About the KATC
Mission
The Kentucky Autism Training Center (KATC) strives to be Kentucky's leading resource on autism. KATC trains and collaborates with stakeholders through the implementation of evidence based practices to build knowledge and confidence.
History
The Kentucky Autism Training Center is a university-based program with a legislative mandate to enhance outcomes for all Kentuckians with ASD. KATC strives to "bridge the research to practice gap" by leveraging resources, building sustainable collaborative relationships, and “scaling-up” the use of evidence-based practices in all regions of Kentucky.
In 1996, the Kentucky General Assembly established the Kentucky Autism Training Center (KATC) to serve as a statewide resource for families and educators. KATC is housed at the University of Louisville’s College of Education and Human Development. For 25 years the KATC supported individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by providing hands-on training for educators in the classroom, hosting workshops for families, and conducting professional development sessions.
The role of the KY Autism Training Center is to:
- Provide resource information and evidence based professional development training for the systems of support for individuals with ASD in education, early childhood, mental health, and employment.
- Empower families through providing resource, services and support information and evidence based training opportunities (i.e. videos, workshops)
- Provide outreach through the development and dissemination of resource materials, videos, and other evidence-based information for the community
- Develop evidence-based models and practices for educators, schools and families
- Build regional capacity through a collaborative partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education to develop training and technical assistance for schools and school districts