Autism Labs

Emily Ricketson is the first and current executive director of AIM. She earned a BS in neuroscience from UT Austin in 2024, where she researched autism spectrum disorder in the Pierce Lab and got involved with Lifelong Learning with Friends. She worked weekends as a PRN residential caregiver at Marbridge. In 2025 she was accepted to medical school, then chose AIM instead so she could work with the IDD community now rather than in eight years.

Key takeaways
Independence doesn't require a campus for lower support folks. AIM’ers lease apartments in an ordinary complex anyone can rent in, and AIM isn't party to the lease.
Real jobs anchor the model. Nearly every AIM’er works, and wages plus SSI or SSDI often cover most of the rent.
Community is the quiet benefit. AIM’ers plan their own nights over Slack, so friends are a few doors down, not just seen at scheduled programs.
Fit matters, and "not yet" is okay. AIM has no onsite staff, so participants need to largely manage their own medications and can't have aggressive behaviors.
Families stay involved. Families are expected to volunteer 72 hours a year and fundraise for their $3,000 Give/Get donation, and many parents find a support network of their own.
AIM stops at the front door. Each family sets its own apartment rules, from curfews to cameras to wearables.
Start early. Joining takes at least 12 months of socials, meeting families and finding a roommate.

Resources :
Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/Cdjh8CQjtm8?si=96civLCJ7bj3__-I
AIM — Adults, Independent and Motivated (use the Contact us button)
AIM: how to join / prospective AIM’ers interest form (process takes at least 12 months) https://www.aimtx.org/
AIM volunteer sign-up: https://www.aimtx.org/volunteer-opportunities
AIM cooking classes and independent living skills workshops (open to the community): https://www.facebook.com/AIMATX/photos/1065370449093558/
AIM on Amplify Austin: https://www.amplifyatx.org/
AIM Fun Run registration and sponsorship: https://www.aimtx.org/events-funrun
Kansas City Mission Project: https://themissionproject.org/
Marbridge: https://www.marbridge.org/
Lifelong Learning with Friends, UT Austin: https://www.lifelonglearningwithfriends.org/
Dr. Jon Pierce, UT Austin: https://www.lifelonglearningwithfriends.org/our-story
Hill Country Indoor: https://www.hillcountryindoor.com/
Special Olympics Texas: https://www.sotx.org/
Rotary Club of Lakeway–Lake Travis: https://www.laketravisrotary.org/

Connect with Autism Labs
Website: https://www.autismlabs.com
Email Mike: mike@autismlabs.com
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Most families don’t go straight from home to residential care and they shouldn’t.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Mike Carr sits down with Nathan Bryant, Executive Director of High Point Village, to break down one of the most important (and often misunderstood) steps in autism planning: the transition from home to independent living.
The key insight? Respite is not just support for families, it’s the foundation for long-term success.
Nathan shares how structured respite experiences help individuals with autism build independence, reduce anxiety and prepare for residential living in a way that is gradual and sustainable. They also discuss the realities behind autism housing, including staffing challenges, cost considerations and why community-based models matter.
This episode is especially relevant for parents, caregivers and professionals supporting individuals with profound autism and high support needs.
In this episode, we discuss:
• Why respite is the first step toward residential care
• How to reduce transition anxiety for adults with autism
• The “supportive roommate” model and how it works
• The real cost of autism residential services
• How programs balance safety with independence
• Why staffing culture matters more than scale
• How families can start planning earlier
If you’re asking what comes next for your child or loved one, this episode offers a practical and hopeful place to start.

