Family Initiative will be available for expert interviews and families specifically impacted by the passing of these bills. Please contact Summer Stones at (239)-460-6425 to set up times.
FLORIDA (June 11, 2025) – Family Initiative, a Southwest Florida-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals and families impacted by autism, is celebrating the passage of two transformative pieces of legislation. One will create a specialized alert when children on the spectrum go missing, and another will broaden access to autism screenings for children, among other life-altering changes.
On June 6. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 711 and Senate Bill 500 into law. This bill will create the “Spectrum Alert” system. Similar to an AMBER Alert, when a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) goes missing, a specialized notification will be sent.
According to the bill, when the alert is activated, law enforcement must notify all local media outlets, inform all on-duty officers and communicate with surrounding agencies.
The bill also ensures that a training program will be established to aid with crisis intervention and help law enforcement understand the needs of individuals with ASD.
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 481 children on the autism spectrum went missing in 2024.
“Family Initiative is thrilled to see an increase in legislation this year focusing on the needs of the families we serve. The implementation of the Spectrum Alert system will be life-changing for individuals with ASD. So many of the families we serve have shared the fear they live with of their child eloping from their home, regardless of the safety measures they implement. Knowing law enforcement and our community will be immediately notified can save lives, and demonstrates our legislators and Governor are listening and supporting our families,” said David Brown, president of Family Initiative.
Another major milestone for the autism community is SB 112 dubbed the “Autism Bill”. The bill focuses on the importance of early intervention, education and specialized training for teachers.
This law will positively impact the lives of children and families with autism by broadening access to developmental/autism screenings for children, particularly through pediatricians and early care providers.
Among other life-changing resources this law will bring into action, it will also provide startup grants for the development of charter schools with children with autism and help with funding summer programs and camps.
Both laws with go into effect on July 1.
“Our entire organization is over the moon with the support provided to the autism community by the leadership of the State of Florida. By addressing early intervention, expanding access to community-based programs, and supporting education freedom for families, we are further solidifying Florida’s place as a leader in supporting the autism community. We are so grateful to our entire network of families who have advocated and engaged state leaders to advance these important pieces of legislation,” said David Brown.
About Family Initiative:
Established in 2015, Family Initiative Inc. is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, and young adults with autism and strengthening their families. Its team of clinicians serves families through a compassionate, personalized approach using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Occupational Therapy (OT) services, and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). The organization offers social skills groups for all ages, caregiver support, community training, private school education, vocational training, and more. FI also provides child welfare support and services across Florida through its Family Impact Program. Visit FI-Florida.org, or find Family Initiative on Facebook and Instagram @FamilyInitiative, and on X @FI_Inc.
