The National Drowning Prevention Alliance and The Autism Society of America Launch a Water Safety and Autism Toolkit

The National Drowning Prevention Alliance and The Autism Society of America Launch a Water Safety and Autism Toolkit due to the High Risk of Drowning.

LEADVILLE, CO, UNITED STATES, October 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The National Drowning Prevention Alliance and The Autism Society of America Launch the “Away From Home” Water Safety and Autism Toolkit

Individuals with Autism are 160x more likely to drown than their neuro typical peers. This astounding statistic is the reason behind a new resource created by the Autism Society of America and the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) to help families and caregivers prepare for water safety when traveling, visiting new places, and spending time away from home.

When families leave home, routines change. New environments, unfamiliar bodies of water, different supervision arrangements, and unexpected opportunities to access water can create additional safety considerations, particularly for Autistic individuals who may experience differences in communication, sensory processing, safety awareness, or response to environmental changes.

Away From Home helps families prepare for time away from home by encouraging them to make water safety part of the plan before they arrive at a new destination. Whether a family is staying at a vacation rental, visiting relatives, traveling to a hotel, spending time at a pool or beach, or simply exploring a new community, water may be present in places where families don’t expect it. Preparation can help families identify potential risks, establish safety strategies, and ensure everyone knows what to do before an incident occurs.

The goal is not to prevent families from enjoying travel, recreation, vacations, or time together. It is to help families prepare so they can participate more safely and confidently. Water Safety Doesn’t Take a Vacation

For many families, preparation is already an important part of everyday life. Away From Home extends that preparation to the places families visit and the experiences they share. By thinking about water before arriving, families can identify potential risks, put layers of protection in place, and create a plan that reflects the individual’s needs.

Away From Home is available in English and Spanish, helping make practical water safety information more accessible to families and caregivers.
We encourage families, caregivers, and professionals to explore Away From Home before their next trip, vacation, visit, or adventure. Water safety doesn’t stop at home. It should travel with you.

Download the Away From Home resource in English or Spanish and make water safety part of your plans wherever you go.
https://ndpa.org/water-safety-and-autism-toolkit/

For more information, please contact:
Alissa Magrum, Executive Director, NDPA
alissa@ndpa.org
Katie Wentley, Sr Programs Manager, Autism Society of America
kwentley@autismsociety.org

Alissa Magrum
NDPA
+1 512-294-3910
alissa@ndpa.org

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