Community Life: Safety & Wandering (General Audience)

An informative article that gives suggestions on ways to teach safety skills and prevent wandering.

NAA’s Meet the Police safety initiative is a free, downloadable toolkit for individuals with autism, parents or caregivers who are concerned about their loved one’s safety in the community. The purpose of this program is to help enhance the quality of interactions between individuals with autism and members of law enforcement.

The toolkit includes steps you can take to establish trusting relationships, reduce confusion and fear, and encourage opportunities for law enforcement agencies to get to know members of their community who may be at increased risk due to behaviors commonly associated with autism.

A Guide to Safety was written by parents, first responders, educators, and community members who share their strategies and resources to address safety threats that commonly arise during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

It covers a range of topics, including:

Safety network development
Prevention and management of wandering and elopement behaviors
Relationship, physical, and sexual safety discussions
Strategies to address bullying and online threats
Tips on money and workplace safety

A downloadable guide offering tips, products and strategies to help families keep children safe. Topics include water safety, elopement (running away), fire safety, firearms safety and poison control.

The Autism Safety Roster is a project in partnership between the community members of Lakewood and the Lakewood Police Department. This online roster promotes communication and enables the police department to have quick and relevant access to important information about a person with Autism.

The goal is to help ensure the safety of an individual with Autism or any other, related, Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The Autism Wandering Awareness Alerts Response and Education (AWAARE) Collaboration is a working group of six national non-profit autism organizations whose mission is to prevent autism-related wandering incidents and deaths.

An online guide for family members to help protect a loved one with autism. This kit offers lots of advice and tools, as well as additional resources.

A kit specifically for First Responders is available here.

Teachers can apply for a specially-designed kit for educators and aides here.

This resource guide provides links to organizations, programs, publications, and resources focused on bullying prevention. It is
divided into seven sections: (1) Organizations and Websites; (2) Data, Definitions, and Research; (3) Programs, Campaigns, and Toolkits; (4) Policies, Laws, and Legislation; (5) Publications and Resources; (6) At-Risk Populations; and (7) Bullying and Co-Occurring Issues.

Each item in this resource guide includes a short description and a link to the resource itself.

This free app provides a convenient place to electronically store photos and vital information about your children so that it’s all at hand if you need it. You can show the pictures and provide physical identifiers like height and weight to security or police officers on the spot. Using a special tab on the app, you can also quickly and easily e-mail the information to authorities with just a few clicks.

The app includes tips on keeping children safe, as well as specific guidance on what to do in the first 48 crucial hours after a child goes missing. Links to additional resources for families and victims are also provided.

Offers personal wearable QR Codes that immediately alert the public that “Here is a person that needs help” & how to help them. They provide a place where the multitude of information about a person with special needs can be kept in one place. This information can be accessed by whoever needs it at the time.

Individuals profiles can be accessed manually from any web browser or via scanned QR Codes. QR Codes can be read quickly by any smartphone. QR reader Apps can be downloaded for free from App stores.

An online resource offering guides, tips to prevent wandering (both in the community and at school) and additional resources.

The primary mission of Project Lifesaver is to provide timely response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer’s, Autism, and other related conditions or disorders.

PLI is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization that bridges the technological gap for “at risk” populations and public safety agencies. They provide police, fire/rescue and other first responders with a comprehensive program on the use of specialized electronic search and rescue equipment, technology and procedures, as well as teaching rescuers how to effectively communicate with people afflicted with cognitive conditions, all of which are essential to a successful rescue.

Their mission is to transform emergency communication and are dedicated to harnessing cutting edge technology to change the outcomes of millions of emergencies across the United States and globally through specialized apps and related technology. The platform can be used by anyone, including people with disabilities, and is available for use internationally.

ONE-TOUCH-911
Sends your precise location and key info to 9-1-1 with one touch, lets you text 9-1-1, and notifies emergency contacts automatically.

FAMILY CONNECT
Lets you see real-time location of loved ones, check in with them, and even call 9-1-1 on their behalf.

INTERNATIONAL
One touch emergency calling in 250+ countries and jurisdictions worldwide, keeping you safe wherever you travel.

STUDENT CONNECT
Empower students and staff to proactively check in when they have arrived at their destination and request loved ones to check in if they are concerned they need help or are in an unexpected place.

This website is a place where members of the autism community can communicate with parents, family members, friends, educators and law enforcement officials to build a sense of community.

It provides lots of information promoting safety while empowering the autism community.

This card helps identify individuals with Aspergers, should they ever find themselves having to communicate to law enforcement officials. Directions on how to use the card are on the linked document.

To download this card, click here.

A printable, one-page sheet offering tips on how to prevent wandering in children with autism.

The Connecting for Kids wandering safety kit is designed to help your family begin its conversation about wandering and how best to prepare for it.

Wandering safety kits are available at no cost to Connecting for Kids families, while supplies last. Kits include:

GE door/window alarms (2-pack)
Write-on ID bracelet
Four laminated stop sign visuals
S.T.O.P. Wandering quick guide
Limit one kit per family, while supplies last.