This legislative session, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would expand Silver Alerts to include missing children with disabilities.
Silver Alerts are issued by law enforcement and voluntarily broadcast by TV and radio stations when an adult has wondered from their home or caregiver and are unlikely to return without assistance. This legislation would expand this alert to include missing children with mental or physical disabilities.
Currently, if a child wanders from their home or care center there is no emergency alert system to make the public aware. House Bill 1248 would make sure an alert will go out to help recover these children more quickly.
Indiana’s current Emergency Alert System for abducted children, also known as an Amber Alert, does not apply to children who leave their home, school or care facility at their own free will. This bill would ensure children with disabilities who need help returning home are included under the more appropriate Silver Alert.
Silver Alerts in Indiana helped locate 88 percent of those missing persons from 2013 through 2017.
HB 1248 can now be considered by the Senate.
