Home (home-based ABA for children 18 months to 13 years) and the ABC Academy continuation-of-care/school-readiness program for children ages 5 to 12. The center provides no-cost autism evaluations (including the ADOS-2) with what ABC calls 'Fast-Track' scheduling in 3–4 weeks, a 'no waitlist' policy, dedicated insurance specialists, and need-based financial assistance. ABC accepts major Texas insurance plans (Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Optum, UMR, Beacon Health, PHCS, Anthem, Carelon, Medica, etc.) under Texas SB 946, which mandates coverage for autism-related services prescribed before a child's 10th birthday. Note: ABC North Austin does not accept Medicaid in Texas.
- In business
- Founded 2016 (Action Behavior Centers, Austin, TX)
- Owner
- Founded by Ryan and Holly Lambert in April 2016; current CEO Hersh Sanghavi; Chief Clinical Officer Charna Mintz, BCBA-D
- Serves
- North Austin (The Domain / Kramer Lane area), serving families from Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Pflugerville, and surrounding Central Texas communities; parent organization operates centers in Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina with planned expansion into New York and New Jersey
- Rating
- 4.5/5 (45 Google ratings for the Austin market across ABC Austin locations); Apple Maps/Yelp list 3.4 (16 Yelp reviews) for the North Austin center specifically — ratings per third-party sources
About Action Behavior Centers
Action Behavior Centers (ABC) is one of the largest applied behavior analysis (ABA) organizations in the United States. It was founded in April 2016 in Austin, Texas, by Ryan and Holly Lambert after they learned a close family friend was facing multi-year waitlists for autism evaluation and therapy. The first BCBA joined shortly after, and ABC has since grown to more than 300 centers across Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas, with plans to expand into New York and New Jersey. The company employs more than 10,000 people, including over 1,200 BCBAs, and is approaching $1 billion in annual revenue after recapitalizations led by NexPhase Capital (2018) and Charlesbank Capital Partners ($840M valuation, 2022). ABC's mission is to help children diagnosed with autism reach milestone moments through compassionate, evidence-based ABA therapy and to ensure no family has to wait for support.
- Founded April 2016 in Austin, TX by Ryan and Holly Lambert
- First institutional backer: NexPhase Capital (2018)
- Acquired by Charlesbank Capital Partners at $840M valuation (2022)
- Operates 300+ centers across 9 states
- 10,000+ employees including 1,200+ BCBAs
North Austin ABA Center
The North Austin clinic is located at 2100 Kramer Lane, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78758, near The Domain in the North Burnet area. It serves families from Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Pflugerville, and surrounding Central Texas communities. The facility is custom-designed for children 18 months to 8 years and includes spacious individual and group therapy rooms, a roughly 1,500-square-foot Natural Environment Training (NET) space, quiet reading nooks, creative crafting spaces, and safe indoor play zones for movement and social exploration. Hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and the local phone line is (512) 920-1057.
- Address: 2100 Kramer Lane, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78758
- Phone: (512) 920-1057
- Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Near The Domain, North Burnet area of Austin
Therapy Programs Offered
ABC North Austin delivers three core therapy programs: center-based EIBI for children 18 months to 8 years; ABC at Home, providing the same evidence-based ABA in the child's home for ages 18 months to 13; and ABC Academy, a school-readiness/continuation-of-care program for children ages 5 to 12 who attend school part- or full-time. Each program emphasizes communication, independence, social interaction, and play-based learning, with goal-setting driven by the family's priorities in collaboration with the assigned BCBA.
- Center-based EIBI: 18 months – 8 years
- ABC at Home: 18 months – 13 years
- ABC Academy: 5 – 12 years (school readiness)
- Telehealth available in select regions
Autism Evaluations & Fast-Track Diagnosis
A formal autism diagnosis is required before a child can begin ABA therapy at North Austin. ABC offers no-cost autism evaluations, including the ADOS-2, at this location through its 'Fast-Track' diagnostic program, which schedules assessments in approximately 3–4 weeks — substantially faster than the many-month waits families often encounter elsewhere in the region.
