BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Erie County Sheriff's Office and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Buffalo and Western New York announced recently they are launching a 'Handle with Care' registry.
Caregivers who take care of those with special needs, including Autism, Down Syndrome, Alzheimer's, dementia and subatance abuse, are encouraged to register. The registry allows the caregiver to share a brief description of the person's special needs, any triggers they might have and ways that would help calm them if needed.
The goal of the program is to help first responders better respond to the person's needs should they be called to their home and interact with them.
“In policing, information and intelligence is so important,” said Sheriff John Garcia. “As our deputies respond to calls, they need as much of it as they can get. That’s why the ‘Handle With Care’ Registry is so vital. Having details about individuals with special needs and what we can do to help them goes a long way toward providing quality public safety services and promoting a safe environment through police and citizen interaction. I’d like to thank our Chief of Police Services Timothy Carney and NAMI Buffalo and Western New York for their partnership to make this happen. It is a win for everybody across Erie County.”
“NAMI Buffalo & Western New York is proud to support the Erie County Sheriff’s Office in their adoption of the ‘Handle With Care’ Registry,” said Jeffrey Pirrone, Executive Director of NAMI Buffalo & WNY. “This is an important step in equipping first responders with critical information that will assist them in responding safely, effectively, and appropriately to calls involving an individual experiencing a mental health crisis. While there is much systemic work needed to improve mental health crisis response, this registry will greatly increase the chance that individuals in need will get appropriate care and support while ensuring the safety of our first responders. We encourage family members and loved ones to utilize this registry so that officers and other first responders can better support and serve those in need.”
You can register on the Erie County Sheriff's Office website: Handle With Care Registry | Erie County Sheriff's Office
