Global Health Leaders Debut CNBC Documentary on 'The Transformative Power of Value-Based Care' as a Driver of Brain Health and Economic Growth

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the nation's largest nonprofit behavioral health networks, The Catalight Group, along with 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.

Drawing from discussions at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the documentary advocates for the prioritization of value-based strategies to achieve timely, equitable and precise access to care – breaking down existing barriers and biases within our global health systems.

As healthcare costs continue to skyrocket, Catalight's value-based care model moves beyond traditional volume-based care for autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities to offer a solution through a 'quality over quantity' approach. Precision care is a cornerstone of The Catalight Group's approach – delivering treatment tailored to the unique needs of each individual and their families.

"We are here to bang on a drum that I feel very passionate about: Value-based care is really a key pillar in the transformation of brain health," said Catalight Group CEO Susan Armiger, whose organization serves more than 25,000 people yearly. "We have got to do a better job of bringing high quality healthcare that brings value to people receiving it in order to really boost their brain health."

Filmed amid The World Economic Forum gatherings, the documentary reframes brain health as the foundation of modern life and work. It spotlights the Global Brain Economy Initiative, which defines brain capital as the new emerging asset class consisting of optimal cognitive and emotional function with skills like creativity, adaptability and social intelligence. The initiative is a growing movement that provides countries with economic data and policy frameworks to strengthen national and regional brain health systems.

"If we are really serious about brain health, brain capital and the Brain Economy, we are going to have to fix the healthcare system," Armiger said.

The documentary showcases insights from influential global figures, including: The Global Brain Economy Initiative's lead Dr. Harris Eyre, Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, former U.S. Representative and founder of the Kennedy Forum Patrick Kennedy and Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Devdutta Sangvai.

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.

"If we can bend that cost curve down – which Catalight is articulating a strategy for and mobilizing other big players around – that's great for the global GDP to reduce the expenditure and then to drive better brain performance and brain capital in societies," said Eyre.

"The Transformative Power of Value-Based Care in Brain Health" can be seen here

About The Catalight Group

The Catalight Group breaks down barriers and biases within health systems through timely, equitable and precise access to care. The nonprofit 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, The Catalight Group is radically transforming the autism and intellectual and developmental disability journey by prioritizing wellbeing through value-based care.

The Catalight Group is one of the largest behavioral health networks in the nation, with 15,000 practitioners serving more than 25,000 clients and families annually. Backed by more than a decade of experience and a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, the organization is reimagining the way people with developmental disabilities and their families experience healthcare.

SOURCE Catalight Foundation, a California non-profit corporation