- No-cost autism evaluations
- ADOS-2 administered on-site
- Fast-Track scheduling (~3–4 weeks)
- Ages 18 months – 6 years for diagnostic support at this center
Clinical Model & Supervision
ABC's clinical model is built on Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, widely regarded as the gold standard for young children on the autism spectrum. Children typically receive 25 to 40 hours per week of 1:1 therapy from Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) under the close supervision of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs). ABC caps its clinician-to-patient ratios at 8:1 and averages 6:1, well below the industry norm of up to 25:1, allowing BCBAs to be deeply involved in each child's daily progress. Clinical quality is overseen by a Clinical Council led by Chief Clinical Officer Charna Mintz, BCBA-D (past president of APBA), with specialized initiatives including the Compassionate Care Team led by Dr. Greg Hanley and the Action Institute for Outcomes Research led by Dr. Linda LeBlanc.
- 25–40 hours/week of 1:1 EIBI therapy
- BCBA-to-patient ratio capped at 8:1, averaging 6:1
- Clinical Council led by Charna Mintz, BCBA-D
- Compassionate Care Team led by Dr. Greg Hanley
Insurance, Cost & Financial Assistance
Under Texas SB 946, insurance companies are required to cover all generally recognized autism-related services prescribed by the child's PCP when the diagnosis was made before age 10. ABC North Austin is in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Optum, UMR, Beacon Health, PHCS, Anthem, Carelon, Medica, and additional plans. ABC's insurance specialists handle benefits verification, pre-authorizations, and billing on the family's behalf. Need-based financial assistance and sliding-scale options are available for families without full coverage. Medicaid is not accepted in Texas at this time.
- Texas SB 946 insurance mandates apply
- In-network with BCBS, Aetna, UHC, Cigna, Optum, UMR, Beacon, PHCS, Anthem, Carelon, Medica and more
- Need-based financial assistance available
- Medicaid not accepted in Texas
Core Values
ABC publishes five core values that guide day-to-day care and culture across every center: Caring (lead with compassion, empathy, and respect), Learning (continuous personal and professional growth), Excellence (highest clinical and ethical standards), Team (collaborate and communicate openly with families and each other), and Fun (celebrate joy, connection, and the moments that make the work meaningful).
- Caring
- Learning
- Excellence
- Team
- Fun
Leadership
Action Behavior Centers is led by CEO Hersh Sanghavi, who oversees strategy, growth, and operational performance across the network and brings more than two decades of healthcare leadership experience from GE Healthcare, Booz & Company, and DaVita Kidney Care. Clinical leadership is provided by Chief Clinical Officer Charna Mintz, BCBA-D, who earned her master's and doctoral degrees in psychology from the University of Nevada Reno, has been a BCBA since 2004, and previously served as president of both the Washington Association for Behavior Analysis and the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA). Clinical initiatives are further advanced by Dr. Greg Hanley (Compassionate Care Team) and Dr. Linda LeBlanc (Action Institute for Outcomes Research).
- CEO: Hersh Sanghavi
- Chief Clinical Officer: Charna Mintz, BCBA-D
- Compassionate Care Team: Dr. Greg Hanley
- Action Institute for Outcomes Research: Dr. Linda LeBlanc
- Founders: Ryan and Holly Lambert (2016)
Family Reviews & Reputation
Family testimonials across ABC's Austin locations highlight rapid skill-building in communication and social interaction, supportive BCBA and RBT staff, and a warm front-door culture in which the center director often greets children at drop-off and pick-up. Some third-party reviews (notably a Yelp complaint) describe a negative experience involving a behavior technician; prospective families may want to review recent feedback on Google, Yelp, and Apple Maps as part of their decision.
- Multiple positive testimonials about communication and social-skill gains
- Director routinely greets families at drop-off / pick-up
- Mixed third-party reviews; review current Google/Yelp/Apple Maps feedback