Programs & Staff Culture Episodes

What happens after individuals with profound autism age out of the school system? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr sits down with Jon Hockenyos, a father and advocate navigating life with a profoundly autistic adult son. Together, they explore what truly drives growth, independence and quality of life in adulthood and why many traditional programs fall short. Drawing from real-world experience, they discuss the importance of environment, leadership and culture in autism services. The...

Finding a great caregiver for a child with profound autism is incredibly difficult, but keeping them may be the real challenge. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares a practical, experience-driven framework to help families build sustainable, long-term support teams. Drawing from decades of real-life caregiving, Mike explains why caregiver turnover happens and how parents can change the environment around the role to improve retention, reduce burnout and create meaningful, lasting rel...

Choosing the right autism program isn’t just about services, it’s about culture, communication and trust. In Part 3 of this series, Johnna Oppermann, a consultant with over two decades of experience working with autism nonprofits and families joins Mike Carr to break down the hidden factors that determine whether a program succeeds or fails. This episode focuses on real-world challenges faced by parents and caregivers of profoundly autistic teens and adults, including fear-driven decision-making...

Not all autism programs are built the same and choosing the wrong one can have lasting consequences. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr continues his conversation with autism consultant Johnna Oppermann to explore what truly defines a high-quality autism program. From intake and transition planning to staff culture and retention, this episode breaks down the critical factors that influence whether individuals with profound autism succeed or struggle in a program. You’ll learn why fast ...

What actually makes an autism program safe, sustainable and trustworthy? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr speaks with Johnna Oppermann, a leading expert in residential and day programs for individuals with profound autism. Drawing on decades of experience, Johnna explains why culture, not facilities, funding or programming, is the foundation of effective autism care. For parents navigating the transition to adulthood, this conversation addresses one of the biggest fears: What happens...

What happens when someone is labeled “unemployable”… but given a chance anyway? In this episode, Mike Carr continues his conversation with Tom Landis and Jeff Schiefelbein of Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, a company creating meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with special needs. They share powerful, real-world stories of autistic adults who were once overlooked but are now thriving in structured, supportive work environments. The conversation explores the gap after age 22, the lim...

Finding meaningful employment for autistic adults is one of the biggest challenges families face especially after age 18 or 22 when services begin to disappear. In this episode of Autism Labs, host Mike Carr speaks with Tom Landis, founder of Howdy Homemade Ice Cream and Jeff Schiefelbein, to explore how businesses can successfully employ individuals with autism and other special needs. They discuss how structured environments, checklists and consistent coaching help individuals thrive and why t...

Most autism parenting advice focuses on behavior strategies, therapy plans and routines. But what if the biggest transformation begins with mindset? In this reflective solo episode, Mike Carr, co-founder of Autism Labs and father to a profoundly autistic adult, shares a powerful perspective shaped by years of caregiving and lived experience. Drawing inspiration from timeless wisdom principles, Mike reframes them through the lens of autism parenting and caregiving. He explores how humility, grief...

You can have strong, caring support and still feel like things are falling apart. In this episode, Mike Carr shares a lesson that took years to fully understand. It’s not just about building the right team. Even the best caregivers face limits. They get sick. They move on. They can’t be there all the time. So what happens next? Mike talks about why families need more than good people. They need systems that can adjust as life changes. You’ll hear about: Why caregiver turnover keeps happeningT...

What happens when a profoundly autistic child becomes an adult and the services their family needs aren't readily available? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr continues his conversation with Joel Wood, a father navigating the complex process of developing long-term support for his autistic son. Joel and Mike discuss the realities of finding qualified and committed caregivers, creating residential programs, building relationships with other families, and developing support systems that wo...

What happens when an autistic child ages out of school? For families supporting autistic teens and adults, especially individuals with profound autism or significant support needs, the transition beyond school can create major challenges around life skills, respite care, adult services, behavior support, community participation, and independence. In Part 1 of this Autism Labs conversation, Mike Carr is joined by Sharon, an autism parent and community advocate, and Allie, a Board Certified Beh...

For families supporting an adult with profound autism, respite care can mean much more than a temporary break. The right program needs to understand communication differences, behavioral support needs, medical considerations, routines, safety and the individual's strengths. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares what his family has learned through J13 Community in Austin, Texas and why traditional respite models may not meet the needs of adults with profound autism or multiple intellec...

What should happen when an autism transition program makes a serious mistake? In this episode, Mike Carr continues the conversation about transitioning to adulthood and aging out of the school system by exploring the idea of a “fail-safe culture.” Mike shares a real incident from a community outing involving an autistic young adult who became highly distressed and physically aggressive toward a staff member. Rather than simply blaming the individual or removing him from the program, the team ...

Finding the right caregiver for someone with autism, especially profound autism is one of the most important and challenging decisions families face. In this episode, Mike Carr shares what he’s learned after decades of hiring, training, and working alongside hundreds of caregivers. From in-home support to structured programs, Mike breaks down the qualities that truly matter when building a care team you can trust. This episode goes beyond resumes and certifications, focusing on the human traits ...

In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares decades of lived experience raising a profoundly autistic adult son and building real-world support systems for families who are often underserved. This conversation goes beyond theory and focuses on what actually helps families thrive when autism support needs are high and lifelong. Mike discusses how community-based programs, structured environments, and proactive behavioral planning can dramatically improve quality of life for both individuals ...

What happens when a profoundly autistic young adult reaches the end of school-based services? For Mike Carr and his family, that question became a reality as their son, Michael, approached age 22. Finding appropriate adult services proved more difficult than expected, especially when programs struggled to accommodate complex support needs. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike shares the family's journey from searching for an adult program to creating a home-based support model of their own. T...

Parent and Founder of John 13 Community Mike Carr chats with parent and BCBA certified Mark Garcia about their search for a program for their children, and what makes John 13 Community Program different than the other programs they’ve seen, including the staff, structure, and social benefits of the program.