Category: M&A-Provider

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The Stepping Stones Group Acquires New England ABA, Inc.

MM 1 Sentence Summary- BH provider, Stepping Stones Group, acquires New England ABA and they will integrate existing execs from both companies.

The Stepping Stones Group Acquires New England ABA, Inc.

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Sep 23, 2019, 17:57 ET
BOSTON, Sept. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The Stepping Stones Group (Stepping Stones), a leading national provider of therapeutic and behavioral health services to children with special needs and autism, today announced the acquisition of New England ABA, Inc., a Massachusetts based provider of in-home and community-based Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy.
New England ABA, Inc will operate as a subsidiary of The Stepping Stones Group and continue to do business under its current name. Tim Sullivan, New England ABA’s co-founder and Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director will assume the role of Executive Director of the subsidiary and will report to Mike McGreal, Chief Corporate Development Officer of The Stepping Stones Group.  In addition to Tim Sullivan, we are pleased to announce Ben Sullivan, New England ABA’s co-founder and Chief Financial Officer/Director of Operations will also join The Stepping Stones Group as the Director of Finance and Operations reporting directly to Tim Sullivan, with a dotted reporting line to Karen Ospalik, Chief Financial Officer of The Stepping Stones Group.
“We are excited to join with New England ABA, which represents our inaugural expansion into home and community-based autism services.  This acquisition enhances our ability to positively impact the lives of children beyond our current delivery of care in the K-12 setting.  Tim Sullivan and his team have grown a leading Autism Services Provider in Massachusetts over the past 4 years and we are thrilled to have them join our team,” said Tim Murphy, the Chief Executive Officer of The Stepping Stones Group.
“By joining The Stepping Stones Group, New England ABA has found a like-minded partner to live out our mission to change lives, one family at a time with a focus on clinical and operational excellence.  I am confident that The Stepping Stones Group’s national footprint and clinical and operational capabilities will propel New England to even higher levels of success,” said Tim Sullivan, CEO of New England ABA.
Stepping Stones is a portfolio company of Five Arrows Capital Partners, the North American corporate private equity business of Rothschild & Co Merchant Banking.
“Five Arrows Capital Partners is pleased to continue to support The Stepping Stones Group’s management team as they expand the company’s service offerings into new settings broadening the national footprint.  The acquisition of New England ABA represents the execution of our articulated vision to expand The Stepping Stones service delivery model to the community,” stated Michael Langer, Managing Director of Five Arrows Capital Partners.
Provident Healthcare Partners, LLC acted as investment banking advisor for New England ABA.
About The Stepping Stones Group
The Stepping Stones Group is the leading provider of therapy and behavioral health services to children including those with special needs and autism.  With the acquisition of New England ABA, Inc., the company now serves over 450 school districts and 105,000 students annually across over 30 states.  With over 30 years of experience, our team consists of over 2,100 licensed clinicians and special educators dedicated to delivering high-quality therapeutic and behavioral health services.  The company is privately held by Five Arrows Capital Partners, the North American corporate private equity business of Rothschild & Co Merchant Banking. For more information about the company, please visithttps://thesteppingstonesgroup.com/.
About New England ABA, Inc.
Founded in 2015, New England ABA, Inc. has been providing home and community based Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy services to children and adolescents with Autism.  For more information on New England ABA, please visit www.ne-aba.com/
About Five Arrows Capital Partners
Five Arrows Capital Partners (FACP) is the North American corporate private equity business of Rothschild & Co. Merchant Banking (RMB), the investment arm of Rothschild & Co. With offices in London, Paris, Luxembourg, New York and Los Angeles, RMB has over $12 billion of assets under management. Like RMB’s European corporate private equity business, Five Arrows Capital Partners is focused on investing in middle market companies with highly defensible market positions, business models with a proven history of generating attractive returns on invested capital across economic cycles and multiple untapped levers for value creation. Sector focus of FACP is on healthcare; business services; and data, software & technology-enabled services. For more information, please visit https://www.rothschildandco.com/en/merchant-banking/corporate-private-equity/.
SOURCE The Stepping Stones Group

