The autism project (TAP) primary activities under this award will include the addition of slides on elopement prevention to all trainings and the development of topic specific videos to target…

The Autism Project (TAP) was awarded a $149,994 Project Grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Assistance Program (CFDA 16.015). The grant will fund TAP's primary activities, which include:

1. Adding elopement prevention content to all TAP trainings and developing topic-specific videos to address barriers within underserved communities. TAP will create a minimum of three videos on the unique autism experience in the Black community, the role of dispatch, and how to create and practice family safety plans in Spanish.

2. TAP community health workers will provide support to families to understand autism and create family safety plans, host meet-and-greet events with local first responders, and market TAP's library of educational resources.

3. TAP aims to increase knowledge of elopement prevention strategies in Rhode Island and nationally, and will educate public safety personnel on appropriate response techniques during rescue operations.

The grant period runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027.

The autism project (TAP) primary activities under this award will include the addition of slides on elopement prevention to all trainings and the development of topic specific videos to target barriers within underserved communities. As such, TAP community health workers will provide support to families to understand autism and to create family safety plans, meet and greet events with local first responders, and market the library of work that TAP has created. TAP teaches the core characteristics of autism across the lifespan. Once understood, TAP teaches how to use evidence-based interventions and strategies during an encounter. TAP will create a minimum of three videos to address the following: 1. Unique experience of autism and the black community; 2. The role of dispatch; and 3. How to create and practice a family safety plan in spanish. TAP also has the capability to film short topical videos in-house to add to presentations and host on the internet for increased access. TAP will market outreach materials and services across RI and nationally and attend two national conferences to promote its work and contribute to local outreach events, social media, and newsletters. Also, TAP expects to increase knowledge of how to prevent elopement in RI and nationally, and will educate public safety personnel on considerations during a rescue including how to approach the missing individual and their family to reduce stress and build relationships that support the family of an eloper.