National Autism Association - Big Red Safety Box

(From the National Autism Association Website)

At this time, we are assembling inventory for our next round of Big Red Safety Boxes, we will begin taking requests through our website at 11:00 am ET on Wednesday, August 1st.  Please be sure to join our mailing list to receive program announcements and details.  We will have only 2,000 boxes available and we expect them to be gone very quickly.  Please note that we are unable to accept requests until the program opens on August 1st. 

The National Autism Association is committed to those with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who may be prone to wandering off or eloping from a safe environment, and may be unable to recognize danger and/or stay safe. Wandering, elopement, “running” or fleeing behaviors among those within our community not only present unique safety risks, but also create extraordinary worry and stress among caregivers. Drowning fatalities following wandering incidents remain a leading cause of death among those with ASD.

As such, the National Autism Association provides direct assistance to law enforcement agencies and caregivers. FOUND supplies funding to search-and-rescue agencies in need of tracking technology and training, and the Big Red Safety Box is a free-of-charge toolkit given to autism families in need as a means to educate, raise awareness and share simple tools that may assist them in preventing, and responding to, wandering-related emergencies.

Contents of the Big Red Safety Box include the following resources:

1) Educational materials and tools:

•  A caregiver checklist
•  A Family Wandering Emergency Plan
•  A first-responder profile form
•  A wandering-prevention brochure
•  A sample IEP Letter

2) Two (2) Door/Window Alarms with batteries

3) One (1) RoadID Personalized, Engraved Shoe ID Tag

4) Five (5) Laminated Adhesive Stop Sign Visual Prompts for doors and windows

5) Two (2) Safety Alert Window Clings for car or home windows

6) One (1) Red Safety Alert Wristband

More information HERE.

SEEKING PARENTS WITH RESTRAINT/SECLUSION STORIES FOR U.S. SENATOR HARKIN’S STAFF

Last week, U.S. Senator Tom Harkin introduced the Keeping All Students Safe Act, S.2020, to protect students nationwide from dangerous restraint and seclusion. As the GAO (U.S. Government Accountability Office) has found, restraint/seclusion are dangerous, resulting in deaths, injuries, and trauma to children nationwide. WE ARE SEEKING LETTERS IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL FROM PARENTS THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH SENATOR HARKIN’S STAFF AND PERHAPS OTHER SENATE STAFF. WE ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN STORIES OF CHILDREN WHO WERE RESTRAINED OR SECLUDED AND WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN HELPED IF THE BILL WAS LAW. You do not have to have a story to send a letter. Please email Jessica Butler, Congressional Affairs Coordinator, Autism National Committee, at jessica@jnba.net if you have a story or think the bill would have helped your child, or if you would like to send a letter in support of the bill (even if you do not have a story). Please feel free to forward and share with others.

See more of Jessica Butler, Autism National Committee request on the National Autism Association website HERE.