Law Enforcement and Missing Person's with Alzheimer's Disease

This FY 2012 grant announcement focuses on national programs strategically targeted to address community and law enforcement needs. Specifically, this grant announcement focuses on addressing community needs by assisting law enforcement in locating and working with missing persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. This initiative is funded under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012; Pub.L.No. 112-55.

This application will develop guidance and protocols for a "holistic" approach for a law enforcement and community partnership designed to protect and locate missing persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and pilot test the approach in not less than two jurisdictions where a significant percentage of their population is classified as "elderly." The "holistic" approach must include the following components 1) prevention, 2) outreach, 3) local registry, 4) training for law enforcement and public, and 5) citizen/volunteer search unit. Under this effort, up to $593,842 is available.

The University of Illinois' Center for Public Safety and Justice (CPSJ) will use the award to increase public awareness of issues surrounding missing persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias; establish and/or expand community partnerships with local law enforcement and other public safety agencies to assist in efforts to locate missing persons with Alzheimer's; and educate law enforcement and other public safety and community partners involved regarding effective protocols when dealing with individuals with Alzheimer's disease. CPSJ will accomplish these goals through the following project specific objectives: (1) prevention of wandering Alzheimer's patients through the education of elder caregivers via 1-hour training sessions emphasizing continuity of care; (2) outreach to the caregivers and the general public through a public awareness campaign featuring a variety of media, including a non-emergency text-to-tip wellness check hotline; (3) a local registry of information about Alzheimer's patients assembled voluntarily from patients or family members; (4) training sessions for law enforcement, fire and rescue personnel and community partners through a 4-hour curriculum designed to: provide (a) an overview of dementia-related conditions, including how to recognize wandering behavior, (b) what to do when a loved one goes missing, and (c) how and when to work with law enforcement, encouraging partnerships to form and strengthen; (5) a series of 10-15 minute roll call training modules for sworn law enforcement officers detailing how to recognize missing persons with Alzheimer's and how to effectively communicate with them; and (6) a community/volunteer search unit established in a law enforcement agency, social service agency, or civic organization. CA/NCF