Press release | February 18, 2026Catalight Researcher Awarded NIH Grant to Study Program Meant to Enhance Educator Training on Supports for Autistic Students Vice President of Caregiver-Mediate Care Solutions and RUBI founder Karen Bearss awarded $4.5 million to study RUBIES, a program aimed at reducing challenging behaviors among autistic elementary students. 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 16, 2026Study Finds More Treatment Hours for Autistic Children May Not Lead to Better Outcomes In a year-long study analyzing 725 autistic children across the United States, the Catalight Research Institute found that higher hours helped with short-term goals but did not improve broader functioning. 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
Press release | December 18, 2025New Study Finds Paraeducators More Confident Supporting Autistic Students After RUBIES Training A peer-reviewed study found that paraeducators across 39 U.S. public schools reported greater confidence supporting autistic students in the classroom after participating in RUBIES training – an adaptation of Catalight’s parent-focused RUBI program. Read press release
Press release | October 16, 2025Large-Scale Study Finds Autistic Youth Far More Likely to Be Hospitalized for Mental Health Conditions After analyzing over 1.2 million hospital admissions, Catalight’s Ben Pfingston and Lindsey Sneed, Ph.D., BCBA, found autistic youth are hospitalized for mental health issues at higher rates than non-autistic peers – often due to delayed diagnosis and limited support. Highlighting the urgent need for autism-informed care, Pfingston and Dr. Sneed call for earlier intervention and clinician training to better address the unique needs of autistic children before crises arise. Read press release
Article | August 11, 2025Photos: Catalight Talks About the Implications on How Autism is Defined at APA Conference in Denver Catalight attended the APA conference in Denver, Aug. 7–9, presenting on evolving autism definitions and emerging concepts, including research on sleep and its impact on behaviors in autistic individuals. Read article
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
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
In the news | July 23, 2024Autism Treatment Should be Guided by Recent Research Reflecting the Expansion of the Diagnoses In an op-ed for Autism Spectrum News, Dr. Tracy Gayeski questions the reliance on outdated studies, asserting that there is no dosage effect when it comes to hours of treatment. Read News
