National Academies Invites Catalight’s Chief Clinical Officer to Share Expertise on Autism Outcome Measures

Catalight’s Chief Clinical Officer Doreen Samelson, Ed.D., MSCP, was invited by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to share her expertise on the methods and measurements for outcome assessments in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) care.

The National Academies – a collection of private, non-profit organizations providing expert guidance on critical global and national issues – conducted the public session in support of the committees’ research on applied behavior analysis (ABA) services and the effectiveness of the Department of Defense’s Autism Care Demonstration Program. Dr. Samelson was joined by other academic professionals in science, engineering and medicine – each exploring different topics of outcomes, including key domains and subdomains, selecting the right measures, using multi-modal assessments and knowing the importance of goal attainment.

Dr. Samelson’s presentation highlighted the overlap when diagnosing ASD and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Dr. Samelson thoroughly explained what clinicians should consider when measuring outcomes in autism care. She explained the outcome pyramid, emphasizing that all measures and outcomes should ultimately enhance the quality of life for people with ASD.

“It all rolls up to wellbeing,” she said. “As a clinician, if what you are doing does not improve the patient’s or family’s wellbeing, you probably shouldn’t be doing it. If you improve a disabled person’s wellbeing, you are going to improve their functioning.”

To watch Dr. Samelson’s entire presentation about outcomes and the entirety of the National Academies virtual session click here.