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ARIZONA AUTISM UNITED INC
PHOENIX, AZ · EIN 161738730 · Form 990 · FY2022 · NTEE P820 · Human Services · Large ($10M-$50M) · www.azaunited.org
revenue
$19.9M
expenses
$17.8M
net assets
$7.0M
employees
559
volunteers
15
program ratio
89%
mission · from form 990

Our mission is to help as many families as possible with individualized supports. The Organization's vision is to help families statewide with comprehensive support services for all ages. In carrying out its mission, the Organization's primary activities are to provide services and related programs for individuals with autism and their families, including habilitation, speech therapy, intensive behavioral intervention, respite care, parent training, school support, community integration, and continuing education.

profile · synthesized from sources

Arizona Autism United (AZA United) provides therapy, diagnostic evaluations, and support services for individuals with autism and their families across Arizona. The organization operates multiple therapy clinics and aims to reduce wait times for autism services while also training future clinicians in developmental disability care.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2022

what they reported doing

Program narrative the organization filed with the IRS. Ordered by program spending.

  1. #1 primary $1.96M
    Family and Community Services:Clinical Family Coaching (CFC) This unique treatment model consists of intensive parent and family training over a period of at least 6 months. This program involves parents and family members working directly with a clinical team from 2-5 days per week, for 2-4 hours at a time, in the family home or in the community. These sessions focus on helping parents learn the skills to prevent, manage, and replace complex behavior challenges and other barriers to community integration. Through this program parents and family members learn how making changes to how they approach discipline, communication, rewards, and routines can impact behavior challenges they are experiencing with their child(ren). Parents are also taught strategies to improve their relationships with family members as well as their own challenging emotions if and when they are an obstacle to behavior change.
named programs · 20 · from sources

what they call their work

AAC Device Evaluations
Evaluations for Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) device needs, as a state-authorized agency.
ABA Therapy
Research-supported treatment for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, provided in-home or at clinic locations, tailored to age groups through Little Learners (ages 2-5), Beyond the Bell (ages 6-12), and Navigate (ages 13-21) programs
Attendant Care
Qualified care to assist with constant supervision or personal care daily living tasks.
Beyond the Bell
ABA Therapy service model designed for school-aged youth ages 6-12.
Clinical Family Coaching
Behavior coaching for parents and caregivers to manage and improve challenging child behaviors
DDD Parent Providers
Assists parents interested in becoming paid providers for their own child through the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD).
Diagnostic Evaluations
Comprehensive assessments for autism and related conditions for individuals of all ages, conducted by clinical psychologists, with attention to co-occurring conditions
Family Support
Support and guidance for families navigating autism services, including coaching, resources, and system navigation via phone, in-person, and group events
Habilitation
In-home support to teach life skills to children with autism, provided by a team of habilitation providers
Little Learners Program
ABA Therapy service model designed for young children ages 2-5.
Mental Health Services
Includes individual and family counseling, psychotherapy, and group offerings designed for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Navigate Program
ABA Therapy service model designed for teens ages 13-21.
North Valley Center
A new location in Glendale offering comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, re-evaluations, second opinions, coordinated family support, and individual and family counseling for individuals with autism of all ages.
Occupational Therapy
Individualized treatment to improve fine motor skills, sensory processing, and emotional regulation
Respite
Short-term childcare in the home to provide relief for parents and caregivers of children with autism
Ride-A-Bike Program
Program that loans balance bikes to families at no charge to help children learn how to ride a bike
School Consultation
Contracted services for public, private, and charter schools.
Speech & Language Therapy
Individualized treatment to improve skills such as oral motor, articulation, auditory processing, and conversational abilities.
Speech and Language Therapy
Individualized treatment to improve oral motor, articulation, auditory processing, and conversational skills
University Training Partnerships
Formal affiliations with Northern Arizona University and Midwestern University to train future psychologists in developmental disability evaluation and care.
activities · 15 groups

