HHS launches national alert initiative for missing autistic individuals

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in partnership with the Department of Justice and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has launched the National Autism Missing and Endangered Person Alert initiative. The program aims to improve federal coordination and establish national best practices for emergency responses when autistic individuals are reported missing.

Rather than creating a new system, the initiative will utilize existing emergency notification frameworks, such as FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. Federal agencies plan to develop standardized alert language, training resources, and response protocols specifically tailored to the needs of autistic individuals. FEMA will also look into updating emergency messaging templates to include information regarding nearby water hazards and dangerous traffic areas.

The initiative addresses the high risks associated with wandering and elopement, which are leading causes of preventable injury and death among the autistic community. According to federal officials, approximately half of autistic children engage in wandering behavior, and the National Autism Safety Council reports that an average of eight autistic children die each month following such incidents, most frequently due to drowning.