Autism Rescue Angels

Building Stronger Families: IDD Informational Sessions - Webinars

The IDD Division at The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD will be hosting virtual informational sessions.

Discover new possibilities for your family:

These sessions help Harris County families of children with special needs (or suspected) learn about The Harris Center’s IDD Division and the programs and services available to support them.

The IDD Community Resources & Training Coordinator will be sharing meeting links with the school districts, medical personnel, childcare centers, and other agencies that support and serve families with children with special needs.

Register here:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Y9B-Qbo1HEqLxVcnP7fs8tYRPZz4S4NNrf0WpNZR1FRUOTlRWDM0OFpaUjJXUUdSUkNaQ0kzS0NNRC4u&origin=QRCode

September 11, 2001 is a day America will never forget.

We remember the 2,977 innocent lives lost in New York, at the Pentagon, and in a Pennsylvania field. We remember the first responders who climbed the stairs. We remember the passengers of Flight 93 who fought back.

Twenty-five years later, Autism Rescue Angels stands with their families. We honor their memory and we will never ever forget.

For all those with children, teens and adults with autism starting back to schools, therapy programs and day programs after summer break, the Autism Rescue Angels board members are all praying for a safe and successful year.

URGENT UPDATE: Community leaders, the U.S. is now averaging nine autism-related elopement deaths per month. This is a crisis in need of immediate action.

In the last seven days alone, six children have died following elopement. Two cases involved a torn or broken screen door, multiple children drowned in ponds, and multiple rescues have also occurred.

Among 2026 cases where race is known, nearly four out of five fatalities involved Black, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American children and adults.

Urgent action is needed to strengthen community supports, services, tools, training, and prevention programs, so that these deaths can be replaced with safe recoveries.

There is no single safeguard that can prevent every elopement incident. Supervision can have gaps. Locks and alarms can fail. Screens can tear. Routines change. Emergencies happen.

It’s why prevention must be layered.

This Swiss Cheese Model for Autism Elopement uses NASC’s SAFE framework to help families and communities think through multiple layers of prevention, preparation, and emergency response.

Please review and share the flyer. A single layer may have a gap, but multiple overlapping layers can help keep that gap from becoming a tragedy.

Download the flyer at: https://tinyurl.com/ElopementSwissCheeseModel

Dispatchers, Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) language is now available at https://autismsafetycouncil.github.io/alert-generator/

Our data dashboard is available at AutismDash.org, or https://www.autismsafetycouncil.org/search-water-first

To assist your community, write us at [email protected].

We need communities across the country working together to prevent these deaths and recognize and protect those at highest risk.

**”I know Welcome to Holland brings comfort to some parents, but it has never felt true to me.

Parenting a disabled child does not feel like landing in a different vacation destination and learning to appreciate the scenery.

It feels like being dropped into a world you were never prepared for and being expected to become an expert overnight.

You learn medical language, insurance rules, school laws, equipment, therapies, and how to fight systems that seem determined to make everything harder.

You can love your child completely and still grieve.

You can be proud of them and still be exhausted.

You can find joy in this life without pretending every part of it is beautiful.

I do not need another metaphor about tulips and windmills.

I need accessible places. Reliable resources. Real support. Medical equipment without endless denials. Schools that see my child as a person instead of a cost.

This life is not a scenic detour.

It is love, fear, advocacy, exhaustion, laughter, grief, and constantly figuring things out as you go.

It does not need to be softened to be meaningful.

It just needs to be seen honestly.

And honestly this isn’t Holland.”

REAL CONVERSATIONS about the hardships Autism brings to a person and a family.
They need REAL help RIGHT now…

Global Project ECHO®: Epilepsy & IDD — Manila Hub

Join AADMD’s international Project ECHO® series focused on epilepsy and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This collaborative educational session brings together clinicians, families, educators, nurses, direct support professionals, advocates, and community partners to learn from both clinical expertise and lived experience.

Hosted from Manila, Philippines as part of the TUFH 2026 IDD/Autism/Integrated Behavioral Health Summit, this session will center the experiences of a family navigating epilepsy and autism while exploring community support, nursing care, and culturally grounded approaches to care rooted in the Filipino values of Bayanihan, Malasakit, and Kapwa.

