National Autism Association

AUTISM-RELATED WANDERING/ELOPEMENT CONTINUES TO BE A CRITICAL ISSUE WITHIN THE AUTISM COMMUNITY. SINCE 2009, THE NATIONAL AUTISM ASSOCIATION (NAA) HAS RECORDED NEARLY 350 DEATHS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM AS A RESULT OF WANDERING/ELOPEMENT. OVER THE LAST DECADE, NAA HAS WORKED TO CREATE DATA-DRIVEN TRAINING, PREVENTION/RESPONSE PROTOCOLS, AND PROGRAMS TO REDUCE INJURIES AND DEATHS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM. FEDERAL ASSISTANCE WILL ALLOW NAA TO CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS AND ITS CORE SAFETY PROGRAM, THE BIG RED SAFETY BOX, WHICH PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL AND PREVENTION TOOLS TO FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, AND FIRST RESPONDERS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. WITH THIS FEDERAL GRANT, THE NAA WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM.

THE NATIONAL AUTISM ASSOCIATION, INC. (NAA) WILL UTILIZE THIS FUNDING TO CONTINUE ITS CORE SAFETY PROGRAM, THE BIG RED SAFETY BOX, WHICH PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL AND PREVENTION TOOLS TO FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE U.S., AS WELL AS WIDEN ITS REACH AMONG BLACK, HISPANIC, AND FEMALE POPULATIONS, WHO ARE AT HIGHEST RISK OF DEATH. THE NAA CREATED THE BIG RED SAFETY BOX PROGRAM IN 2011 AS A FREE PREVENTION RESOURCE. SINCE THAT TIME, NEARLY 75,000 BIG RED SAFETY BOXES HAVE BEEN SHIPPED TO U.S. FAMILIES. THE BOX PROVIDES TANGIBLE TOOLS, EDUCATION, AND RESOURCES THAT HELP PREVENT WANDERING INCIDENTS, INJURIES OR DEATH, OR THE NEED FOR POLICE INVOLVEMENT. IT ALSO HELPS PREVENT THE NEED FOR MORE RESTRICTIVE MEASURES, ASSISTS IN TEACHING EARLY SAFETY SKILLS TO THOSE WITH AUTISM, AND WORKS TO PREVENT THE TRAUMA/TRIGGER CYCLE THAT CAN LEAD TO EXIT-SEEKING BEHAVIORS. EACH BIG RED SAFETY BOX INCLUDES AN EDUCATIONAL BOOKLET, CAREGIVER CHECKLIST, FAMILY WANDERING EMERGENCY PLAN, FIRST-RESPONDER PROFILE FORM, WANDERING QUICK TIPS FLYER, EMOTION IDENTIFICATION CARDS, TWO GE WIRELESS DOOR/WINDOW ALARMS WITH BATTERIES, ONE VOUCHER FOR AN ID BRACELET OR SHOE ID TAG, FOUR STOP SIGN VISUAL PROMPTS FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS, ONE SAFETY ALERT WINDOW CLING FOR CAR OR HOME WINDOWS, AND A CHILD ID KIT FROM THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN. WITH FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, 5,000 ADDITIONAL FAMILIES WILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A FREE BOX, INCLUDING 1000 SAFETY BOXES TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH.

NAAS BIG RED SAFETY BOX PROGRAM