Gold Mahan, 16, was homeless after the youth’s father lost custody and grandparents kicked Mahan out. Mahan frequently skipped school and even got in trouble with the law.

That’s how Mahan, who has autism, ended up in Detention Alternative for Autistic Youth Court (DAAY Court) , a diversionary court that takes autistic children accused of offenses such as battery and sex abuse and puts them through an alternative path providing access to treatment services. Cases may be dismissed upon successful graduation as part of a legal deal.

It was in DAAY Court where Mahan met licensed behavior analyst Matthew Lehman. Due to issues getting the teenager proper treatment, Lehman started the process of adopting Mahan, and they’ve lived together since February 2024, Lehman said. Mahan went from “compl

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