Catalight’s Postdoctoral Training Program Builds a Much Needed Pipeline for Autism and I/DD Evaluations 

Introduction

An autism or intellectual and developmental disability evaluation is usually the first step to understanding a child’s support needs. But for many families, that step comes with a wait.

Catalight saw this challenge firsthand. Demand for autism and I/DD evaluations was rising, but the number of psychologists trained to conduct high-quality developmental assessments was not keeping pace. Families were waiting months during critical developmental windows.

Catalight launched a specialized postdoctoral training program in August of 2024 to prepare early-career psychologists to conduct comprehensive autism and I/DD evaluations. The goal was both immediate and long-term: expand access for families today while strengthening the workforce pipeline for the future. 

The Challenge

Autism prevalence has reached 1 in 31 children in the United States. The rise in prevalence has consequently increased the need for timely access to professionals who can provide accurate, multi-disciplinary diagnostic evaluations, and the need is more acute in rural and non-English-speaking communities.

 “Long waitlists exist because there aren’t enough professionals trained in neurodevelopmental and developmental disability evaluation,” said Ashley Hazel, Ph.D., BCBA-D, diagnostic evaluation training manager for Catalight. “When families wait one to two years for an assessment, children may miss access to care during some of their most important years.”

Improving access means more than just building more capacity. Diagnostic evaluations are pivotal moments in families’ lives. The field needs clinicians who can administer assessments, interpret results and deliver feedback with respect, clarity and care.

The Solution

Catalight’s postdoctoral training program was built to meet that need. The one-year, full-time program gives doctoral graduates in psychology, clinical psychology, counseling psychology and developmental psychology the supervised hours required for licensure, while providing specialized training in autism and I/DD evaluation.

The program began with two trainees, added four more in 2024, and welcomed a cohort of six in 2025.

The model is intentionally gradual and very hands-on. Postdocs begin by observing licensed psychologists, then take on portions of evaluations with support, build skills in administration, interpretation and report writing, and eventually complete full evaluations independently. The clinical experience includes direct testing, consultation, parent feedback sessions, intake assessments and opportunities to provide evidence-based therapeutic services. 

And the program trains clinicians to see the whole child and family. Postdocs learn not only how to identify signs associated with autism, but also how to recognize strengths, understand what may be mistaken for autism and conduct a differential diagnosis — a critical skill set when performing evaluations.

The Outcomes

For families, the program is expanding access to evaluations and helping reduce geographic and language barriers. Four graduates from early cohorts have become licensed and joined Catalight’s network in areas where evaluations had previously been harder to access. Catalight has also had its first Spanish-speaking evaluator provide services to Spanish-speaking families in their first language, with Spanish- and Japanese-speaking postdocs expected in future cohorts.

Family experience has remained strong as the program has grown. Customer satisfaction scores following evaluations have consistently been around 4.8 out of 5.

For professionals, the program is creating a rare and meaningful pathway into autism and I/DD evaluation. For the industry, the program offers a scalable model for addressing a workforce shortage that hiring alone cannot solve. Catalight’s leaders see success not only in whether trainees stay with Catalight, but in whether they go on to provide much-needed evaluations wherever they practice. 

Whether they join Catalight’s network, enter private practice or work for other organizations, the result is still more children getting earlier diagnoses, recognizing signs of autism and I/DD in patients they serve in all capacities, and more families getting support.

Conclusion 

Catalight’s postdoctoral training program shows how one organization can address a national access challenge with a practical, mission-aligned solution. By training psychologists to conduct accurate, person-centered autism and I/DD evaluations, Catalight is helping families get answers sooner, supporting early-career professionals in a high-need specialty and strengthening the broader autism and I/DD care field. 

The program is still relatively new, but its early impact points to a larger possibility: when organizations invest deeply in training, mentorship and quality, they do more than fill roles. They build capacity, expand equity and help more people choose their path.