Rethink: Leading Innovation in Health Technology

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 6 newborn children is diagnosed with a developmental disability (such as autism), making such conditions more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the US Surgeon General and the US National Institute of Mental Health recommend Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as the main treatment methodology for treating individuals with developmental disabilities such as autism.

The Challenge

It is believed that approximately 450 million individuals (from birth to 21 years of age) suffer from a developmental disability. However, the highly limited availability of credentialed ABA providers (only approximately 30,000 Board Certified Behavior Therapists globally) severely limits it’s potential. As a result of this dearth, hundreds of millions of such individuals and their caregivers are unable to avail themselves of the benefits of this treatment. Limited public support services, including in the education and healthcare systems, further amplify this challenge.

Rethink was founded to address this issue. The Company sought to make a difference in the lives of millions by seeking to effectively and affordably meet the treatment needs of this enormous and growing population worldwide faced with a severe shortage of trained professionals. They soon came to understand that the only way to bring about such a change was by leveraging technology to train whoever was caring for the individual with the developmental disability how to deliver the treatment.

The solution

Rethink decided to combine the proven method of video modeling training with the medically recommended ABA treatment methodology. They created an online training and support system for individuals with a developmental disability and their caregivers worldwide.

The award-winning Rethink program includes a comprehensive online individualized treatment program with over 1,500 video-based demonstrations developed by internationally recognized experts. This helps caregivers, parents, professional and paraprofessionals learn ways of managing a range of issues such as problem behaviours. Further, the program is also aimed at teaching an individual with developmental disability critical skills.

Incorporating emerging trends

Big data and AI are among the most important emerging trends in the healthcare industry. Rethink is gathering the largest data set of outcomes associated with the population of people with developmental disabilities. This data set one day will be used to develop the right treatment protocols and facilitate the predictability of outcomes.

In addition, Rethink’s automated data-based reports track progress in real time. This facilitates coordination across care team members and allows robust data analytics on outcomes. Rethink also offers a range of technology-enabled remote service options, ranging from short-term web-based consultations with Rethink’s Board-certified behavioral therapists to ongoing program development initiatives supported by an in-house team of clinicians.

The Company continues to grow and so does their core product offering. Rethink is now going beyond treatment tools and support for dependents with a developmental disability and their caregivers. The company is now also looking to help adults with neurodiverse conditions in the workplace.

The Rethink program

Employee Benefits

Rethink’s clients range from employers with under 1000 employees to over 500,000 employees. Today Rethink roughly covers over 7 million lives globally. The company offers the industry-leading training and support platform for employees caring for dependents with a developmental disability.

Over half of the caregivers work fewer hours or leave the workforce to accommodate the needs of their child with special needs. The Rethink program helps support these employees, directly impacting their productivity at the workplace. Moreover, it helps the employers create a culture of wellness for their entire workforce.

Rethink Ed

Rethink provides the industry-leading special needs management platform for public school districts. The Rethink program is used by hundreds of districts across all 50 states nationwide, serving all students with special needs and also those who require behavior support.

The Rethink Program allows districts to fully meet Federal IDEA requirements as well as a variety of state-based legislative mandates to provide an adequate education to students with special needs. The program helps districts to train staff and accurately measure the progress of a student population not subject to mainstream standardized testing. Districts using the program have reported superior student outcomes and mitigation of the need for out of district placements.

Heath Tech Pioneer

Daniel A. Etra, CEO & Co-Founder

Mr. Etra has over two decades of successful international business experience, including 15 years as a serial entrepreneur. He was Co-Founder & CEO of R.E.R. International, a global supplier of printed materials to the retail industry. He was also a Consultant at Bain & Company, helping establish their NY office and served as a Managing Director of Promodex Ltd., an importer and distributor of consumer appliances and industrial equipment in the Middle East. In addition, Mr. Etra served in the Israel Defense Forces and worked at Wasserstein, Perella & Co., specializing in M&A in the fields of healthcare, technology and natural resources.

He is a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO). Born and raised in New York City, he is active in a variety of children’s causes and volunteers with organizations such as NY Cares and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Mr. Etra has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics from Yale University.

“To inspire and empower individuals with developmental disabilities and those who support them.”