Autism Assisted Living: Finding Quality Care For Adults
Description
Mike Carr shares his family’s experience raising their 35-year-old son, Michael, who is profoundly autistic, mostly nonverbal, and lives with seizures and pica. He asks the urgent question of who will care for children like Michael when parents can’t, and outlines essentials for a true residential “forever home”: near one-to-one staffing, awake overnight staff, communication-first over restraint, medical readiness, transparent data, community and work opportunities, and a culture of dignity and stability. After reviewing programs nationwide, he highlights five promising models—the Center for Discovery, Bittersweet Farms, Grafton, Woods Services, and the May Institute—stressing the need to look beyond polished websites to real practices and visits. He closes with J13’s vision to grow from respite care to full residential homes in Austin, prioritizing compassion, low staff ratios, and meaningful lives where adults with profound autism can thrive.
United States
