Private Equity Investments in Autism Services Linked to Autism Prevalence

TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Private equity (PE) investments in the field of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have increased, with PE entry linked to the prevalence of ASD, according to a research letter published online Jan. 5 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Daniel R. Arnold, Ph.D., from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and colleagues tracked PE entry into autism services. PE acquisitions in the health care industry were identified from Jan. 1, 2015, to Dec. 31, 2024. The locations of all PE-owned ASD service delivery sites were mapped as of Dec. 31, 2024, and overlaid with autism prevalence and state autism insurance generosity scores (ranging from 0 to 8).

The researchers identified 574 PE-acquired ASD service delivery sites between 2015 and 2024, stemming from 147 acquisitions. Most (79.6 percent) PE acquisitions occurred between 2018 and 2022. PE-acquired ASD service sites spanned 42 states, with the largest number in California, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, and Florida (97, 81, 38, 36, and 36, respectively); 16 states had one or no PE-owned ASD service sites. PE seemed to be more likely to enter states with higher ASD prevalence and more generous state autism insurance mandates. A 24 percent increase in PE entry likelihood was seen in the top tercile of ASD prevalence.

“The big takeaway is that there is yet another segment of health care that has emerged as potentially profitable to private equity investors and it is very distinct from where we have traditionally known investors to go, so the potential for harm can be a lot more serious,” coauthor Yashaswini Singh, Ph.D., also from Brown University, said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to Arnold Ventures, which funded the study.

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