Lori McIlwain,  founder and president of the National Autism Safety Council

Podcast: The David Kaufer Podcast: The Lighter Side of the Spectrum · David Kaufer

Opublikowano: 2026-04-17

David welcomes Lori McIlwain, founder and president of the National Autism Safety Council, to discuss autism safety with a focus on preventing harm while preserving dignity. Lori shares how her son’s repeated school elopements led her to collect fatality data, revealing distinct patterns including frequent drowning and a tendency to head toward nearby water, which informed “search water first” guidance and advocacy for national attention and policy change. They describe gaps then and now, including parent blame and arrests, law-enforcement policies that prioritize searching homes, and limited mental-health supports for higher-support-needs individuals, while highlighting simple, effective accommodations in care. Lo...