Building the Right Team for the IDD Community: Lessons from Decades of Experience

In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares insights on the challenges and lessons learned from decades of hiring staff to support adults with profound autism. He emphasizes the importance of finding team members who are not only reliable and coachable but who also have a genuine calling to serve this community. Beyond experience, traits like optimism, trustworthiness, and a strong spiritual foundation often set the best caregivers apart. Mike introduces the current John 13 team—a diverse group including behavior analysts, teachers, climbers, therapists, tech professionals, and students—each bringing unique strengths and deep commitment to the mission. Together, they create a culture of trust, compassion, and purpose that families can look to as a model when hiring for their own loved ones.