Florida is about to add a new kind of missing-child alert to its toolkit. Starting next Wednesday (July 1), the state will debut a statewide Spectrum Alert, a missing-persons system tailored to help find children with autism who are known to wander. The alert can go out across Florida and, in the most urgent cases, trigger geolocated wireless emergency texts to phones in the immediate search area. Officials say the goal is to mobilize the public quickly when every minute counts, especially near water.
The program grew out of House Bill 711, which lawmakers passed last year. Gov. Ron DeSantis approved the measure in 2025, and the legislation directed state agencies to build and launch the alert system, according to the Florida Senate. Local coverage first spotted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announcement on June 24 and reported that the agency plans to begin activations next week, per FOX 35 Orlando.
How the Spectrum Alert works
FDLE’s Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) will run the new system. To issue a Spectrum Alert, law enforcement must meet five criteria, including confirming that the child is under 18, that officers reasonably believe the child has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and that authorities have a detailed description or photo ready to share with the public. An Enhanced Spectrum Alert is reserved for the highest-risk cases, when a child is believed to be in imminent danger. In those situations, the alert can trigger wireless emergency alerts targeted to a specific geographic area, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Only law enforcement agencies can request that a Spectrum Alert be activated. Local departments will coordinate with MEPIC to decide whether the criteria are met and to compile information for public release, including photos, descriptions, and last-known locations.
Why officials say it’s needed
Public-health researchers have repeatedly warned that water is a major danger when autistic children wander. A Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health analysis found that children with autism face a substantially higher risk of drowning than their neurotypical peers, according to Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. That kind of data has helped shape how agencies think about missing-child alerts for autistic kids.
Florida advocates point to sobering state numbers that make the case for a dedicated system. The Autism Society of Florida highlights drowning-prevention programs and statewide statistics that underscore why the Spectrum Alert exists in the first place, and local data show Florida has a particularly high child-drowning toll.
How to sign up and what to do if you see a child
Residents can sign up to receive Spectrum Alerts by text or email through FDLE’s notification page, so they can be looped in quickly if a child goes missing nearby. If you spot a child who appears to match an alert, officials say you should call 911 immediately.
Only law enforcement can initiate an alert. Local agencies will contact FDLE’s MEPIC at 1-888-356-4774 to begin the activation process, and FDLE will then distribute details to the media and through its online sign-up system, outlined by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Advocates and state officials stress that alerts are just one layer of protection. They urge families to combine multiple safeguards, including locked gates and door alarms, pool fencing, swim lessons, ID or tracking devices, and a designated water watcher when kids are around water, because prevention is still the strongest defense when a child may elope. The Autism Society of Florida and local partners maintain guides, trainings, and swim-voucher programs for families, resources they say are especially crucial in a state with so much open water.
