Local Mom And Police Create Autism Safety Forms
Sonora, CA – A local mom has worked with Sonora Police to create a form for parents with children that have autism to fill out, giving officers needed information when responding to those with special needs.
It was mom Brittaney Sutton’s idea to have an Autism Safety Alert Form that could be filed with the department as her son Wyatt has the disorder. When he was younger, he would run or wander away without warning and had no sense of potential hazards or danger, according to his mother. Sutton realized that having more information on hand ahead of time will cut down on the time it takes for police to locate individuals with special needs.
“We know that not all people with autism can communicate important information like their name, address, and phone number, and the Autism Safety Alert Forms should help bridge this communication gap. The form also includes important information about communication abilities, unique behaviors, likes, dislikes, and ways to help communicate with and calm the child or individual, stated the police. “Having this form filled out in advance allows loved ones to think clearly enough to include all the vital information.”
Additionally, anyone, even those who are not residents of the city, can participate in the program. The forms are available at the Sonora Police Department’s lobby or on their website.
“We are honored to partner with Brittaney on this project and to have Wyatt as the first entry in our Autism Safety Alert database. We are also proud to announce we partnered with Autism Safety 101 on this project,” according to police.
