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Center for Autism and Related Disorders

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by DoItFastDoItUrgent (talk | contribs) at 03:50, 17 May 2025 (Removing organization formerly known as "Autism Care and Treatment (ACT) Today!" from the list of company "divisions," as said organization is a nonprofit with no legal connection to CARD. Making unnecessarily long-winded description of company simpler. Adding context and citations throughout article.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Center for Autism and Related Disorders
Company typeIncorporation
Founded1990
FounderDoreen Granpeesheh, Ph.D., B.C.B.A.-D.
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
ServicesABA-based therapies, including early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) and social skills training
DivisionsCARD Academy
Websitecenterforautism.com

The Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD) is a business that administers applied behavior analysis (ABA) to autistic people.

CARD was founded in 1990 by Doreen Granpeesheh, a former graduate student of Ole Ivar Løvaas, the UCLA psychology professor who popularized the use of ABA on autistic children and was influential in the formal development of conversion therapy.[1][2][3] The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, acquired CARD in 2018. Granpeesheh and the management at CARD invested in the company alongside Blackstone,[4][5] and Granpeesheh remained the CEO until December 2019, when she was replaced by Anthony Kilgore and moved into the role of executive director.[6] In February 2022, Kilgore resigned for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Jennifer Webster.[7] On June 12, 2023, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[8] The following month, an agreement was reached to sell the company back to a consortium headed by Granpeesheh for $48.5m.[9]

Documentary

CARD co-produced (with Granpeesheh) and distributed Recovered: Journeys Through the Autism Spectrum and Back, a 2008 documentary about four children that the organization claims completely "recovered" from autism and co-occurring intellectual disability as a result of the intensive, longterm ABA they administered[10], despite the fact that there is no known cure for autism.[11][12] The film was directed and edited by Michele Jaquis in collaboration with Granpeesheh and won the Best Documentary award at the 2008 Director's Chair Film Festival.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Families cling to hope of autism 'recovery'". Los Angeles Times. 2013-01-09. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  2. ^ Bowman, Rachel A.; Baker, Jeffrey P.; on behalf of Duke University School of Medicine (2014-03-01). "Screams, Slaps, and Love: The Strange Birth of Applied Behavior Analysis". Pediatrics. 133 (3): 364–366. doi:10.1542/peds.2013-2583. ISSN 0031-4005.
  3. ^ Gibson, Margaret F.; Douglas, Patty (2018-10-16). "Disturbing Behaviours: Ole Ivar Lovaas and the Queer History of Autism Science". Catalyst: Feminism, Theory, Technoscience. 4 (2): 1–28. doi:10.28968/cftt.v4i2.29579. ISSN 2380-3312.
  4. ^ "Blackstone to Buy Center for Autism and Related Disorders". Wall Street Journal. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  5. ^ Yuk, Pan Kwan (13 April 2018). "Blackstone acquires autism care specialist CARD". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  6. ^ Bryant, Bailey (2020-10-22). "Bolstered by Recent Tech Investments, CARD Gears Up for Growth in 2021". Behavioral Health Business. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  7. ^ "Center for Autism and Related Disorders Announces Senior Leadership Changes". finance.yahoo.com. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  8. ^ "Blackstone-Owned Autism Treatment Provider Files for Bankruptcy". Wall Street Journal. June 12, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  9. ^ "Autism treatment center gets US bankruptcy court approval for $48.5 million sale". Reuters. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  10. ^ Autism Live (2021-12-05). Recovered: Journeys Through the Autism Spectrum and Back. Retrieved 2025-05-17 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ Myers SM, Johnson CP (November 2007). "Management of children with autism spectrum disorders". Pediatrics. 120 (5): 1162–1182. doi:10.1542/peds.2007-2362. PMID 17967921.
  12. ^ Levy SE, Mandell DS, Schultz RT (November 2009). "Autism". The Lancet. 374 (9701): 1627–1638. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61376-3. PMC 2863325. PMID 19819542. (Erratum: doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61666-8,  [1])
  13. ^ "The Director's Chair Film Festival 2008". Archived from the original on 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
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