Catalight expands autism and IDD training

Catalight announced the launch and expansion of Catalight Academy, which it describes as a dramatically expanded digital learning platform for autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) care. In its release, Catalight said the Academy is designed to equip clinicians and practitioners with modern, evidence-based education. The nonprofit framed the update as a scale effort, with the platform intended to extend training reach across urban and rural communities and globally.

Platform Builds On Catalight Classroom

Catalight positioned the expanded Academy as built on its earlier Catalight Classroom program. The organization reported that, by the end of 2025, that earlier program educated more than 2,000 learners across 49 states and 13 countries. Under the expanded Academy model, Catalight said it expects to triple the number of learners by the end of the year.

Certificates And Public Registry

Catalight said the Academy will offer five certificate programs, along with specialized courses and webinars. The Academy also includes a public registry of trained and certified practitioners. In the release, Catalight described the registry as a tool intended to help families and organizations identify specialized expertise. It is also framed as a way for clinicians to display verifiable credentials.

Workforce And Telehealth Context

Catalight explicitly linked the Academy’s expansion to workforce shortages. The release also tied the training platform to telehealth-enabled care models, signaling a strategy aimed at increasing clinical capacity without relying exclusively on high hours of in-person treatment.