Florida keeps a registry of people who would need help during an evacuation or in a shelter. Families of autistic children are often unsure whether they belong on it, and what to write if they do. This guide walks you through the process step by step, with a sample description, a timeline and the questions to ask your county. For the wider plan, see our hurricane preparedness checklist for autism families.
Should we register our autistic child?
Florida law (s. 252.355(1), Florida Statutes) requires the state Division of Emergency Management, with each county emergency management agency, to keep a registry of persons with special needs "who would need assistance during evacuations and sheltering because of physical, mental, cognitive impairment, or sensory disabilities."
Consider registering if your child:
- would need help to evacuate (for example, cannot follow instructions in an emergency, or your family needs transportation);
- needs constant supervision, or has wandered from safe places;
- has medical needs such as seizures, medicines, feeding needs, or equipment that needs electricity; or
- has sensory or communication needs that responders should know about.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) says registering "not only provides vital information to the county should you need assistance in an emergency, but may also qualify you for special sheltering or transportation programs," and that it "is strictly voluntary."
One group is required to register: under s. 252.355(2)(b), "a client of a state-funded or federally funded service program who has a physical, mental, or cognitive impairment or sensory disability and who needs assistance in evacuating, or when in a shelter, must register as a person with special needs." The Agency for Persons with Disabilities and several other state agencies must give registration information to their special needs clients every year.
Step 1: Gather what you need
FDEM advises being "prepared to provide your contact with medical information to complete county forms." Before you start, have ready:
- your child's full name, date of birth and home address;
- parent or caregiver names and phone numbers, plus an out-of-area contact;
- diagnoses, medications with doses, allergies and your child's doctor's contact details;
- any equipment your child relies on and whether it needs power; and
- a short description of your child's supervision, communication and sensory needs (see Step 3).
Step 2: Open the registry and pick your county
- Go to the Florida Special Needs Registry at snr.flhealthresponse.com. The Florida Department of Health runs it with county health departments and local emergency management agencies.
- Under "Don't have an account?", select the county where you want to create the registration, then create a login.
- Complete the form for your child as the person with special needs, and list yourself as caregiver.
Prefer paper or the phone? The law requires each county to link the uniform form on its emergency management website and to enter paper forms into the database (s. 252.355(2)(a)). FDEM lists every county office at floridadisaster.org/counties. In Hillsborough County, for example, you can also register by calling the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County at (813) 307-8063 (see Hillsborough special needs shelter registration).
Step 3: Describe your child clearly
Counties use the form to decide what help they can offer, so detail matters. Write facts, not labels. A sample description you can adapt:
"Maya is 7 and autistic. She speaks a few words and uses a picture app on a tablet. She does not understand danger and has left the house twice; she runs toward water. She needs an adult with her at all times. Loud noise and crowds cause distress; noise-cancelling headphones help. She takes [medicine] twice a day for seizures. Her tablet needs charging daily. Her mother will stay with her."
Include the "cognitive" part plainly, because the statute names cognitive impairment. Say who will be your child's caregiver. Mention siblings you care for: under s. 252.355(4), the caregiver of an eligible person "and all persons for whom he or she is the caregiver, shall be allowed to shelter together in the special needs shelter."
The registration program must also give you "the option of preauthorizing emergency response personnel to enter their homes during search and rescue operations if necessary" (s. 252.355(2)(b)). Decide whether you want that option.
Step 4: Know what happens next
- Your county reviews it. Shelter eligibility is set county by county and is mostly medical. Hillsborough, for instance, evaluates each form and sends a status letter.
- It is not a guarantee. The registry states that completing it "does not automatically qualify the individual for a special needs shelter" and that registering "is not a guarantee that emergency officials will be able to assist you in an emergency." Your county may direct your family to a general shelter.
- It stays private. Registration records are "confidential and exempt" from Florida's public records law, though they can be shared with other emergency response agencies as the local emergency management director decides (s. 252.355(5)). The registry site adds that its information "will only be used in the planning for and provision of emergency and/or disaster services."
- You will be asked to confirm it. The registry says you "will be emailed periodically to verify the information provided is correct."
Step 5: Put dates on your calendar
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| January to May | Watch for your electric utility's yearly notice about the registry; by law, utilities must notify residential customers by May 31 (s. 252.355(2)(d)) |
| Before June 1 | Register or update your child's details; the Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 |
| Every year | Update medicines, equipment, caregiver and contact details; FDEM says to "update these forms annually" |
| When a storm threatens | Do not wait to register; some counties stop registration once evacuations begin. Follow official instructions |
Step 6: Call your county with these questions
A short call to your county emergency management office can clear up a lot. A simple script:
"Hi, I'm registering my autistic child on the special needs registry. She needs constant supervision and uses a communication device. Can you tell me: Who is eligible for your special needs shelters? Does a caregiver stay with her? Is transportation available? What should I bring? And if she is not eligible, which shelter would you send us to?"
Write down the answers and the date, and keep them with your hurricane plan.
Step 7: Make a backup plan
Because registration does not guarantee a special needs shelter spot, plan at least one alternative: staying with family or friends outside the evacuation zone, a hotel, or a general shelter with a well-stocked sensory go-kit. Review your wandering safety plan too, since unfamiliar places raise the risk.
How Hope Center can help
If your child receives ABA, your BCBA knows your child's supervision, communication and sensory needs in detail. Ask them to help you put those needs into clear words for the form and for shelter staff. At Hope Center, our BCBAs write every program, our clinical director reviews it, and parents are trained weekly, so storm-ready skills such as wearing headphones, waiting in line and following a visual schedule can become part of your child's goals if you choose. Contact us or call 561-337-8865 for a free consultation and a free insurance benefits check.