what they do

  • Comprehensive Diagnostic & Psychoeducational Evaluations 5 activities
    • Autism Diagnostic Evaluations and Mental Health Services
      Conducts comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for autism and related conditions across all age groups, including re-evaluations and second opinions, and offers psychotherapy, counseling, and mental health therapy groups at various centers, including the new North Valley Center.
    • Autism Diagnostic Evaluations and Mental Health Services
      Conducts comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for autism and related conditions across all age groups, including re-evaluations and second opinions, and offers psychotherapy, counseling, and mental health therapy groups at its clinics, including the new North Valley Center.
    • Autism Diagnostic Evaluations and Mental Health Services
      Conducts comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for autism and related conditions across all age groups, including re-evaluations and second opinions, and offers psychotherapy, counseling, and mental health therapy groups at various centers, including the new North Valley Center.
    • Diagnostic Evaluations for Autism
      Conducts comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, re-evaluations, and second opinions for autism and related conditions across all age groups using licensed clinical psychologists, with expanded capacity for adolescent and adult evaluations at the North Valley Center.
    • Diagnostic Evaluations for Autism
      Conducts comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, re-evaluations, and second opinions for autism and related conditions across all age groups using licensed clinical psychologists, with services available at multiple centers including the North Valley Center.
  • Autism Family & Peer Support Groups 5 activities
    • Community Outreach and Training
      Supports individuals through community outreach programs and provides training and certification classes for employees, parent providers, family members, and community members, with free classes for employees and discounted rates for others.
    • Community Outreach and Training
      Supports individuals through community outreach programs and offers training and certification classes for employees, parent providers, family members, and community members, with free classes for employees and discounted rates for others.
    • Community Outreach and Training
      Provides educational resources to help parents recognize signs of autism, supports individuals through community outreach programs, and offers training and certification classes for employees, parent providers, family members, and community members, including free classes for employees and discounted rates for others.
    • Community Outreach and Training Programs
      Supports individuals through community outreach programs, provides training and certification classes for employees, parent providers, family members, and community members, and offers free training for employees with discounted rates for others.
    • Training and Certification Programs
      Provides training and certification classes for employees, parent providers, family members, and community members, including free training for employees and discounted rates for others, and offers resources for individuals pursuing BCBA certification in Arizona.
  • In-Home Habilitation & Life Skills Support for Autism 5 activities
    • Direct Care Services for Individuals with Autism
      Provides over 2 million hours of direct care services annually to more than 2,000 children and families, including customized ABA therapy, in-home habilitation, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and attendant care services.
    • Direct Care Services for Individuals with Autism
      Provides over 2 million hours of direct care services annually to more than 2,000 children and families, including customized ABA therapy, in-home habilitation, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and attendant care services.
    • Direct Care Services for Individuals with Autism
      Provides over 2 million hours of direct care services, including customized ABA therapy, in-home habilitation, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and attendant care services, to more than 2,000 children and families annually.
    • Life Skills and Habilitation Services
      Delivers in-home habilitation services to teach life skills to children with autism, offers social and life skills training, and provides attendant care services to support individuals with autism in personal care and daily living tasks.
    • Life Skills and Habilitation Services
      Delivers in-home habilitation services to teach life skills to children with autism and provides attendant care services to support individuals with autism in personal care and daily living tasks.
  • Special Needs Family Resource Support 5 activities
    • Family Support and Coaching
      Offers comprehensive family support services, including guidance on navigating Arizona's systems of care, accessing funding, clinical family coaching to manage challenging behaviors, and parent training and behavioral coaching programs for parents and grandparents of individuals with autism.
    • Family Support and Coaching
      Offers family support services, including guidance on navigating Arizona's systems of care and accessing funding, educational resources, coaching for diagnosis and treatment, parent training, behavioral coaching, and clinical family coaching to manage challenging behaviors.
    • Family Support and Coaching
      Offers guidance, educational resources, and clinical family coaching to parents and caregivers navigating autism diagnosis, treatment services, funding access, and managing challenging behaviors. This support is available to all individuals affected by autism, regardless of client status, including those considering relocation to Arizona.
    • Family Support and Coaching Services
      Offers family support services, including educational resources, guidance on navigating Arizona's care systems and funding, clinical family coaching, and parent training and behavioral coaching programs for parents and grandparents of individuals with autism.
    • Family Support and Coaching Services
      Offers family support services, including educational resources, guidance on navigating Arizona's systems of care and funding, coaching for diagnosis and treatment, parent training, behavioral coaching, and clinical family coaching to manage challenging behaviors.
  • Community-Based Behavioral Health Services 4 activities
    • Autism Therapy Centers
      Operates multiple therapy centers across Arizona, including the East Valley Center (Mesa), West Valley Center (Avondale), Southeast Valley Center (Chandler), North Valley Center (Glendale), and a main office/clinic in Phoenix, providing various interdisciplinary therapy services, diagnostic evaluations, and family support in play-based, family-centered environments.
    • Clinic Operations
      Operates multiple therapy centers across Arizona, including the East Valley Center in Mesa, West Valley Center in Avondale, Southeast Valley Center in Chandler, North Valley Center in Glendale, and a main office and clinic in Phoenix, providing various interdisciplinary therapy services.
    • Specialized Therapy Centers
      Operates multiple therapy centers across Arizona, including the East Valley Center in Mesa, West Valley Center in Avondale, Southeast Valley Center in Chandler, North Valley Center in Glendale, and a main office/clinic in Phoenix, providing a range of interdisciplinary therapy services.
    • Specialized Therapy Centers
      Operates multiple therapy centers across Arizona, including the East Valley Center in Mesa, West Valley Center in Avondale, Southeast Valley Center in Chandler, North Valley Center in Glendale, and a main office/clinic in Phoenix, providing a range of interdisciplinary therapy services.
  • Autism & Neurodiversity Research and Support Services 3 activities
    • AAC Device Evaluations
      Conducts Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device evaluations as a state-authorized agency for individuals with autism.
    • Assistive Communication Device Evaluations
      Conducts Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device evaluations for individuals with autism as a state-authorized agency.
    • Speech and Language Therapy
      Provides individualized speech and language therapy to improve communication skills in children with autism and conducts AAC device evaluations as a state-authorized agency.
  • Parent-to-Parent Support for Special Needs 3 activities
    • Community Outreach and Specialized Programs
      Supports 3,100 individuals through community outreach programs, operates a program dedicated to supporting siblings of individuals with autism, provides in-home respite care, conducts AAC device evaluations, offers social and life skills training, and runs a Ride-A-Bike program.
    • Sibling Support Program
      Operates a dedicated program to support siblings of individuals with autism.
    • Sibling Support Program
      Operates a dedicated program to support siblings of individuals with autism.
  • Respite and Personal Care Support 3 activities
    • In-Home Respite Care
      Provides in-home respite care to offer short-term childcare and relief for caregivers of children with autism.
    • Respite Care
      Provides in-home respite care to offer short-term childcare and relief for caregivers of children with autism.
    • Respite Care Services
      Provides in-home respite care to offer short-term childcare and relief for caregivers of children with autism.
  • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy 2 activities
    • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy
      Provides customized ABA therapy treatment packages based on the science of Applied Behavior Analysis, delivered in-home, at clinics, or in community settings, for children with autism.
    • Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy
      Provides customized ABA therapy treatment packages based on the science of Applied Behavior Analysis, delivered in-home, at clinics, or in community settings for children with autism. The program is accredited by the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence.
  • Early Career Professional Support 2 activities
    • BCBA Certification Resources
      Provides information and resources to support individuals pursuing BCBA certification in Arizona.
    • BCBA Certification Support
      Provides information and resources to support individuals pursuing BCBA certification in Arizona.
  • School Policy Development & Consultation 2 activities
    • School Consultation Services
      Provides contracted school consultation services to public, private, and charter schools.
    • School Consultation Services
      Provides contracted school consultation services to public, private, and charter schools.
  • Outpatient Behavioral Health Services 1 activity
    • Mental Health Services
      Offers psychotherapy and counseling services, including individual and family counseling, and mental health therapy groups, particularly at the North Valley Center.
  • Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services 1 activity
    • Occupational Therapy
      Provides individualized occupational therapy to address fine motor, sensory, and emotional regulation challenges in children with autism.
  • Youth Bike Access and Safety Programs 1 activity
    • Ride-A-Bike Program
      Operates a Ride-A-Bike program that loans balance bikes at no cost to help children with autism learn to ride.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Ride-A-Bike Program
      Operates a Ride-A-Bike program that loans balance bikes at no cost to help children with autism learn to ride.
financials · form 990 · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$19.90M
Contributions & grants$887K4%
Program service revenue$19.00M95%
Investment income$13K0%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$17.83M
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$11.14M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$11.94M
Cash$5.56M
Investments$0
Liabilities$4.91M
Net assets$7.03M
Liquid reserves3.7 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue +22.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022