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-4 Arkansas behavioral health providers plan merger to form Arisa Health – Talk Business & Politics


4 Arkansas behavioral health providers plan merger to form Arisa Health

by Talk Business & Politics staff (st****@**********ss.net) October 30, 2019 7:01 pm 1,459 views

Four Arkansas-based behavioral health providers announced Wednesday (Oct. 30) they have signed a Letter of Intent to form one integrated behavioral health system.
Arisa Health, a nonprofit organization, will bring together the professional staff and services of Conway-based Counseling Associates, Mid-South Health Systems of Jonesboro, Ozark Guidance of Springdale and Professional Counseling Associates of North Little Rock.  In total, Arisa Health will have locations in 41 counties throughout the northern half of Arkansas. A list of locations is available at this link.
Dr. Laura H. Tyler, CEO of Ozark Guidance, has been selected to lead the new organization “because of her experience, knowledge and reputation within the industry,” according to a news release.
Arisa Health will be headquartered at what is now the main Ozark Guidance office at 2400 S. 48th Street in Springdale. After the merger, the new company will have 1,275 employees.
“This merging of missions will ensure better outcomes for clients, families and the communities we serve and allow for greater efficiency in the delivery of behavioral health services,” Tyler said in a statement. “Our core commitment is to utilize innovative approaches in the provision of comprehensive, integrated behavioral health care services.”
In the release, Tyler said each individual organization’s governing board approved the Letter of Intent because they share a similar mission and support the universal benefits to clients, families and communities that come from combining resources. Such benefits include ensuring access to community-based comprehensive behavioral health care services, sharing of ideas and innovative best practices, economies of scale, and a financially stronger and increasingly sustainable organization.
“Together the four organizations have locations in more than half of the counties in Arkansas and the strength of Arisa Health will allow us to transform the delivery of behavioral healthcare in Arkansas,” Tyler said. “We will offer a safe and secure professional environment where clients are offered individualized care and services.”
Tyler said employees will enjoy greater collaboration with a larger pool of professional peers across the network, and that leadership is working hard to ensure a seamless transfer of operations and integration of workforce through the merger process.
The merger, according to the release, is expected to be finalized in early 2020. Providers will begin doing business as Arisa Health at that time.

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[Updated] Walmart Health, Amedisys Partner to Expand Home Health Access Nationwide – Home Health Care News

MM 1 Sentence Summary- Walmart and Amedisys partner up and Amedisys will have kiosk in location that explains home health services it provides to patients. 


