For years, Austin struggled with physical aggression and property destruction at both home and school. “We were having to call the cops almost weekly,” said his mother, Dustie Curnutt.
His autism, ADHD, and apraxia made stabilizing his behavior more difficult. With two prior placements that hadn’t made a lasting difference, Austin’s care team knew they needed a different approach.
When Austin arrived, his team immediately began identifying what motivated him. In his first month, he had eight behavioral emergencies in a single week. Physical aggression, property destruction, and threatening others with violence were the primary targets for reduction. Behavior analyst Stern Harris, MA, BCBA, LBA, set out to understand not just what Austin was doing, but why.
Austin thrived on recognition, and once his team understood that, they shifted their approach. Staff checked in throughout the day, celebrating his progress and affirming his effort. He would seek them out on his own, asking: “Am I doing good?” The answer, consistently, was yes.
One unexpected turning point came from a pair of sunglasses Stern found in a room Austin had previously occupied. A protocol was built around them: earn the sunglasses through appropriate behavior, relinquish them when the time called for it. Staff members would spot Austin wearing them across the unit and know immediately he was having a great day. The visual cue became a team-wide signal and a source of real pride for Austin.
Over time, Austin began doing something his care team had rarely seen: identifying his own need to regulate before things escalated. He would find a chair near a preferred staff member and settle into it on his own. “When patients are able to identify themselves and label the intervention they need,” said Stern, “that’s a huge part of what we work toward. It was just really exciting to see him come that far.”
As Austin’s behaviors decreased and his confidence grew, another goal came into focus. He was close to earning his diploma through UT Charter School, and Dustie asked whether he could finish before discharge. The team made it happen.
UT Charter School brought in additional staff, and care team members stayed late. Complete with balloons and a cap and gown, Austin walked across a makeshift stage and received his diploma surrounded by the people who had spent months helping him earn it. He discharged the following day.
Austin was the first patient in the New Directions Program to graduate from a school program during his stay. “We were so excited to have him,” said Stern, “and so excited to celebrate with him for this momentous occasion.”
Back home, the changes have held. Austin has had no behavioral emergencies since returning. He is preparing to transition to an independent supported living home, a goal that would not have been possible before Nexus. “Along with the medication Nexus put him on,” said Dustie, “I think that’s really helping him make good choices.”
He wants to go. And now, he’s ready.
