Autism Speaks and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children have joined forces to address wandering by people with autism.

Autism Speaks has developed an emergency portal on its website to provide safety information and resources, along with information on reporting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who is missing.

"A recent study by the Interactive Autism Network, funded in-part by Autism Speaks, reported that 49 percent of people with ASD are prone to wandering," according to Autism Speaks, a science and advocacy organization.

In a press release, Autism Speaks said, "The issue of wandering and its consequences has been brought to the forefront with the tragic death of Avonte Oquendo, a 14 year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who wandered from his New York City school last October."