Partnering with the Schenectady Police Department, we can now provide a mechanism for the safe return home of people who may have trouble communicating with law enforcement and first responders. This year we successfully launched the life-saving ‘Take Me Home’ program that is now available to local families of people with disabilities that may impair communication skills, those affected by autism, and seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease.

My Autism Action NY initiative in the State Assembly calls for better communication tools for interactions and emergency situations involving individuals with autism spectrum and related disorders. The ‘Take Me Home’ program is one of those tools that helps address this growing concern in our community.

‘Take Me Home’ is a database developed to help Police Departments respond to people who may need special assistance if they are alone or in times of emergency. This kind of assistance may be required if the person is unable to speak or properly identify themselves, or if they become disoriented or act in a manner that could be misinterpreted by first responders.

My son Michael was diagnosed with autism at age 3. He’s 16 now and I know how hard it is for him to communicate, especially in stressful situations. One of my biggest fears is that he could find himself in an emergency situation where he strayed too far from home and is not be able to communicate the basic information to get back home, like who he is and where he lives. That’s the reality for many families of children living with autism.

In an emergency, the ‘Take Me Home’ program quickly provides officers with (1) a current digital picture, (2) demographic information and (3) caregiver contact information. Should a police officer encounter someone enrolled in the Take Me Home program in an emergency situation, they can search their patrol car computers by name or physical description to quickly identify the individual, and once their ‘Take Me Home’ record is located, the officer has the information needed to appropriately assist them in the safest way.

The Schenectady Police Department is now accepting requests to enroll individuals in the program. Through the program, anyone in the City of Schenectady can register family members in need of special assistance with the police department, providing first responders with access to information in times of crisis or in cases where families are not yet aware that their loved ones are missing or lost.

‘Take Me Home’ also allows the police department to instantly transmit information regarding a missing person to officers on patrol. If someone enrolled in the program is reported missing to the police department, all pertinent information on that individual is instantly shared with officers in the field to help ensure a quick response.

The program is a lifesaving resource for our most vulnerable citizens and I’ll be partnering with more communities across my assembly district to make this vital resource available to more families in our area. In the meantime, Schenectady residents can register their family members in the ‘Take Me Home’ program by completing the application located at www.cityofschenectady.com/542/Take-Me-Home and returning it to the Police Department along with a recent photograph, or by emailing the completed application and photo to TakeMeHome@schenectadypd.com.

If you have any questions or need assistance, I’m happy to help! Call me at (518) 382-2941 or send me an email at SantabarbaraA@NYAssembly.gov. For more information on my Autism Action NY initiative in the State Assembly and how you can help visit my website at www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Angelo-Santabarbara/