Episode Details

Mike Carr and Joel Wood discuss building residential and support options for adults with profound autism, saying staffing - motivated, caring people over credentials- is the biggest challenge. They recommend partnering with universities, using visual communication and careful observation (behavior is communication), starting small with day programs or informal gatherings, and having clear plans for leadership, ownership, funding, and staffing. Tech and AI can help with research, training, and spotting stress, but can’t replace human connection; their final advice to parents is: be persistent, work with systems (not against them), and keep moving forward.