We are thrilled to share that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has officially launched the first-ever National Autism Missing and Endangered Person Alert initiative.

At the Washington Autism Alliance (WAA), we know that when a loved one with a disability goes missing, every second matters. For years, we have been a driving force in Washington state, including advocating for a Purple Alert system—a critical missing-person alert designed specifically for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who fall through the gaps of current systems like AMBER or Silver Alerts.

Seeing the federal government recognize this need confirms that our work in Olympia with legislation like SB 6070 is part of a necessary, national evolution in public safety. While we face challenges at the state level, this federal framework provides powerful momentum that we will leverage to ensure Washington families get the protection they deserve.

Beyond Safety: Strengthening Access to Care
This announcement also delivers a significant win for our “Access to Care” advocacy. HHS is releasing a new Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Toolkit for state Medicaid programs. We have long fought to ensure that families have reliable access to medically necessary therapies. This new federal guidance aims to standardize high-quality, evidence-based ABA services, helping states reduce barriers and ensure that taxpayer resources are used to deliver the effective support our community needs to thrive.

Whether it’s advocating for alerts that keep our loved ones safe or pushing for insurance parity so families can access life-changing therapies, WAA remains committed to bridging the gap between national policy and real-world results in Washington.
We are stronger when we advocate together.

Read more about the HHS announcement here: https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/fact-sheet-hhs-launches-national-autism-missing-person-alert-initiative.html