In the news | May 9, 2025Autism, Rubella and the Rising Fear of Vaccines Catalight Chief Clinical Officer Doreen Samelson, Ed.D., shares a personal story about her son, who was exposed to rubella from his birth mother in utero. Once a common illness, rubella is now rare in the United States because of vaccines but Dr. Samelson is concerned that more parents are skipping vaccines due false belief that they cause autism. Read News
Video | April 1, 2025Celebrating Autism Acceptance Month by Moving Toward Greater Inclusion It’s time to move beyond awareness and toward true inclusion. Support is not about changing individuals with autism – it’s about embracing them for exactly who they are and who they want to become. Watch video
Video | March 31, 2025What Does Developmental Disability Awareness Month Mean to You and the People You Support? Hear what Catalight, Easterseals Hawaii and Easterseals Northern California employees had to say. Watch video
Article | March 24, 2025Photo Gallery: Elevate Your Impact Conference Kick Off and Podcast Release Check out photos from a special night commemorating the start of Catalight’s annual EYI conference and the release of the most recent “What’s Up With Catalight!” featuring local psychologist Dr. Liz Angoff Read article
Article | March 3, 2025Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month: Tips on How To Create a More Inclusive Environment Simple ways you can help people with developmental disabilities feel more comfortable. Read article
In the news | February 6, 2025What Happens When an Autism Screening Flags More Mild Cases A Drexel University study found that pediatricians using a standardized screening tool identified potential autism in toddlers five times more often than expert diagnosticians. However, only half of flagged families pursued a free follow-up evaluation, compared to 92% in usual care. In Psychology Today, Catalight’s Doreen Samelson, Ed.D., and Lindsey Sneed, Ph.D., emphasize the need for high-quality assessments and early intervention. Read News
In the news | December 30, 2024“Nothing About Us Without Us” Leaves Voices Out In “Autism Spectrum News,” Doreen Samelson, Ed.D., reflects on the philosophy of “nothing about us without us” within the autism community, emphasizing the importance of fully representing those who cannot communicate their needs. She further advocates for expanding the phrase to include parents and caregivers of individuals with profound autism. Read News
Press release | December 30, 2024Study Confirms the Validity of the New Parental Stress Scale for Families of Children with Autism and Other Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Psychometric study of Catalight’s Parental Stress Scale for families with an intellectual or developmentally disabled child published in the “Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders” shows the tool to be a viable measure. Read press release
In the news | December 3, 2024Empowering Families Through Caregiver-Led Interventions In an article for the Organization for Autism Research (OAR), Chief Clinical Officer Doreen Samelson, Ed.D., MSCP, details the positive effects of caregiver-led interventions. Dr. Samelson writes how parents can incorporate strategies into daily routines to support their child’s development, build confidence and find tailored solutions – all while preserving quality family time. Read News
In the news | November 25, 2024Jade Health Announces Strategic Partnership with Catalight to Offer Discounted RUBI Training Program to BHCOE Accredited Organizations Jade Health, a streamlined service for accrediting and credentialing autism care providers, partnered with Karen Bearss, Ph.D, Vice President of Caregiver-Mediated Care Solutions, to offer BHCOE Accredited organizations an exclusive discount on Catalight’s RUBI Program. This collaboration helps to expand access to evidence-based training for parents managing challenging behaviors in children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Read News
