Paul DeAngelo, CEO of Mission Autism Clinics, grew up in a Family business. He learned quickly that people are everything to the business. Providing a positive, fun working environment and building a company’s culture is what makes it succeed. Mission Autism Clinics currently has 10 clinics between Pennsylvania and Maryland. Paul and his team are getting their staff together often and making them feel like a part of the MAC family. “We all work really hard and put in long hours and in turn make sure we celebrate the successes achieved for all that hard work,” says Paul.

Paul’s role model is his father. His first and only job until Mission Autism Clinics was in the family business that his father and uncle started and built into one of the leading infrastructure service providers in the country over 40 years. Most of Paul’s professional career he spent shadowing his father during significant growth periods of the business. He learned the most about leadership and how to build a fundamentally scalable business during this time. Some of the key drivers in creating a great business translate to any industry, and he has taken those and implemented them in his role at Mission Autism Clinics.

At Mission Autism Clinics, they are entirely devoted to the growth and progress of the children. The sole focus of the entire team is to ensure those enrolled in the Mission Autism Clinics programs achieve their most significant potential. They keep their BCBA caseloads intentionally small so that every child can receive the full attention they deserve from the experienced staff. They are offering every child the full attention they deserve from the professional team. Mission Autism Clinics offers 1:1 Therapy for every kiddo and has a low caseload size for the Board-Certified Behavior Analysts who supervise the implementation of the treatment plan. Mission Autism Clinics train and certify every Therapist to be a Registered Behavioral Therapist.

Mission Autism Clinics understand that every child is different and strive to facilitate a high level of trust and respect for all who walk through their doors. From the initial phone call, their intake specialist will walk every parent through expectations throughout the process. They do an initial assessment and evaluation with the child. Their Masters Level BCBA will then write a treatment plan individualized for that child based on the Child’s current skillset and the  parent’s goals for their child. From there, the RBTs implement those plans day to day with the Child, and they provide Parent training so that they can implement the skills they are working on at home. Honesty and transparency are essential amongst their employees and clients. Mission Autism Clinics are dedicated to creating a positive difference in the lives of the children and families we serve. “Our team utilizes world-class ABA therapy techniques in our programs. Each staff member is encouraged to continue building their knowledge, skills, and character through various professional development opportunities,” adds Paul.

According to the steadfast leader, technology utilization in the autism space is in its infancy stage. “During the pandemic we utilized telehealth to support some of our families and it worked out well for specific applications. We continue to evaluate technology developments and how those can continue to improve our services,” he explains. “We approach competition with a partnership mentality. Although we are competing we all have the same goal of providing quality services to our autism communities we serve and having our kiddos thrive in their day to day interactions in the community.”

Paul and his team’s approach has been well received, creating a great relationship and support in sharing best practices and benchmarking for the industry. They engage with the communities where they have facilities, support many events, and partner with organizations to educate the community on Autism and ABA Therapy. Mission Autism Clinics are committed to the growth and potential of the children and families they serve. Every achievement is celebrated, and Mission Autism Clinics continuously works with children to foster a positive environment and pave the road to their long-term success.

Mission Autism Clinics’ most significant achievement is managing to start a business and grow it to where it is today with 10 clinics and 125 employees across two states during a global pandemic. It is a true testament to the Mission Autism Clinics relentless optimistic approach and no giving up attitude. “The belief in our vision to provide quality services to underserved markets for children with Autism has made us continue to strive during the global pandemic,” adds Paul.

Mission Autism Clinics are expanding their geographic presence in the current markets of Pennsylvania and Maryland and analyzing surrounding states. They are launching several service expansions in the existing facilities like social skills group opportunities for their kiddos who need less intensive therapy. “The work we do at Mission Autism Clinics can be challenging but incredibly rewarding. Our staff continuously relies on one another to maximize our impact on a child’s life. We hold ourselves and each other to the highest ethical standards through collaborating, challenge, inspiration, and support,” elucidates Paul.