New Program in New York State Will Distribute Personal Transmitters for Vulnerable Kids
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Bracelets will “help give peace of mind to parents who have children with a cognitive impairment,” governor says.
To help prevent children with autism, Down syndrome and other disorders from getting lost, New York state will issue free tracking devices for them through local law enforcement agencies.
The state will provide local authorities with 596 personal transmitters, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced on Thursday. The agencies can distribute the technology at no cost for children under 18 who are affected by disorders that put them at risk of wandering.
The bracelet-style transmitters are designed to be worn on an ankle or wrist. According to a press release from the governor’s office, parents or guardians can request one of the devices by contacting the law enforcement agency in their county. If their child goes missing, they alert the agency, which will then initiate a search guided by the transmitter’s radio frequency tracking signal.
"This program will help give peace of mind to parents who have children with a cognitive impairment,” Cuomo said in a statement.
Participating law enforcement agencies will need to send two representatives to attend training, which began on Thursday, in order to obtain the devices. These staff members will also have to take part in an annual refresher course. Additionally, agencies will be required to develop written policies for prioritizing how the transmitters get distributed.
Fifty agencies across New York will receive transmitters, according to Cuomo’s office. Agencies in a number of counties are already using the devices. The state paid for the technology using roughly $253,000 from a Missing and Exploited Children Special Revenue fund, which New Yorkers can donate to when filing their taxes.
To carry out the initiative, the state is partnering with Project Lifesaver International. The nonprofit group develops search and rescue programs to help locate kids with disorders that can cause them to wander, as well as adults with illnesses such as Alzheimer's.
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