Walmart Health, Amedisys Partner to Expand Home Health Access Nationwide

September 19, 2019
Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED) and Walmart (NYSE: WMT) have entered into a new partnership to expand home health care access nationwide, according to an analyst report from William Blair.
The global investment and wealth management firm has learned that Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Amedisys is part of the retail giant’s new health care initiative, dubbed “Walmart Health.”
The news comes after Walmart announced its health care push earlier this month. The goal is to provide services from clinic-based primary care and counseling to home-based care and dentistry at a reduced cost, Walmart’s president of health and wellness Sean Slovenski previously told Business Insider.
Already, Walmart has opened its first 10,000 square-foot health center in Dallas, Georgia. The location is adjacent to a Walmart store there.
“We are testing a variety of services with partners in our Walmart Health prototype in Dallas, Georgia,” a Walmart spokesperson told Home Health Care News. “Among them is home health, hospice and personal care, so if a customer has questions or needs information, they can discuss with the on-site partner, Amedisys.”
William Blair analyst Matt Larew provided more details in his Wednesday report. The prototype clinic features an Amedisys kiosk, which is designed to help educate customers and potential patients on the home health services it provides, he wrote.
On top of that — and maybe even more importantly — Amedisys is a care coordination partner and preferred provider for the Walmart Health initiative, according to the report.
“If Walmart Health is successful in redirecting patient flow from the primary care algorithm into its locations, or driving additional patient interactions by providing more convenient access points, Amedisys stands to benefit from any home health referrals generated,” Larew wrote.
That benefit is potentially massive: About 90% of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart, and more than half of the population shops in Walmart weekly. Plus, the company plans to open as many as 200 more health clinic locations over the next several years, the report says.
Specifically, if pilots of the model are successful, Walmart intends to deepen its health presence in Georgia and expand elsewhere in the country.
“In addition, Walmart is the largest self-insured employer in the country,” Larew wrote. “So the disruptive potential of Walmart (and its partners) in health care, in our view, remains vastly underappreciated.”
While the specifics of the partnership are new, those following the retail giant’s health push may have seen the writing on the wall. Last week, Slovenski told Business Insider he was especially interested in partnering with outside companies to provide behavioral health, telemedicine and in-home care services.
“We see these as being a crown jewel of what we want to accomplish in the physical world, in the home, and in the virtual world as well,” Slovenski said.
Amedisys has been making partnership news all summer: In July, the publicly traded home health behemoth struck an agreement with technology company ClearCare Inc. The deal allows Amedisys to partner with personal care companies nationwide to supplement its services without having to acquire new targets.
To date, Amedisys is partnering with more than 700 home care agencies representing 80,000 caregivers nationwide, CEO and President Paul Kusserow told attendees Wednesday at HHCN’s annual summit.
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-Expanding Into Pennsylvania, CareFinders Total Care Doubles Down With Acquisitions of At Home Quality Care and Philadelphia Home Care, Inc.


Expanding Into Pennsylvania, CareFinders Total Care Doubles Down With Acquisitions of At Home Quality Care and Philadelphia Home Care, Inc.

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Dec 03, 2019, 17:15 ET
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J., Dec. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — CareFinders, the fastest-growing home healthcare provider in the Northeast region, has expanded its footprint into Pennsylvania with the addition of At Home Quality Care, a leading provider of personal home care services based in Clarks Summit, PA, and an acquisition of Philadelphia Home Care, Inc., a leading home care provider in the Philadelphia area.
These acquisitions are an important step for CareFinders’ growth and expansion strategy. CareFinders is the largest personal home care company in NJ, with 19 offices and a recent expansion to three offices in Connecticut. CareFinders’ move into Pennsylvania with these two acquisitions will give the company six additional offices and will increase its geographic footprint throughout the Northeast to three states.
In announcing the latest CareFinders’ acquisitions, CareFinders CEO, Jim Robinson, said, “Both At Home Quality Care and Philadelphia Home Care represent premier home care agencies in the markets they serve in Pennsylvania, offering both Medicaid and Private Pay personal care services. These newest members of the CareFinders family of companies have impeccable reputations for high-quality, personalized care. With our expanded footprint in Pennsylvania, these acquisitions take us one step closer to our goal of becoming the #1 Home Care Services company in the Northeast.”
CareFinders has become a significant personal care service provider over the last few years, with platform acquisitions in key, densely populated geographies in the Northeast. These PA acquisitions are consistent with the central elements of the CareFinders’ acquisition strategy, and they build on its already strong presence in states with expanding Medicaid benefits to the elderly population. 
CareFinders’ acquisitions of At Home Quality Care and Philadelphia Home Care fit uniquely with the company’s strategic growth and culture goals. “All of our companies share a common mission based on creating positive experiences between our clients and caregivers,” said Robinson. “We’re excited to have these Pennsylvania teams join our Care Finders family to further our commitment to ensure our patients enjoy the highest quality care in the comfort of their home.”
About CareFinders Total Care, LLC
CareFinders is the largest personal home care agency in New Jersey and provides home healthcare services to over 8,500 patients throughout New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania from 28 offices. CareFinders was founded in 1995 and in New Jersey is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation on Home Care (CAHC). It employs over 8,000 Certified Home Health Aides and over 180 Registered Nurses and LPNs. For more information, visit www.carefinders.org or contact Linda Mintz, Co-Chairman at 551-223-1911.
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Acorn Health Acquires Behavior Therapy Specialists in O’Fallon, IL | Business Wire

MM 1 Sentence Summary- Behavior Therapy Specialists joins Acorn Health which will expand ABA services in Illinois and gives them operations in Michigan, Florida, Virginia, and Illinois. 

