Catalight

04/24/2026

Susan Armiger, a scholar-practitioner in Fielding Graduate University’s Leadership for Change program and president and CEO of The Catalight Group, is featured in a new CNBC documentary short exploring the future of brain health and healthcare delivery. Read the full story: https://www.fielding.edu/fielding-scholar-practitioner-susan-armiger-featured-in-cnbc-documentary-on-brain-health/

04/23/2026

Healthcare costs are skyrocketing and outcomes aren’t keeping pace. Brain health is paying the price.

We’re stuck in a self-defeating cycle where high costs, poor-quality care and limited access reinforce one another.

If we’re serious about transforming brain health globally, we need to be serious about value-based care.

At Catalight, value-based care isn’t theoretical – we’ve been implementing it successfully in the autism field for the better part of a decade. We see it as the path forward to improving brain health outcomes at scale while making care more accessible and sustainable.

As we rethink healthcare delivery, we must move toward models that create mutual benefit by building a value-based ecosystem across providers, funders and purchasers.

Catalight CEO Susan Armiger explained it during her keynote speech at the UCLA Brain Health Summit here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/GiUU8gerE3g?t=16808s

04/16/2026

Catalight has long known that brain health, when it comes to the autism field, isn’t about more care, it’s about but better care.

Value-based care is challenging the status quo – prioritizing outcomes, expanding access and reshaping how health systems deliver impact at scale.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year, we partnered with a broader coalition of leading health, economic and policy experts who assert that brain health can drive economic prosperity and societal resilience. From those talks, we produced this documentary about how prioritizing value-based strategies can improve global health systems.

Read the CNBC article and watch the short film here: https://www.cnbc.com/advertorial/acumen-gsti-catalight/?msockid=3a25906732026a86301e862a33956b3d

The Transformative Power of Value-Based Care in Brain Health

04/08/2026

Autism care is entering a new era — and AI is accelerating the shift.

Frontera is convening industry leaders for Future of Autism Care Summit, a first-of-its-kind event focused on expanding access to autism care and advancing modern clinic operations. Designed for those driving change, this summit brings together strategy, innovation, and real-world application.

In partnership with Catalight, we’re bringing together clinics, payers, and innovators to move care forward.

Join us at SHACK15 in San Francisco from June 23–24 and help shape what comes next.

Register now 👉 https://bit.ly/4m6lWIE

04/08/2026

WHAT'S UP WITH CATALIGHT IS COMING BACK!

Our award-winning podcast about the people and ideas shaping the future of autism/IDD care will be back very soon with an exciting guest lineup for season 2.

Keep an eye out!

And, in the meantime, catch up on all episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or here: https://www.catalight.org/podcast

04/06/2026

A huge congratulations to newly promoted Senior Vice President of Operations Sara Mathews for being named to Behavioral Health Business' Frontline Honors!

She was awarded for her dedication to delivering exceptional experiences and outcomes, passion for putting vision into good use for patients and families, and being an advocate for the autism industry and her colleagues.

You can read a Q&A with Sara here: https://bhbusiness.com/2026/03/24/frontline-honors-award-winner-sara-mathews-vice-president-network-operations-catalight/

04/03/2026

CALLING ALL FACEBOOK FRIENDS! We want to hear from you!

Today is and this is Autism Acceptance Month. But acceptance isn’t just one thing – it’s personal. It means something a little different to everyone – for the people and families we serve and for all of us here at Catalight, Easterseals Northern California and Easterseals Hawaii.

We’d love to hear what it means to you, too.

That’s why we’re creating a video montage this month of our community’s thoughts.

🗣️ Want to contribute? 🗣️

Click the link to send us a short (vertical) video of you answering the question, “What does autism acceptance mean to you?” or, if don’t like being on camera, you can write in your thoughts instead: https://www.catalight.org/autism-acceptance-month-2026

We’ll try to include as many of you as possible in the release of the video to close out on April 30.

04/01/2026

April is Autism Acceptance Month – a time to listen, to learn and to act.

Awareness alone isn’t enough. Acceptance is awareness in action. It’s what happens when we move beyond simply recognizing autism and start recognizing people for who they are, what matters to them and the lives they want to live. It’s not changing or 'fixing' – it’s supporting.

At Catalight, Easterseals Hawaii and Easterseals Northern California, autism support is what we do.

Acceptance is who we are.

This work doesn’t start today and it certainly won’t stop on April 30. This happens every day alongside the individuals and families we serve as they define their own goals, their own success and their own path forward. This month simple gives us a chance to elevate those voices even louder.

And we plan on doing just that.

We’ve got more stories, perspectives and moments to share this April. We hope you’ll follow along.

03/30/2026

Filmed during the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year, Catalight and a leading coalition of health, economic and policy experts today unveiled "The Transformative Power of Value-Based Care in Brain Health” – a short documentary airing on CNBC that illuminates how investing in brain health can drive economic prosperity and societal resilience worldwide amid escalating global challenges.

The film advocates for the prioritization of value-based strategies – a model Catalight has been implementing for years in its autism services – to break down existing barriers and biases within our global health systems while achieving timely, equitable and precise access to care.

As health systems worldwide strain under mounting pressures, brain health challenges are surging at unprecedented rates, resulting in 12 billion lost working days annually and potential productivity losses exceeding $16 trillion per year by 2030. According to the McKinsey Health Institute, targeted interventions could restore 130 million years of enhanced life quality globally, yielding up to $6.2 trillion in cumulative GDP growth by 2050.

03/18/2026

Congratulations to our winner Charlene Fisher! We hope everyone had a great time with these contests and we hope you had an even better time following along with !

03/17/2026

Autism is not one experience and not one level of need.

Today, on , we recognize individuals whose needs are often underrepresented in broader conversations about autism.

For some individuals with autism, independence is possible. For those with profound autism, daily life requires constant, around-the-clock support.

That means:
• Help with basic daily activities
• Limited or no verbal minimal communication
• Ongoing supervision to stay safe

It’s not temporary. This is lifelong.

We must recognize that parents and caregivers of those with profound autism are essential advocates, not secondary voices. We cannot allow for their realities to be missing from the conversation.

If we want truly inclusive care and policy, we must work toward expanding services for people with profound autism (especially into adulthood) and ensure that those who cannot speak for themselves are still fully represented.

No voice should go unheard – even when it can’t be expressed.