What if she gets lost? What if she wanders away? We’ve had some close calls in the past. It’s the stuff nightmares are made of. Unfortunately, these are common fears of many parents and families of individuals with special needs. The concerns are real and justified. Thankfully, our experiences are only limited to a few times when Jess wandered. (read about Wandering Jess) I was beyond thrilled to get a text today from a Captain of the Chattanooga Police Department letting me know their TAKE ME HOME Chattanooga program was launched today.
“Take Me Home is a free program provided by the Chattanooga Police Department. Take Me Home allows family members and legal guardians to register emergency contact information for individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities. If an individual is found alone or reported missing, law enforcement and emergency services personnel can search for emergency contact information, detailed physical description, and a photo of the individual, saving valuable time.”
ENROLLMENT
I enrolled my adult daughter who is autistic, has cortical blindness, is developmentally delayed, and has expressive communication challenges. The online enrollment process was easy and took me less than 20 minutes including uploading a photo.
The following video by the Chattanooga Police Department explains the goals of the programs, as well as demonstrating the enrollment process.
I am grateful to the CPD for implementing this program. It gives me comfort to know I have taken this step. If you know of an individual in the Chattanooga area who could benefit from this program, I encourage you to get them enrolled.
This is great!!