from news release
The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office has recently launched a program to help vulnerable persons interact with first responders. It’s a first-of-its-kind in Minnesota called Take Me Home and is being introduced in conjunction with April being National Autism Month.
Take Me Home is a program developed by the Pensacola, Florida Police Department to better assist individuals with disabilities who may need extra help communicating in an emergency. This kind of assistance may be necessary if the individual 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.
This program is a free service available to any resident who resides in Stearns County. The program is aimed at those individuals with Autism, Down Syndrome, developmental or cognitive disabilities and senior citizens who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Families or individuals are invited to complete the enrollment form found on the county webpage that provides specifics about the individual, to include a digital photograph and emergency contact. This information is entered into our secure records management system that can be quickly accessed by dispatchers and first responders to better understand and assist the individual in times of urgency.
Please contact Stearns County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Zach Sorenson at zachary.sorenson@stearnscountymn.gov with any questions.
