Press Release: 7/2/2026

Massachusetts Expands Campaign to Prevent Drowning Deaths Among Children with Autism

BOSTON — Ahead of the 4th of July weekend, the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) and the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) are expanding their Autism, Wandering & Water Safety awareness campaign focused on drowning prevention and emergency preparation for children with autism. The safety campaign includes a dedicated webpage mass.gov/AutismWaterSafety, with tools and strategies to help prevent these deaths. 



The campaign includes videos in English and Spanish featuring a local mother whose child is autistic and has in the past wandered away, with information about tools to help caregivers keep their children safe. 



These tips include installing window locks and higher door locks, as well as enlisting the help of local police and neighbors, who can keep an eye out for a wandering child, and providing adaptive swimming lessons. 



“Improving awareness is one of the most important steps we can take to save children’s lives. We are increasing our efforts to reach families with clear, actionable water safety information in both English and Spanish,” said Marisol Garcia, the Child Advocate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. “Every child deserves to be safe , and we know that children with Autism can face heightened risk around water. These videos provide life-saving information for parents and caregivers.” 



“Preventing avoidable tragedies requires ongoing investment in education, awareness, and partnerships,” said Department of Developmental Services Commissioner Sarah Peterson. “As we expand these efforts, the information provided on the website and in these videos will help equip families with layered prevention strategies to keep children with Autism safe.”  



Drowning is the leading cause of death for children with autism. Research shows that up to 50 percent of children with Autism may leave a safe environment without telling anyone -- a behavior known as “wandering.” Unfortunately, children with Autism are often drawn to water, linking wandering behaviors with drowning and making timely prevention essential. 



Families can access a variety of supports statewide to help prevent wandering and improve emergency response, including zero-interest financing for safety modifications such as fencing, assistance with the cost of tracking devices, and 911 disability indicator forms that provide critical information to first responders. 



Additional resources for families, educators, service providers, and public safety personnel are available at mass.gov/AutismWaterSafety. The site offers information on: 




  • Water safety guidance for educators and service providers 

  • Strategies to reduce the risk of wandering and develop emergency plans 

  • Resources designed for first responders 

  • Information on safety equipment, home modifications, and available financial assistance. 



The new videos can be viewed here:





For versions of these videos which include audio descriptions of the videos (in English and Spanish), please see the OCA’s YouTube channel. 



In addition, training resources are available to help providers and educators talk to families about wandering and get them to resources that can help. Those materials can be found under "Additional Resources" at this link.



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