| Center for Autism and Related Disorders | |
| Type: | Incorporation |
| Founder: | Doreen Granpeesheh, Ph.D., B.C.B.A.-D. |
| Founded: | 1990 |
| Services: | ABA-based therapies, including early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) and social skills training |
| Area Served: | Worldwide |
| Hq Location City: | Los Angeles, California |
| Hq Location Country: | United States |
| Divisions: | Autism Care and Treatment (ACT) Today! CARD Academy |
The Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD) is an organization that provides a range of services based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) for children and adults on the autism spectrum.
CARD was founded in 1990 by Doreen Granpeesheh. The Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, acquired CARD in 2018. Granpeesheh and the management at CARD invested in the company alongside Blackstone,[1] [2] and Granpeesheh remained the CEO until December 2019, when she was replaced by Anthony Kilgore and moved into the role of executive director.[3] In February 2022, Kilgore resigned for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Jennifer Webster.[4] On June 12, 2023, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[5] The following month, an agreement was reached to sell the company back to a consortium headed by Granpeesheh for $48.5m.[6]
CARD produced and distributed , a 2008 documentary about four children that the organization claims completely "recovered" from the autism spectrum as a result of CARD treatment, despite the fact that there is no known cure for autism.[7] [8] 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.[9]