Catalight Academy Online Learning Platform Launches Courses for Parents of Autistic Youth

Five new courses help caregivers build confidence and practical skills to support neurodiverse/ADHD individuals

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- After a child receives an autism diagnosis, parents often find themselves asking: What do I do next? Catalight Academy, a digital learning hub for behavioral health, is answering that question with the launch of five new online parent education courses covering topics such as understanding autism, navigating autism services and responding to challenging behavior. Using simple language and step-by-step instruction, each self-paced course translates evidence-based strategies into skills parents can start using right away.

"We created these courses to help parents and caregivers feel more confident as they support their child," said Brianna Fitchett, Catalight's vice president of clinical impact. "Each course offers practical strategies families can use to improve their child's wellbeing."

With many families facing long waits for autism services and limited access to trained clinicians, these courses provide immediate, affordable access to tools that parents can use to support their child's development at home. The courses are built for parents, caregivers and others who support neurodivergent children in home, school or community settings.

"It's about filling a parent's toolbox," said Cher Ware, Catalight's director of learner experience. "Families need strategies they can carry with them and use in real-life situations. Parents know their child best, and these courses are meant to help them build on their insights and knowledge."

Caregivers can sign up for one or more courses at https://www.catalightacademy.org/parents-and-caregivers. All five courses are self-paced and include guided instruction, videos and exercises to help supporters apply lessons in real life. The five new courses are:

• Understanding Autism – See autism through a new lens. Learn how autism may shape your child's learning, communication and behavior while building the knowledge and confidence to support them every day.
• Autism Services – Navigate autism services with confidence. Learn about the professionals who support your child and how to choose resources that fit your family.
• Everyday ABA Steps – Understand behavior before you respond. Learn a simple four-step process to identify why challenging behaviors happen, teach a replacement skill and support lasting behavior change.
• Everyday ABA Skills – Teach the everyday skills that matter most. Learn practical ABA strategies that help your child build communication, independence and confidence during daily routines like play, meals and transitions.
• Everyday ABA Supports – Navigate life's most common challenges with confidence. Learn strategies for preventing and responding to situations like meltdowns, sleep difficulties and wandering while supporting your child's safety and wellbeing.

The three Everyday ABA courses are applicable for caregivers of a diverse range of neurodivergent children, including ADHD, or for any parent, said Fitchett. Additional courses will be added in the coming months to focus even more on ADHD parenting skills and behavioral techniques for a variety of children including and beyond autism.

Costs for each course range from $15 to $50. To celebrate the launch, the "Understanding Autism" course is free with code WELLBEING2026. Additional courses will be added to Catalight Academy as part of the organization's effort to increase educational offerings for families of autistic children.

Catalight Academy launched at the start of 2026 as a digital learning platform led by Catalight expert instructors equipping clinicians and practitioners around the world with modern, evidence-based education in autism and other intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) care. At the start of its parent and caregiver offering, it has approximately 5,000 learners across all 50 states and in 27 countries.

To learn more or sign up for Catalight Academy, visit www.catalightacademy.org.

About Catalight

Catalight breaks down barriers and biases to create a more equitable world so people with developmental disabilities can choose their path. Catalight provides access to innovative, individualized care services, clinical research and advocacy — all powered by intelligent technology. Through the work of affiliate partners, Easterseals Hawaii and Easterseals Northern California, Catalight and its family of companies support people with developmental disabilities and their families across their care journey. 

The Catalight family of companies is one of the largest behavioral health networks in the nation, with more than 15,000 practitioners serving 24,000 clients and families annually. Backed by more than a decade of experience and a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, we are reimagining the way people with developmental disabilities and their families experience healthcare. Catalight's goal is to ensure that individuals and families receive timely access to evidence-based treatment, including naturalistic developmental and language-based services, applied behavior analysis and speech therapy. 

SOURCE Catalight Foundation, a California non-profit corporation