who runs it

paid leadership · 6
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
AARON BLOCHER-RUBIN CEO 40 $239K
JENIFER WERNTZ HIGHLY COMPENSATED 40 $161K
EHREN WERNTZ HIGHLY COMPENSATED 40 $158K
CAREY BERANEK HIGHLY COMPENSATED 40 $148K
SHANNON SCHEIDT HIGHLY COMPENSATED 40 $128K
ERICA SKEPNEK HIGHLY COMPENSATED 40 $123K
board members · 7
  • JAMEY ZURAWSKI — Director
  • KEN WEBDALE — Treasurer
  • LAURENT BADOUX — Director
  • LYNDA McKAY — Secretary
  • MELISSA HULKE — Board Chair
  • NEELY BURKHARDT — Director
  • STACY HARKINS — Director
relationships · 12

who they work with

  • Ability 360 Partner — Shares campus space with Ability 360 in Phoenix, where AZA United's main office and clinic are located.
  • Behavioral Health Center of Excellence Government — Accredits AZA United's ABA Therapy program.
  • DDD Government — Provides DDD services including parent providers, habilitation, respite, and attendant care under the Division of Developmental Disabilities.
  • Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation Funder — Supported the opening of the North Valley Center.
  • Mercy Care Partner — Designates AZA United as a Center of Excellence for Autism Spectrum Disorder and collaborates on advancing autism care standards.
  • Midwestern University Partner — Formal training affiliation to support clinical training in developmental disability evaluation and care.
  • Northern Arizona University Partner — Formal training affiliation to support clinical training in developmental disability evaluation and care.
  • Season for Sharing Funder — Supported the opening of the North Valley Center.
  • The Abbett Family Foundation Funder — Supported the opening of the North Valley Center.
  • The Board of Visitors Funder — Supported the opening of the North Valley Center.
  • Thunderbirds Charities Funder — Supported the opening of the North Valley Center.
  • Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust Funder — Supported the opening of the North Valley Center.