Acorn Health Acquires Behavior Therapy Specialists in O’Fallon, IL

December 09, 2019 05:28 PM Eastern Standard Time
MIAMI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Acorn Health is pleased to announce that Behavior Therapy Specialists (BTS) in O’Fallon, IL has now joined the Acorn Health family. Behavior Therapy Specialists will serve as a regional platform for providing high quality home- and center-based Applied Behavior Analysis (“ABA”) services to children and adults diagnosed with autism in Southern Illinois and Northern Missouri. With this acquisition, Acorn Health now has operations in Michigan, Florida, Virginia and Illinois, and continues to look for partnerships with high-quality provider groups in existing and adjacent new markets.
Acorn Health is pleased to announce that Behavior Therapy Specialists in O’Fallon, IL has now joined the Acorn Health family.
“We are excited to have Behavior Therapy Specialists join the Acorn Health family, led by their founders, Jenna Kokoski M.Ed., BCBAn and Jessica Dow, M.Ed., BCBA,” said Vicki Kroviak, CEO of Acorn Health. “As our partners, Jenna and Jessica, and their clinical team will help us grow our ability to deliver top quality ABA services to families in need in the Southern Illinois area.”
Autism has been recognized as the fastest growing developmental disability, and identifying at-risk children by two years of age leads to the highest likelihood of early intervention. Research suggests that early intervention programs are beneficial for children with autism spectrum disorder, often improving developmental functioning and decreasing maladaptive behaviors and the severity of symptoms. ABA is one of the most researched and widely accepted forms of behavior therapy for children with autism, and at Acorn Health, clinicians work closely with each family to help their children find their strengths and develop independent, meaningful lives.
“We are thrilled to be expanding our ABA services via our partnership with BTS,” said Krista Boe, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Acorn Health’s Chief Clinical Officer. “Behavior Therapy Specialists’ clinical team has been serving clients in the area for years and Acorn Health looks forward to working with them to provide additional support and treatment options for local Illinois families.”
Behavior Therapy Specialists is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Acorn Health – a national provider of Applied behavior analysis therapy, with locations in Michigan, Virginia, Florida, and now, Illinois. To learn more about Behavior Therapy Specialists: www.behaviortherapyspecialists.com. To inquire about services at Behavior Therapy Specialists, please call 618-206-8816.
Acorn Health
Celebrate Difference, Realize potential.
833-226-7633, in**@*********th.com
To learn more about Acorn Health: www.acornhealth.com

Contacts

Media Contact Information:
Behavior Therapy Specialists
Jenna Kokoski

Acorn Health

Release Summary

Acorn Health is pleased to announce that Behavior Therapy Specialists in O’Fallon, IL has joined the Acorn Health family.

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InSight Telepsychiatry and Regroup Announce Merger to Become Largest Telepsychiatry Provider in US | Business Wire


InSight Telepsychiatry and Regroup Announce Merger to Become Largest Telepsychiatry Provider in US (highlighted)

