In the news | March 16, 2026States Move to Cut ABA Therapy Payments as Medicaid Spending Spikes As Medicaid spending on ABA therapy continues to rise, states are reevaluating reimbursement rates and care models for autism treatment. In a recent study, Catalight Chief Clinical Officer Doreen Samelson, Ed.D., found higher therapy hours are not always linked to improved outcomes, emphasizing individualized care over a one-size-fits-all approach. Read News
Press release | February 24, 2026Study Links Poor Sleep to Increased Risky Behavior Among Autistic People Catalight and Easterseals Northern California researchers found that autistic individuals with sleep problems had 120% higher rates of self-injury, 146% higher odds of reporting suicidal thoughts and 58% higher odds of aggression toward others. Read press release
Press release | February 10, 2026New Online Screener Offers Path to Autism Diagnosis and Care Catalight’s new platform, ChooseYourPath.org, expands access, shortens wait times and offers choices for care that meets families where they are on their care path. Read press release
In the news | January 20, 2026More Treatment Hours May Not Yield Autistic Children’s Skills Improvement: Study Becker’s Behavioral Health News highlighted Catalight’s recent study, “Dosage in Applied Behavior Analysis: Effect on Adaptive Behavior, Goal Attainment, and Dangerous Behavior,” which challenges the effectiveness of standard 30-40 hour ABA recommendations. Read News
Press release | January 12, 2026Catalight and Frontera Partner to Reduce Cost and Improve Quality of Autism Care As rising costs and inconsistent care continue to challenge autism services, Catalight and Frontera Health have partnered to expand access to high-quality, sustainable care by leveraging AI-powered technology that reduces clinician burden and supports caregiver-mediated care. Read press release
In the news | January 6, 2026Patient Safety Predictions for 2026 Patient Safety & Healthcare asked experts for predictions on 2026 trends in patient safety and care quality. Catalight Chief Clinical Officer Doreen Samelson, Ed.D., highlights a pivotal shift in autism and I/DD care as research drives more personalized approaches aligned with individuals’ unique goals. Read News
In the news | January 2, 2026Targeting 4 More Years and Scaling Value-Based Care Models in 2026 With the shift toward value-based care, HealthIT Answers asked health experts to make predictions about 2026 trends. Catalight’s Chief Health Officer, Tracy Gayeski, Psy.D., says digitally transforming care with AI and telehealth can free clinicians to focus on patient progress over paperwork. Read News
In the news | December 26, 2025Behavioral Health Business Voices: Rodrigo Mahs Behavioral Health Business sits down with Rodrigo Mahs to discuss the future of person-centered care, including how Catalight is leveraging analytics and telehealth to expand access while keeping compassion at the center of care delivery. Read News
In the news | December 23, 2025Doreen Samelson Named Platinum Winner of the 2025 Pinnacle Awards in Mental Health Initiatives Acknowledging her exceptional leadership and impact in advancing the future of mental health business initiatives, Catalight Chief Clinical Officer Doreen Samelson, Ed.D., was named a Platinum winner of the 2025 Pinnacle Awards. Read News
In the news | December 15, 2025Catalight Wins Gold and Platinum DANDA Awards for its Impact Report and Podcast Catalight earned two DANDA Awards for excellence for design and aesthetics in healthcare communications: Platinum for the 2024 Impact Report and Gold for the What’s Up With Catalight! podcast episode, “The Owl Brain, The Cheetah Brain, The Possum Brain,” exploring autism and mental health through polyvagal theory. Read News
