The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other government agencies are launching a new effort to try to locate missing autistic people, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Aug. 21.
HHS is working with the Department of Justice and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to boost coordination among officials when an autistic person, whether a child or an adult, goes missing.
The agencies plan to release guidance for other authorities so they can use a federal alert system for autism-related disappearances, particularly those involving immediate risk, to enable more consistent and rapid responses, while letting local and state officials decide when to activate the alerts, HHS said in a fact sheet.
In some cases, when an autistic person has been reported missing in the past, there is a long wait before an alert is sent, officials said.
The Department of Justice will also develop procedures and practices for responding to autistic people who go missing that can be used by law enforcement officers and first responders. Officials are encouraging people to report to 911 immediately when an autistic person goes missing, which can lead to an alert.
“When an autistic person goes missing, responders need to move immediately,” Kennedy told reporters in Rochester, Minnesota, where he met with officers and officials at the Olmstead County Sheriff’s Regional Training Center, where they discussed a local program that provides search and rescue for autistic people.
“They need to know how the person communicates, what risk they face, and where to search first, including nearby bodies of water and other high-risk areas. The public also needs to know quickly when it could help make a difference.”
Autism is a disorder that can cause a range of symptoms, including intellectual disabilities. Many autistic people with disabilities are prone to wandering, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is part of HHS.
Wandering can put autistic people at risk, with a small number of cases resulting in accidental deaths, such as drowning.
A committee on autism that was selected by Kennedy earlier in the year called for the development of federal guidance that addresses wandering.
“This effort will help law enforcement and emergency responders act quickly and effectively when an autistic individual goes missing, strengthening coordination and saving lives,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.
“Families deserve to know that when every minute matters, their government is working together to bring their loved ones home safely.”
Markwayne Mullin, homeland security secretary, said that the initiative was “about preparedness, rapid response, and protecting vulnerable Americans when every minute counts.”