Catalight Foundation

1. in anticipation of the continued rise in autism prevalence rates-expected to surpass the current 1 in 36-we officially launched the catalight foundation, our fundraising arm dedicated to driving systemic change. with demand for autism and i/dd evaluations rising, we remain committed to eliminating long wait times and moving beyond the outdated, one-size-fits-all approach to care. too many families face delays of months-even years-just to receive a diagnosis, leaving children without the early support they need. barriers like race, socioeconomic status and geographic location continue to limit access to evaluation and treatment. in some parts of the u.s., waitlists stretch two years, while 84% of counties lack adequate diagnostic resources. join us in rewriting the story-because every family deserves answers, and every child deserves a chance to thrive. 2. catalight has been investing in a research and clinical excellence team that is shaping new standards of care with person-centered treatment options that meet families where they are. backed by more than a decade of experience and a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, we are reimagining the way people with developmental disabilities and their families experience healthcare utilizing real-world data. in 2024, the catalight research institute published two groundbreaking studies in the journal of autism and developmental disorders: psychometric properties of the parental stress scale for parents of children with i/dds and initial psychometric properties of the catalight family wellbeing scale. 3. in 2024 catalight introduced the catalight practice guidelines, a new clinician resource designed to expand access to care by lowering treatment hours and parent-mediated interventions. developed over 18 months by the catalight research institute and a diverse review committee-including psychologists, board-certified behavior analysts, self-advocates, parents and a marriage and family therapist-the guidelines synthesize the latest research on effective autism care. they highlight the strong evidence supporting parent-mediated approaches, such as parent-mediated aba, where caregivers learn to integrate behavioral interventions into daily routines. the guidelines affirm that parent-led strategies can be as effective as practitioner-directed care and provide recommendations to help clinicians empower families in their everyday lives. 4. catalight continues to evolve its services, allowing individuals to choose their path regarding their care. in 2024, we added two new treatment options to our growing treatment portfolio, making it easier for families to find the right care. we believe every child, every caregiver and every family has unique needs and challenges. so, it's critical that expanding access to sustainable care includes providing more choice. a. compass-behavioral - an innovative program offering neurodivergent teens and young adults life coaching that helps them build the essential skills they want and need to grow into adulthood. b. rubi - a flexible, caregiver-mediated program designed to help parents and other caregivers address challenging behaviors in children from ages 3 to 12. rubi training equips caregivers with the knowledge and tools to create an environment that fosters positive behavior and development. 5. designed to bring catalight's innovative care treatments to more clinicians in support of individuals with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (i/dd), the organization launched catalight classroomin september- an online education academy meant to further reshape the behavioral health industry. previously a resource for providers within the catalight network, catalight classroom expanded to any clinician interested in educational opportunities, improving client outcomes, pursuing wellbeing and promoting personalized care. so far, 1,371 continuing education credits have been issued through the education platform. 6. recognizing an indus