Positive Development Announces Substantial Investment by Healthworx to Support Neurodivergent Members
MCLEAN, Va. – Positive Development, the leading provider of Developmental Care for neurodivergent children and families,closed an investment from Healthworx — the fund’s largest investment to-date. This investment demonstrates the growing support for Positive Development’s comprehensive, research-validated Developmental Care approach and mission to redefine the standards of care for neurodivergent families nationwide. The organization intends to build upon existing value-aligned alternative payment models Positive Development operates with payers in other states.
“We’re excited about the initial outcomes and are looking forward to the program’s continued success.”
As the innovation and investment arm of CareFirst Inc., Healthworx invests in solutions to fill gaps in the market and then supports those dynamic solutions to make healthcare better for all. This investment opportunity was identified in partnership by Healthworx and the healthcare organization’s Behavioral Health Director Oleg Tarkovsky as Positive Development’s technology-enabled Developmental Care model built a track record of positive member health outcomes.
“We’re committed to connecting members to high-quality care that’s accessible and affordable. Positive Development’s unique model delivers quality care while increasing clinical capacity and reducing total program costs,” said Tarkovsky. “We’re excited about the initial outcomes and are looking forward to the program’s continued success.”
Mike Suiters, Cofounder and CEO of Positive Development, said: “Our healthcare partners’ commitment to innovation has been instrumental in our journey, and marks a major milestone in our mission to transform access to high-quality, neurodiversity-affirming support for autistic children and their families. The autism spectrum is by definition incredibly diverse and members deserve options that celebrate their strengths and support their unique needs. At the same time, payers and employers have few cost-effective options to support their member populations as costs skyrocket, as much as 50% over the last five years. With this substantial Healthworx investment and partnership with one of the nation’s leading not-for-profit healthcare organizations, we’re poised to address these challenges with better solutions.”
Emily Durfee, Director of Corporate Venture Capital at Healthworx added, “Our behavioral health experts and partners championed the investment in Positive Development after analyzing cost, quality data and the strength of their collaborative approach. This investment is a testament to our shared commitment to transforming neurodiversity-affirming care, member outcomes and costs. We’re excited to continue to push the envelope with respect to innovation in value-based reimbursement for these services.”
The future of autism care is here. To join the movement and learn more about Positive Development’s mission to deliver high-quality Developmental Care with better outcomes, visit positivedevelopment.com.
About Positive Development
Since 2020, our company has been on a mission to deliver Developmental Care to as many neurodivergent children and families as possible. Our team represents dedicated parents, devoted family members, impassioned self-advocates and pioneering clinicians. Together, we’ve experienced the transformative power of high-quality Developmental Care firsthand – personally, professionally and scientifically. As the largest provider of Developmental Care in the country, Positive Development is committed to broadening access to this life-changing approach while establishing best practices in clinical support. Our dedication to outcomes measurement and evaluation will be of benefit to all families we serve.
