Beginning January 2009 this new service helps locate autistic children who may wander

Westchester County is offering tracking bracelets for children with autism whose parents are looking for an extra layer of security, a program similar to one the county launched this year to find Alzheimer patients. 

“Not all children with autism wander, but this service will give peace of mind to those families who need it,” said County Executive Andy Spano. “I can’t think of anything worse as a parent than to find that your child is missing. Families with children on the autism spectrum have unimaginable stresses --  financial and mental. If we can ease some of this, we should do it.”

The new service – part of  Project Lifesaver –  will begin in January and is geared to children and adults with autism who are living with their families and who have a history of wandering from their caregivers. The program will be run by the county departments of mental health and public safety, in partnership with Westchester Jewish Community Services. Families with an autistic child (or another developmental disability) can purchase electronic monitoring bracelets for their child so they can be located quickly and easily by the county police through the tracking device located in the bracelet.

Said Spano. “Right now we have 100 bracelets. If there is a greater need, we will get more. This is one of several initiatives developed in cooperation with my Autism Advisory Committee, convened last April, and made up of parents, advocates, educators and professionals.” Said County Legislator Tom Abinanti, a member of the advisory committee and a parent of a child with autism, “The committee is a living demonstration that caring individuals who are not part of government can come together and partner with government to produce innovative, forward-thinking solutions to real problems." 

The advisory committee was formed to assist the Department of Community Mental Health in identifying services, resources and funding mechanisms that would expand the opportunities for children and adults in Westchester County on the autism spectrum. It also was created to assess the existing services available in Westchester; and to determine where gaps exist in the current service delivery system and how to fill them.

Referring to Project Lifesaver, Alan Trager, executive director of WJCS, said, “ We are delighted to partner with the county in providing an important resource and peace of mind for families of Westchester."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 150 children born are diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. In 2008, there were more than 800 children in Westchester schools with a diagnosis. (This number does not include people who are not in school and are being cared for by families.)

“We have had kids who wander – for example one who we, on a couple of occasions, have found by the water at Playland,” said Spano. “Luckily we found him before there were tragic consequences. This will make that task easier. Recently we had a case of a local autistic man who has been missing since Dec. 4.” 

In addition to the electronic monitoring, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety has included autism awareness training for law enforcement recruits in its curriculum at the Police Training Academy. This portion of the training is conducted by a police officer who is also a parent of a young man with autism. The first training occurred in October.

Registration
Families interested should call WJCS at (914) 761-0600, ext. 228, prior to registration to determine if they meet the eligibility criteria. The child who will be wearing the bracelet must accompany caregivers to the registration so the child’s photograph can be taken in the event he or she does get lost. Also, the bracelet will be put on by WJCS staff.

You may download the application to complete it at home.

The program requires monthly battery changes by WJCS staff and daily checks of the battery by the parents. The total cost for the first year is $300 per child. That includes bracelets and all batteries. After that, the cost is approximately $85 a year.