Watch the full podcast here: https://youtu.be/K4_ay3pH6F8?si=F3IWz2d5Ed0tyV_V

When your autistic child ages out of school at 22, few programs are ready for adults with high support needs. In Part 1, host Mike Carr speaks with Nathan Bryant, Executive director of High Point Village in Lubbock, Texas, whose son has autism. Nathan explains High Point Village two day programs, including one for villagers with more profound needs, and what villagers do each week, from life skills to job partnerships.
Questions this episode answers
What happens after my autistic child turns 22?
What does a program built for adults with autism actually offer?
Can a day program support my profoundly autistic adult who needs one-to-one?
How to help my autistic adult learn life and job skills after 22?
Key takeaways
Nathan explains High Point Village runs two day programs: Reach High, and Dream Big for villagers with more profound needs.
Nathan says Dream Big has two coordinators for eight villagers; villagers who need one-to-one have come with an attendant.
Asked about taking a profoundly autistic adult, Nathan says, "If we have space, I say bring them on."
Nathan shares High Point Village began with parents at a bowling league asking what their kids would do after high school.
Nathan describes days of life skills, like doing laundry, plus outings for Meals on Wheels, bowling, and Habitat for Humanity.
Nathan explains new job partnerships, including Mighty Wash car washes, H-E-B curbside groceries, and an Old Navy visit.
Guest
Nathan Bryant, Executive director, High Point Village, Lubbock, Texas
Series
This is Part 1 of 2 with Nathan Bryant. Continue with Part 2: From Respite to Residential: Preparing Adults with Autism with Nathan Bryant https://www.podpage.com/autism-labs-1/from-respite-to-residential-preparing-adults-with-autism-with-nathan-bryant/
Watch the full episode
https://youtu.be/_veSdwbpmQQ?si=kRaLYp9NZXb1HW-j
Resources
High Point Village: https://highpointvillage.org/ 
john13.org (as said on air by Mike) [CHECK: confirm link] - confirm (john13.org or j13.org)

When a profoundly autistic son or daughter suddenly freezes, stops communicating, or starts acting out, it can put a program spot at risk. In this solo episode, host Mike Carr walks through the Autism Science Foundation's two-page guide to Catatonia, "a serious but treatable condition that affects movement, speech, behavior, and automatic functioning." He covers the signs to watch for, why a change from your child's baseline matters, and what to bring to your physician.
Questions this episode answers
Why did my autistic child suddenly stop moving, speaking, or responding?
What is autism Catatonia, and how is it treated?
What are the signs of Catatonia in a profoundly autistic adult?
How to show my doctor Catatonia signs in my severely autistic child?
Key takeaways
Mike explains that what to look for is a sudden change from your child's baseline, not long-standing behavior.
Mike reads the guide's Hypokinetic signs: staring, stuck at doorways, less communication, freezing, lost self-care skills, new or worsening incontinence.
He also covers hyperkinetic signs: echoing words or movements, more repetitive movements, unusual posture and self-injury.
Mike says the Autism Science Foundation suggests videoing the behavior over a few days to show your physician.
Mike says Lorazepam, an anti-anxiety medication, has been known to be effective for Catatonia; his family hasn't tried it.
Mike also describes lowering stress: less prompting, fewer demands and familiar, structured activities, as on a bad day.
Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/hJHkQS8t2Rw?si=hvcUAUPT0JAlKxz7
Resources
Autism Science Foundation two-page PDF on Catatonia (free download): https://drive.google.com/u/0/uc?id=1feCGxDCJN2RqRD4a-UOFyJcs_DqByyll&export=download

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 understood challenges in autism.
The conversation also highlights the transition into adulthood, including gaps in services, long waiver waitlists and the financial realities many families face.
Key topics include:
Autism sleep disorders and melatonin pathways
Behavior changes linked to sleep deprivation
Medication vs quality of life decisions
Caregiver burnout and sustainability
Adult autism services and system gaps
Building community and support networks
This episode is essential listening for parents, caregivers and professionals supporting individuals with profound autism.

If you’re in this journey, you’re not alone.
👉 Learn more about Dr. Shafi’s nonprofit (Dar-us-Sakina):
https://www.dushouston.org/
This program pairs autistic teens & adults with a friend and offers real community support.
⚠️ Haven’t watched Part 1 yet? Start here first:
https://youtu.be/xlHc947wU0k?si=S3G65aTF5RCj6z4g
Part 1 gives the full backstory and context that makes this episode hit even harder.