A bill authored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) to help protect wandering children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and elderly Alzheimer’s patients has been re-introduced in the House.

Kevin and Avonte’s Law, H.R. 4221, would fund programs and technology that are critical to preventing the wandering of those with Alzheimer’s and Autism. Smith introduced it during the 114^th Congress and it passed the House with broad bipartisan support, receiving over 340 votes. The bill was not acted on in the Senate; Smith re-introduced it on Thursday.

The law re-authorizes the Missing Americans Alert Program, and directs the Department of Justice to award grants to eligible law enforcement and public safety agencies and non-profit organizations to set up programs to prevent wandering. The programs could be educational, or they could include funding for non-invasive tracking technology for those who wander. It is supported by the National Autism Association, the Alzheimer’s Association, Autism Speaks, Autism New Jersey, the Autism Society, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, SafeMinds, the National Down Syndrome Society, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

“Wandering is one of the most concerning challenging behaviors for individuals with ASD [autism spectrum disorder],” Dr. Suzanne Buchanan, executive director of Autism New Jersey, stated. “This behavior presents safety risks including drowning, getting struck by traffic, falling from a high place, dehydration or worse. In recent years, accidental drowning after wandering accounted for 91 percent of total U.S. deaths reported in children with ASD ages 14 and younger.

“Parents of children who have wandered away, and caregivers who have temporarily lost Alzheimer’s patients, understand the importance of proper education and training,” Smith said. “Current wandering prevention programs have proven effective, according to local law enforcement, but they need more funding.”

Wandering is one of the biggest problems facing children with Autism or adults with Alzheimer’s, and their guardians or caregivers.

An estimated 60 percent of Alzheimer’s patients -- and, according to a 2012 Pediatrics study, almost half of children with Autism -- have wandered from their caregivers at some point. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, half of Alzheimer’s patients who wander will suffer serious injury within 24 hours if they are not found.

A report by the National Autism Foundation released earlier this year found that, from 2011 to 2016, almost a third of missing-person cases of those with autism resulted in death or required medical attention.

“This behavior presents safety risks including drowning, getting struck by traffic, falling from a high place, dehydration or worse. In recent years, accidental drowning after wandering accounted for 91 percent of total U.S. deaths reported in children with ASD [autism spectrum disorder] ages 14 and younger,” Dr. Suzanne Buchanan, executive director of Autism New Jersey, stated.

Yet the Pediatrics study also noted that of the parents of those children who wandered, only half of them had received education or training on how to help best prevent future occasions of wandering.

Autism affects 1 in 41 children in New Jersey, up 12 percent from 2014 to 2016.

“Many, many family and friends of children with Autism sacrifice their valuable time and resources to assist their loved ones. We must ensure they have as much support as possible,” Smith said.

Alzheimer’s Disease is also a pressing public health issue. 5.5 million Americans suffer from this debilitating disease, with the number of fatalities doubling in the last 14 years. Of the ten leading causes of death in the U.S., it is the only one that cannot be cured or prevented.

It is also the most expensive disease in the U.S., and the cost is only expected to rise. The cost of care for Alzheimer’s and other dementias is estimated to exceed $250 billion, and could rise to more than $1 trillion by 2050.

“As the number of Alzheimer’s patients is expected to multiply in the coming decades, we must increase funding for vital research and education on how to help patients and their caregivers cope with it. This has become a moral imperative,” Smith said.