RFK Jr. launches HHS initiative to improve response to missing autistic individuals

Aug 21 (Reuters) - U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday announced a new federal initiative aimed at improving how authorities locate and protect autistic individuals who go missing, part of a broader HHS push to close gaps in emergency response.

Under the National Autism Missing and Endangered Person Alert Initiative, the Department of Health and Human Services will work to strengthen coordination among emergency management agencies, law enforcement, first responders and community groups across the country. The department said the effort will also establish a national framework of best practices aimed at the leading causes of preventable injury and death among autistic individuals, including accidental drowning linked to wandering and elopement.

The announcement comes as the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that autism affects about one in 31 children in the United States. The rising prevalence has put renewed pressure on federal and state agencies to develop safety strategies that go beyond health care and into day-to-day emergencies.

At an April 28 meeting, an interagency autism committee approved recommendations that included enhanced screening for co-occurring medical conditions and the development of federal guidance on wandering and elopement. HHS said it is also releasing a broad set of coordinated actions to improve safety, health care and services for autistic individuals across all stages of life.

Families and disability advocates have long pointed to a need for clearer protocols when an autistic child or adult leaves a supervised setting. The new framework is intended to help local responders act faster and more consistently, reducing the risks that can arise in the hours immediately after someone is reported missing.