December 10, 2019 01:10 PM Eastern Standard Time
PHILADELPHIA & CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–InSight Telepsychiatry and Regroup Telehealth have merged to become the largest and most comprehensive telepsychiatry service provider in the US.
“Geoffrey and the leadership team are highly regarded by both the mental health provider community and their partners. This next phase of growth will continue to improve access to mental health care for underserved individuals, facilities and communities”
The merger between InSight and Regroup brings together a robust network of providers and an impressive group of clinical and executive leaders with extensive experience and expertise across different care settings and patient populations for underserved individuals and communities. This joint effort will allow for increased delivery of mental health services across the country in response to a nationwide shortage of specialists coupled with a rising need for behavioral health services.
“InSight is excited about the merger with Regroup and the opportunities it represents. Our organizations are remarkably similar in terms of culture, values and vision for the future. By combining our passion, drive and efforts, we will continue to set the standard for telepsychiatry delivery, leading the way to unprecedented access to care to those who need it most,” said Geoffrey Boyce, CEO of InSight and the new combined organization. “This merger allows us to align our shared goals, operational efficiencies and established models to offer scalable solutions across the continuum of care.”
InSight Telepsychiatry, based in Mt Laurel, NJ, has more than twenty years of telepsychiatry experience and serves hundreds of organizations in various settings with its on-demand, scheduled and direct-to-consumer (Inpathy) divisions. Since its inception, InSight has maintained its reputation as a trusted and experienced industry thought leader by upholding a high standard of clinical care and actively advocating for increased adoption of telebehavioral health.
Regroup, founded in 2011 and based in Chicago, brings customized telepsychiatry solutions, technology and comprehensive support teams that contribute to the seamless integration of behavioral health clinicians at partner care sites. With backing from a group of funders including the Hyde Park Angels and Frist Cressey Ventures, Regroup grew quickly. Their clinicians collaborate with onsite care teams on patient care plans and workflows, yielding better behavioral care, shorter wait times and reduced barriers in settings such as primary care clinics, community health centers, hospitals and correctional facilities.
“Regroup is excited to complement our proven approach to integrated telepsychiatry with InSight’s breadth of services, including on-demand services for partners and direct-to-consumer solutions for patients seeking care at home or other care settings of their choice,” said David Cohn, Founder and CEO of Regroup. Cohn will serve as Chief Growth Officer and maintain a seat on the board of directors for the newly combined organization.
Investors in the combined company include Harbour Point Capital, HLM Venture Partners, OCA Ventures, OSF Ventures, and Impact Engine. Ziegler, a specialty investment bank, represented Regroup in the merger process.
“Geoffrey and the leadership team are highly regarded by both the mental health provider community and their partners. This next phase of growth will continue to improve access to mental health care for underserved individuals, facilities and communities,” said David Crane, Chairman of the new organization’s board and a Partner at Harbour Point Capital.
“HLM has been a firm supporter of Regroup and is proud to see the impact they have made on how behavioral health services are provided virtually across the US. This merger marks a new chapter where the combined entity will be uniquely positioned to shape the future of the telebehavioral market even further,” said Vin Fabiani of HLM Venture Partners. Fabiani will continue to serve on the new organization’s board of directors.
About InSight Telepsychiatry
Founded by child and adolescent psychiatrist, Jim Varrell, MD, InSight is the leading national telepsychiatry service provider with a mission to transform access to quality behavioral health care through innovative applications of technology. InSight has more than two decades of telepsychiatry experience and serves hundreds of organizations across the country with its on-demand, scheduled services and Inpathy divisions. InSight has led the growth of the telepsychiatry industry and remains an industry thought leader and advocate. To learn more, visit www.InSightTelepsychiatry.com.
About Regroup Telehealth
In partnership with providers at more than 175 care locations across America, Regroup brings individualized mental health services to deliver hundreds of thousands of patient sessions per year. Regroup’s clinician-focused culture attracts highly qualified clinicians that are supported by a dedicated team of recruiting, licensing and credentialing, account management, clinician relations and technical implementation teams. For more information, visit www.regrouptelehealth.com.
The two organizations will continue to utilize their respective names and brands throughout the integration process.

