Crisis Supports and Safety Procedures

The following information is for general purposes to help school teams consider the safety needs of all students.  Please refer to your district's policies for more specific information.  The examples shared may need to be modified to meet the individual needs of your student(s).  

Preparing for emergency situations in the school setting can be difficult for students, especially those with disabilities. These resources are intended to be used to help students with lockdown drills. 

Information regarding how to help your school prepare to meet the needs of individual students during a crisis situation can be found in an article from Teaching Exceptional Children.  

Clarke, Laura S., et al. “Supporting Students With Disabilities During School Crises.” Teaching Exceptional Children, 2014, pp. 169–178.

These are some books teachers have found helpful to discuss these procedures. Some have additional resources such as workbooks, or YouTube videos. 

Elopement can be a concern for many individuals with autism. The following resources may be helpful in supporting these individuals. If elopement is a concern it is important for the school and family to work together to create a plan for how to respond should elopement occur during the school day. A formal plan may be needed which would information about situations in which the student might elope, proactive strategies to prevent elopement, and who to contact if child elopes.