WESTON, Fla. — Florida on Wednesday expanded its state-supported swimming lesson program to give children with autism priority access to subsidized lessons, part of a broader effort to reduce drowning deaths among one of the state's highest-risk groups.
The change took effect July 1 under legislation signed earlier this year by Governor Ron DeSantis that also broadens eligibility for Florida's Swimming Lesson Voucher Program to children ages 1 through 7, up from the previous limit of age 4 and younger. The law also requires hospitals, birth centers and other providers to distribute drowning prevention information to new parents and caregivers.
Lawmakers said the measure responds to longstanding concerns about drowning among children with autism, who may be more likely to wander from caregivers and be attracted to water. State Representative Anna Eskamani, a Democrat who co-sponsored the bipartisan legislation, said the expansion aims to improve access to early water safety instruction for families most at risk.
"We have tragic circumstances and stories across the state of Florida of young children with autism that are wandering away," Eskamani said, according to public radio interviews. She said access to drowning prevention education and swimming lessons at an early age could help reduce preventable deaths.
The voucher program generally provides about $200 toward the cost of up to eight swimming lessons, according to Eskamani. Demand has exceeded available funding since the program was introduced in 2024. The Florida Department of Health received more than 16,000 applications during the current fiscal year but awarded fewer than 5,000 vouchers, according to state officials.
Organizations providing adaptive swim instruction say individualized lessons are especially important for children with autism because sensory sensitivities and different learning styles can make traditional group classes less effective. At the YMCA of South Florida's Swim Buddies program, instructors tailor lessons to each child's needs, using one-on-one instruction and visual learning techniques.
Researchers at Florida International University studying the program said participants often showed measurable improvements in swimming and water safety skills after several sessions. Their work has focused on adapting instruction for autistic children, who researchers say face a substantially higher risk of drowning than their neurotypical peers.
Florida consistently records one of the nation's highest rates of childhood drownings. State officials and pediatric safety experts say swimming lessons should complement, not replace, close adult supervision, pool barriers and other layers of water safety. The expanded voucher program and new educational requirements are now in effect statewide.
