SafeMinds is pursuing federal legislation to prevent and address wandering behaviors in people with autism, given its prevalence and urgency, as part of SafeMinds’ Safe Bodies initiative.
A 2012 report found that approximately 49 percent of people with autism wander from otherwise safe environments, putting them in peril. The National Autism Association reports that, of this 49 percent:
- 35 percent attempt to wander at least once per week
- More than 1/3 of children with autism who wander are never or rarely able to communicate their name, address, or phone numer
- 20 percent of wandering occurs from a school environment
- Over half of those who exhibited wandering behavior went missing long enough to cause concern
- 42 percent of cases involving a child with autism age nine or younger have a fatal outcome
- Accidental drowning accounts for approximately 90 percent of lethal outcomes
To leverage the resources of organizations also invested in increasing the safety of people with autism, SafeMinds co-founded the Autism Safety Coalition (ASC). The mission of the ASC is to advocate for national policies that will increase the public safety of people with autism and other developmental disabilities.
The following organizations comprise the Autism Safety Coalition:
- SafeMinds
- American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCHOR)
- The Arc
- Autism Society
- Autism Speaks
- The Color of Autism Foundation
- National Autism Association
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
- National Down Syndrome Congress
- National Down Syndrome Society
- TACA
