When an autistic child or adult goes missing, minutes matter, and families often ask: "Can we get an alert sent out?" Florida has several alert types, each with its own rules. Knowing which one fits your child, and what police need from you, can help you give the right information quickly. This guide explains the Purple Alert, the newer Spectrum Alert for autistic children, and the reporting rules every Florida agency must follow.
What is a Purple Alert?
The Purple Alert was created by chapter 2021-93, Laws of Florida, and, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), took effect July 1, 2022. It is in s. 937.0205, Florida Statutes. Under subsection (4), "a missing adult is deemed to be an adult":
- "Who has a mental or cognitive disability that is not Alzheimer's disease or a dementia-related disorder; an intellectual disability or a developmental disability, as those terms are defined in s. 393.063; a brain injury; another physical, mental, or emotional disability that is not related to substance abuse; or a combination of any of these";
- "Whose disappearance indicates a credible threat of immediate danger or serious bodily harm to himself or herself, as determined by the local law enforcement agency";
- "Who cannot be returned to safety without law enforcement intervention"; and
- "Who does not meet the criteria for activation of a local Silver Alert or the Silver Alert Plan."
Autism is a developmental disability under s. 393.063, so an autistic adult can qualify if the other conditions are met. The Purple Alert is for people 18 and older; FDLE's criteria say "the person must be 18 years of age or older and must not qualify for a Silver Alert."
Local and state Purple Alerts
A 2024 law (chapter 2024-82) added two levels:
- Local Purple Alert. For an adult missing "on foot or in an unidentified vehicle," local agencies set their own activation policies and must contact media in the area, inform all on-duty officers and notify other agencies in the county (s. 937.0205(5)).
- State Purple Alert. When "there is a motor vehicle with an identified license plate or other vehicle information," the agency may ask FDLE's Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) for a state alert, which can use highway message signs and lottery terminals (s. 937.0205(6)). FDLE says highway signs stay on "for a maximum of six (6) hours."
The law also asks the program to protect "the privacy, dignity, and independence of the missing adult" by avoiding unnecessary sharing of health and diagnostic information (s. 937.0205(3)(b)).
What alert applies to a missing autistic child?
Not the Purple Alert. For children, Florida created the Spectrum Alert in 2025 (s. 937.0401, chapter 2025-123), which FDLE says took effect July 1, 2026. In its findings, the Legislature said that "children with ASD are prone to wander from safe environments at a higher rate than their non-autistic peers" and that "a standardized system is necessary to aid in the search for a missing child with ASD."
FDLE lists five criteria for a Spectrum Alert:
- The child must be under 18 years of age.
- The agency "must reasonably believe that the child has autism spectrum disorder (ASD)."
- The agency must have "a well-founded belief, based on an active investigation, that the child is in danger of death or serious bodily injury."
- There must be a detailed description and/or a photograph to share.
- The agency must recommend activation.
An Enhanced Spectrum Alert uses the same criteria but requires that the child be in "imminent danger." FDLE says it sends "a wireless emergency alert" to phones in "a defined geographical area, typically in the neighborhood or community where the child was last seen."
Under the statute, when an agency receives a report of a missing child with autism, it must at minimum contact media in the area, inform all on-duty officers, and communicate the report "to all other law enforcement agencies in the counties surrounding the county in which the report was filed" (s. 937.0401(3)(c)).
How do Florida's missing person alerts compare?
| Alert | Who it is for | Key requirement |
|---|---|---|
| AMBER Alert | Children | An abducted child; FDLE describes it as broadcasting information "regarding an abducted child" |
| Missing Child Alert | Children | A child "believed to be in life-threatening danger, but there is no indication that the child has been abducted" (FDLE) |
| Spectrum Alert | Children under 18 believed to be autistic | Danger of death or serious bodily injury; description or photo |
| Enhanced Spectrum Alert | Same | Imminent danger; wireless emergency alert to a local area |
| Local Purple Alert | Adults 18+ with a qualifying disability, on foot or in an unknown vehicle | Credible threat of immediate danger; local agency policy |
| State Purple Alert | Same | Identified vehicle and verified tag number |
| Silver Alert | Adults covered by FDLE's separate Silver Alert Plan | The Purple Alert excludes Alzheimer's disease and dementia-related disorders and anyone who meets Silver Alert criteria |
Every one of these is requested by law enforcement, not families. FDLE states plainly: "Only law enforcement can request a Purple Alert," and the same is true for the Spectrum Alert.
What must police do when I report my child missing?
Florida law treats every missing child as a priority. Under s. 937.0201(4), the term "missing endangered person" includes "a missing child" (anyone under 18) and also "a missing adult younger than 26 years of age." That second point matters for families of autistic young adults.
Section 937.021(4)(a) says that when a parent or guardian files a report that a child is missing, the agency "shall immediately inform all on-duty law enforcement officers of the missing child report, communicate the report to every other law enforcement agency having jurisdiction in the county, and within 2 hours after receipt of the report, transmit the report for inclusion within the Florida Crime Information Center and the National Crime Information Center databases." It must send the report to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System within 90 days. It also says an agency "may not require a reporter to present an order that a child be taken into custody or any other such order before accepting a report that a child is missing."
For a missing adult, the agency must enter "a credible police report" into the same databases within 2 hours (s. 937.021(4)(b)). The report goes to the agency where the person was last seen (s. 937.021(3)).
The practical message: there is no waiting period. Call 911 right away.
What should I tell police so they can consider an alert?
FDLE's guidance for the Purple Alert says that how an agency verifies the criteria "is up to that agency's policies," and that "families or caregivers of a missing person should inform law enforcement if there is reason to believe that the missing person meets the criteria." In practice, tell the dispatcher and officers:
- that your child or adult family member is autistic, and any other diagnosis;
- how they communicate and whether they respond to their name;
- why you believe they are in danger, for example nearby water, busy roads, heat, missing medicines or no sense of traffic;
- a recent photo and what they are wearing;
- whether they may be in a vehicle, and its plate number if so; and
- places they like to go.
Keep this on a one-page card so you are not trying to remember it under stress. Our wandering and elopement safety plan includes a template, and what to do in the first 10 minutes walks through the steps, including checking nearby water first.
How can I get alerts on my phone?
FDLE offers free sign-ups to receive Purple Alert, Spectrum Alert, AMBER Alert and Missing Child Alert messages by text or email on its MEPIC alert pages. For questions, FDLE lists MEPIC's number as 1-888-356-4774 (1-888-FL-MISSING). If you see a missing person or vehicle from an alert, FDLE asks the public to "immediately call 911 or *FHP (347)."
How can families lower the risk in the first place?
Alerts help after someone is missing. Prevention lowers the chance you ever need one: door alarms and locks, a fenced yard and pool barrier, ID cards or bracelets, and skills such as stopping when asked and staying with an adult. For teens and adults, Florida's voluntary D designation and SAFE flag and, from January 2027, the blue envelope and blue card can help officers communicate once a person is found.
At Hope Center, our BCBAs write safety goals into treatment plans when families ask for them, such as waiting at the door, responding to "stop," and showing an ID card, and weekly parent training keeps those skills consistent at home. Contact us or call 561-337-8865 for a free consultation and a free insurance benefits check.