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Saint Peter’s signs LOI to join with RWJBarnabas Health (Highlighted(

Saint Peter’s Hirsch: ‘Ongoing changes in health care delivery made it vital for us to identify a dynamic and strong strategic partner that would allow Saint Peter’s to retain its Catholic mission and identity’

Saint Peter’s Health Care may soon be joining the RWJBarnabas Health family.
The two institutions announced Monday they have signed a Letter of Intent to explore a potential partnership. The agreement is nonbinding, but it puts the systems on a path toward reaching a definitive agreement, which is expected within the coming months.
Under the terms of the LOI, the role of New Brunswick-based Saint Peter’s as a full-service provider of acute health care services for the greater Middlesex County community would be enhanced. West Orange-based RWJBH would make significant investments in Saint Peter’s and expand the network of outpatient services it currently provides, resulting in an even higher level of care for the community. Saint Peter’s would remain a Catholic institution and continue to abide by the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.
The LOI is the first step in the process of evaluating and designing a new relationship. The structure of the relationship — whether it is a merger, acquisition, partnership or affiliation — has not yet been decided.
Both parties will now engage in a due diligence process to define the specifics of the relationship. Approvals will be necessary from state and federal officials, the Catholic Church and others before the transaction is considered complete.
Saint Peter’s CEO and President Les Hirsch said the agreement puts Saint Peter’s in a stronger position moving forward.
“The rapid consolidation of hospitals in New Jersey and need for greater scale, as well as ongoing changes in health care delivery, made it vital for us to identify a dynamic and strong strategic partner that would allow Saint Peter’s to retain its Catholic mission and identity, remain competitive and yield the best possible outcome for our patients, employees, medical staff and the communities we serve,” he said in a statement. “Working in partnership with RWJBarnabas Health would give us an opportunity to enhance the unique strengths of both organizations.”
The announcement follows the request for proposals Saint Peter’s released in October 2018, when it said it was considering a strategic partner. Saint Peter’s discernment process has involved a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the organization, its rich Catholic mission, the competitive market and broader industry trends, Hirsch said.
The Most Rev. James F. Checchio, who as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen is the sole member of the corporation, affirmed his support of the recommendation of the board of governors to pursue the partnership.
“As an independent institution for the last 112 years, Saint Peter’s has helped to fulfill the Church’s mission of healing in an extraordinary way while making Christ’s love and mercy known to people of all ages and backgrounds, from conception to natural death,” he said in a statement.
“Through this proposed strategic partnership, Saint Peter’s will be strengthened to continue to serve those who are in need of — and greatly benefit from — the excellent, accessible and life-affirming care intrinsic to Saint Peter’s Catholic identity and mission. This partnership will also position Saint Peter’s to continue caring for the whole person with a compassionate response and to greater inform the wider community to the full range of human needs, hallmarks of our Catholic faith.
“I am grateful for the work of Saint Peter’s leadership in bringing this potential transaction to this stage, and am particularly appreciative of the ongoing oversight and guidance of Dr. John Haas, president emeritus of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, in assuring that any transaction is structured such that Saint Peter’s will remain stalwart in its fidelity to the Catholic health care tradition.”
The parties have been in discussions for some time and share a common perspective and culture regarding providing high quality, cost-effective services to their communities consistent with their respective missions and the need to move in the direction of population health management.
RWJBarnabas Health CEO and President Barry Ostrowsky said coming together makes sense for all parties involved — especially those seeking health care services.
“The rapidly changing health care landscape presents new challenges and opportunities,” he said in a statement. “Saint Peter’s is a vital resource to central New Jersey, and through this agreement we would greatly enhance our commitment in these communities with our mission of improving the health and well-being of its residents.
“With tremendous support from municipal, county and state elected officials, our Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital academic medical center has enjoyed a longstanding collegial relationship with Saint Peter’s, and we are incredibly excited about the many possibilities for enhanced collaboration signaled by this Letter of Intent.”
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s most comprehensive academic health care system, with a service area of nine counties covering 5 million people. The system includes 11 acute care hospitals, three acute care children’s hospitals and a renowned pediatric rehabilitation hospital, among many other facilities. RWJBH has a partnership with Rutgers University, creating New Jersey’s largest academic health care system.
Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a 478-bed acute-care teaching hospital sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen, is the flagship of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System that also includes the Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s. Saint Peter’s is one of a few independent Catholic hospitals in the country sponsored by a Roman Catholic diocese.

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