October Update:
Greater Sudbury Police
Voluntary Registry for Vulnerable Person's*
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First Update, from the last Autism Ontario Dinner
In early 2010 Greater Sudbury Police Chief Frank Elsner and Rick Grylls Co-President of Autism Ontario Sudbury and District Chapter, had discussions and agreed to creating a Police Registry in Sudbury similar to the Alzheimer's Registry.
The first meeting on March 22, 2010 included Greater Sudbury Police Special Cst. Denise Fraser of Crime Prevention, and Cst. Linda Burns, Sr. Liaison expert for the Alzheimer's Program “Safely Home”. Alongside the Sudbury Chapter Leadership Council for Autism Ontario, they talked about establishing goals to work together on
a registry to identify persons with ASD for emergency situations.
Current Update
The unveiling of the first registry for those with Autism launched in Ontario, came in a timely fashion on April 2nd 2010 which was proclaimed by the United Nations
to be the 3rd Annual World Autism Awareness Day ~
The Ottawa Police in partnership with Autism Ontario Ottawa Chapter created their model as a pilot project from the Nova Scotia / Miramachi Autism Services registry.
Autism Coffee Chat, a Sudbury based support group and Autism Ontario share similar interests in this registry however both groups being seperate entities, had the same idea for a registry but with a different twist approached the police simultaneously and are working together to make this registry your reality. It will be inclusive of persons with all disabilities, even those without a diagnosis.
Prior to the first meeting for the current draft of this registry - a small handful of individuals from Autism Coffee Chat, asked for a meeting with Detective Cst. Katherine Hucal, Missing Person's Coordinator with Greater Sudbury Police to express a need for a 911 registry for vulnerable persons who wander, not limited
to Autism. The meeting was granted and it has unfolded from there Wednesday, April 28, 2010, at the Greater Sudbury Police Services offices.
Invited were: the OPP Search and Rescue Coordination, a group of 10 parents and caregivers from Autism Coffee Chat, as well as representatives from North Shore Search and Rescue, Rainbow District School Board and Special Olympics Ontario.
Trish Kitching presented on behalf of Autism Coffee Chat and since then she has created several drafts of a template registry to move the idea forward to a now formed committee of like minded individuals and professionals.
In the presentation, reference was made to the tragic case of 6 yr. James Delorey – a little boy with Autism, of Nova Scotia who followed his dog into the bush, in winter – survived and then was found (his dog led searchers back to him) and then succumbed to hypothermia - a registry may have assisted efforts in this case. Therefore, 4 months later, their community created a registry in Nova Scotia. Additionally, data collected in Ontario, by Trish in partnership with the OPP began in October of 2005 in order to design a profile of wandering behaviour for those with Autism to aid searchers to know where to start a search.
The Purpose: This Registry under development would act as a useful tool for emergency personnel; whereby families register the person's information electronically via a Greater Sudbury Police website link - prior to an incident or if a search were to occur, then the information would be at the fingertips of 911 personnel; police, fire, ambulance, EMS and Search and Rescue along with volunteers to bring our loved ones, safely home.
~ The registry in it's 5th draft will soon be ready and is modelled from the Miramachi Autism Registry, The Ottawa Police ~ Autism Registry, the Alzheimers Registry and the OPP Missing Person's Questionnaire. It is the hope that it will eventually serve the following population:
Person's with : Autism and related disorders, ADHD, Mental Health Disorders, behavioural difficulties, Physical Disabilities etc .. as well as those undiagnosed with behaviours.
Key Points:
~ Several meetings with both groups simultaneously held to discuss this registry and it's direction.
~ Communication with Dennis Debbaudt to discuss future Autism training of First Responders being Parents, professionals, EMS, Fire, Police and Ambulance.
~ the offer of Autism Coffee Chat to train Police Officers and Civilians Autism Sensitivity Training.
~ Reinforcement of the urgency to create a registry to save time in emergency situations or a search; especially in the interest of those with a disability who are unable to speak for themselves.
Next Steps
~ IT department of the Greater Sudbury Police starting to move towards designing the electronic version of the form as presented.
~ Testing of the form
~ Launch of the form in the community with several stakeholders and families invited to a community-wide event, to include rural agencies and their families.
~ Train emergency personnel about Autism.
~ Families will be able to update the form on an annual basis.
But with everything, there are no guarantees, only useful starting points for searchers and assistance for emergency personnel in critical situations - as information, is key.
This is a very exciting initiative that has the interest of our loved ones in mind ~ especially those unable to communicate in our world.
Thank you to the following for their diligence in working so very hard to make the registry our reality
Greater Sudbury Police
Police Chief Frank Elsner
Deputy Chief Allan Lekun
Inspector Todd Zimmerman
Detective Cst. Katherine Hucal
Cst. Linda Burns Sr. Liaison expert for the Alzheimer's Program “Safely Home”.
Special Cst. Denise Fraser of Crime Prevention
Ontario Provincial Police
Cst. Ed Ferro
Sgt. Don Webster, OPP Provincial Search & Rescue Coordinator
And ~
Trish Kitching, along with parents/caregivers from Autism Coffee Chat, Dennis Lendrum (grandparent from Autism Coffee Chat) - promoting the registry Espanola and Area Safety Coalition.
Rick Grylls, Co-President Sudbury & District Chapter of Autism Ontario and the many families as well as stakeholders supporting this important endeavour.
*Proposed name still under development
Please standby for future updates.
Yours truly,
The Committee developing the Registry.