Transition To Adulthood Episodes

What does real independence look like for adults with autism? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr speaks with Emily Ricketson, Executive Director of AIM (Adults Independent and Motivated), a program in Austin, Texas that is redefining autism adult services. Unlike traditional residential models, AIM focuses on independent living in the community, where adults with IDD live in apartments, hold jobs and build meaningful relationships with the right level of support. Emily shares: • ...

What happens after age 22 for individuals with autism? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr speaks with Nathan Bryant, Executive Director of High Point Village in Lubbock, Texas. Nathan shares his unique journey from law school to ministry to leading a nonprofit serving adults with autism and how his personal experience as a father shaped his approach to care. Together, they explore what effective adult services can look like, especially for individuals with higher or profound support ne...

Sleep challenges in autism aren’t just difficult, they can be life-altering. In Part 2 of this Autism Labs conversation, Dr. Muzammil Shafi, a neuroradiologist and father of a profoundly autistic son, shares the real-world impact of severe sleep disruption on behavior, caregiving, and overall quality of life. From melatonin and pharmacological interventions to the emotional toll of chronic sleep deprivation, this episode explores how families navigate one of the most common and least understo...

What happens when your autistic child turns 18? For many families, this transition brings unexpected legal and financial challenges and without the right plan, it can put your child’s care and benefits at risk. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr sits down with certified elder law attorney Melissa Donovan to break down the essential steps parents need to take before their child reaches adulthood. Melissa specializes in special needs planning, including guardianship, government benefits ...

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...

What happens after autism services end? In this powerful Autism Labs episode, Mike Carr sits down with Jon Hockenyos economist, policy expert and father of a 23-year-old son with profound autism for a candid, dad-to-dad conversation about life after the school system. Together, they explore the reality families face when structured support disappears. From early experiences of being removed from programs due to behavior, to navigating a broken adult services system with decades-long waitlists...

What happens when autistic children grow into autistic adults? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr sits down with Mailande Vise, M.Ed., BCBA, an experienced behavior analyst with more than a decade of experience supporting autistic individuals across a wide range of ages and support needs. Together they discuss one of the most pressing issues facing families today: the shortage of specialized programs and trained professionals for autistic teens and adults. Mailande shares her firsthand...

Autism transition to adulthood isn’t just about leaving school. It’s about what comes next and whether a young adult is ready for it. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr speaks with Will Renfro, who leads transition services for more than 70 students, and Patti Cole, a veteran special education teacher known for her creative, individualized approach to learning and independence. They share real-world strategies that go beyond standard transition plans. The conversation focuses on how indep...

Autism Transition Starts Earlier Than You Think When should autism transition planning actually begin? In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr sits down with Will Renfro, Transition Coordinator, and Patti Cole, special education teacher, from Round Rock ISD to break down what families need to know about preparing autistic teens and young adults for adulthood. They share real-world insights from working with over 70 students across different levels of support, including those with higher nee...

Autism housing is one of the most complex and emotional decisions families face, especially when supporting individuals with high or profound support needs. In this continuation episode, Mike Carr and Ann Hart (former President of the Autism Society of Texas) explore real-world housing options for autistic adults, including State Supported Living Centers (SSLCs), group homes, ICFs and waiver-based systems. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, this conversation focuses on how parent...

What happens when the school bus stops coming? For parents raising a severely or profoundly autistic teenager or young adult, the transition out of school can feel like standing at the edge of a cliff. IEPs end, familiar routines disappear, and families have to figure out what comes next. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares lessons from 35 years of raising his profoundly autistic son, Michael, and explores practical ways families can begin building a meaningful adult life beyond ...

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 ...

What happens when a profoundly autistic young adult ages out of the school system? For many families, the transition to adulthood can mean losing familiar school-based supports while facing limited options for adult autism services, employment, community participation, and meaningful daily activities. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr continues the conversation about transitioning to adulthood and aging out of the school system. Drawing from his family's experience raising a severely ...

What happens when a profoundly autistic person ages out of the school system? For many parents and caregivers, the transition to adulthood can feel overwhelming. In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr begins a new series focused on autism transition planning, aging out of school services, independent living, communication, vocational skills, and adult services. Mike draws from his family's experience raising Michael, his profoundly autistic adult son, and shares practical lessons they've l...

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...