Date & Time
August 5, 2026 | 10:30 PM ET
August 6, 2026 | 10:30 AM PHT (Manila)

Format: Hybrid (live audience in Manila with global virtual participation)

Register today to be part of this international learning community: https://aadmd-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tW_MdiNoR6GeJMriu6jo8Q #/registration

🌟 Give Yourself a Break While Your Loved One Has a Great Weekend! 🌟

The Arc of Harris County’s Respite Program provides adults age 21+ with a fun, engaging, and supportive overnight weekend experience while giving caregivers valuable time to rest and recharge.

📅 Upcoming Respite Weekends:
• August 7–9
• August 21–23

✅ 24-hour onsite care
✅ Engaging age-appropriate activities
✅ Two weekends each month
✅ Available year-round

Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot today!

📧 [email protected]
📞 713-957-1600 ext. 114
🌐 www.thearchouston.org

Coming up soon at IAH!

Autism Rescue Angels has been voluntarily assisting many different first responders, law-enforcement and healthcare professionals on dealing successfully with people with autism who have higher support needs and we are so happy to share that the Fulshear Police Department is offering this time to learn about Project Lifesaver and the Fort Bend County Take Me Home Program, two valuable resources designed to help protect some of our community’s most vulnerable residents.

Wednesday, July 29, 2026
6:00 PM
City Hall
6611 W. Cross Creek Bend Lane
Fulshear, Texas 77441

This informative class will be presented by Michael Kahlenberg, Coordinator of Senior Services & Project Lifesaver for the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

If you have a loved one, family member, friend, or know someone who is prone to wandering because of Autism, Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, or another cognitive condition, this presentation is for them.

Project Lifesaver is designed specifically for emergency response.
Once enrolled, important information such as a current photograph, medical information, likes and dislikes, and places the individual may be drawn to is securely maintained so first responders have the information they need to bring them home safely.

You will also learn about the Fort Bend County Take Me Home Program, a free, secure registry that allows individuals with cognitive impairments, developmental disabilities, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or other medical conditions to voluntarily provide emergency contact information, physical descriptions, photographs, communication preferences, and other important details.

To reserve your seat, please email Captain Mike McCoy at [email protected].

PLEASE SHARE! - Could Project Lifesaver Help Someone You Love?

The Fulshear Police Department invites you to attend a free community presentation to learn about Project Lifesaver and the Fort Bend County Take Me Home Program, two valuable resources designed to help protect some of our community's most vulnerable residents.

Wednesday, July 29, 2026
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
City Hall
6611 W. Cross Creek Bend Lane
Fulshear, Texas 77441

This informative class will be presented by Michael Kahlenberg, Coordinator of Senior Services & Project Lifesaver for the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office.

If you have a loved one, family member, friend, or know someone who is prone to wandering because of Autism, Alzheimer's disease, Dementia, or another cognitive condition, this presentation is for you.

Project Lifesaver is a free program offered through the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office. Eligible participants can sign up to receive a waterproof wrist or ankle transmitter that emits a unique radio frequency. If the individual wanders from safety, specially trained first responders use specialized tracking equipment to quickly locate them, often within minutes.

Unlike a GPS device, Project Lifesaver is designed specifically for emergency response. Once enrolled, important information such as a current photograph, medical information, likes and dislikes, and places the individual may be drawn to is securely maintained so first responders have the information they need to bring them home safely.

You will also learn about the Fort Bend County Take Me Home Program, a free, secure registry that allows individuals with cognitive impairments, developmental disabilities, autism, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other medical conditions to voluntarily provide emergency contact information, physical descriptions, photographs, communication preferences, and other important details. If an enrolled individual becomes lost, disoriented, or has an encounter with first responders, this information can help deputies and officers quickly identify them, communicate more effectively, and reunite them with their loved ones.

Whether you are a caregiver, family member, neighbor, educator, or simply want to learn more about these life-saving programs, we encourage you to attend.

To reserve your seat, please email Captain Mike McCoy at [email protected].

Please share this information with anyone who may benefit from these free programs. You never know when the information you share could help bring someone's loved one home safely.