Positive Development, a provider of developmental relationship-based therapy for autistic children, is expanding to Charleston, South Carolina, and the surrounding area. It offers in-home, parent-mediated therapy as a lower-cost, lower-intensity alternative to high-hour applied behavior analysis (ABA). A December 2025 analysis with a regional nonprofit health plan found the company's model 68% more cost-effective than ABA on an annual per-child basis. In August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported a 421% rise in ABA spending from 2021 to 2025. "Expansion here is a jumping off point as we plan to bring our lower cost developmental therapy to more families across the state," said co-founder and chief executive officer Mike Suiters. The company says it is the first provider to bring such an alternative to South Carolina.

Positive Development expands its developmental therapy services to families in South Carolina. Leading ABA alternative autism care provider brings affordable neurodiversity-affirming care to families and health plans, beginning with Charleston and the surrounding areas Positive Development, the leading provider of developmental relationship-based therapy for autistic children and their families, today announced it is expanding services to Charleston, South Carolina and the surrounding area. Families and health plans now have access to a comprehensive, lower cost and lower intensity alternative to high-hour applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for autism care. Key facts: * What: Positive Development is delivering high-quality in-home, parent-mediated developmental therapy services in Charleston and the surrounding areas that are designed to help caregivers support their child with meaningful interaction, self-regulation and problem-solving skills * Why: Increasing autism diagnoses and rising ABA therapy costs are driving the need for more affordable, evidence-based alternatives * Who it helps: Autistic children and their families as well as commercial and Medicaid health plans in South Carolina "South Carolina's health plans are looking for more affordable, evidence-based alternatives to high-hour ABA models, which is the reason why we built Positive Development - to fill a gap that offers payers and families more choice in autism care," said Mike Suiters, Co-founder and CEO of Positive Development. "Expansion here is a jumping off point as we plan to bring our lower cost developmental therapy to more families across the state." Rising Autism Care Costs Are Driving Demand for Lower Cost Alternatives Autism care costs as well as access to services remain top concerns for states across the U.S. In August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released an ABA Toolkit for state Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs, which called out the rapid growth in use of ABA therapy for children with an autism diagnosis ̶ citing a 421% increase in spending on ABA during a four-year period from 2021 to 2025. CMS developed the toolkit to help state and federal stakeholders evaluate and update Medicaid coverage and payment policies in response to these utilization trends. The toolkit also highlighted that ABA is not the only Medicaid-covered care option for autism, and that states should consider alternative therapies to ensure every child has access to care that's best suited to their individual needs. A December 2025 joint cost analysis conducted with a regional nonprofit health plan found Positive Development's model to be 68% more cost-effective than ABA therapy on an annual per-child basis. As commercial and Medicaid payers in South Carolina and across the U.S. are seeking ABA alternatives that are also value-based care approaches to autism care, Positive Development's developmental therapy is a proven solution that supports families, improves outcomes and reduces utilization costs. Charleston Chosen as Positive Development's Next Expansion Market Positive Development is the first provider to bring a comprehensive, lower cost and high-quality alternative to ABA therapy to South Carolina, helping to expand overall capacity in the state and deliver access to much-needed autism care to more families. "Our strategy is to provide families the best care possible," said Tyler Kennedy, Senior Vice President, Finance & Growth. "That starts with recruiting or partnering with the best therapists in the area, building teams around them and amplifying their impact on the families and communities they serve." Positive Development Chief Clinical Officer Kate Rollins added: "The clinical talent we've found in the Charleston area has been impressive. As we continue growing our team and expanding to new markets across the state, we look forward to adding more skilled professionals passionate about delivering a positive impact on children, their families and the community." To learn more about our lower intensity, evidence-based developmental therapy, visit www.positivedevelopment.com or follow company updates on: About Positive Development Since 2020, Positive Development has been on a mission to deliver developmental therapy to as many autistic children and families as possible. Positive Development's team represents dedicated parents, devoted family members, impassioned self-advocates and pioneering clinicians. Together, they have observed the transformative power of high-quality Developmental Relationship-Based Interventions (DRBI), a group of developmental approaches they pull from to deliver the company's evidence-based model of care that supports the whole family. As the largest provider of developmental therapy in the country, Positive Development is committed to broadening access to this life-changing approach while establishing best practices in clinical support. The company's dedication to outcomes measurement and evaluation benefits all families served. Posted In: