Today I want to ask for your help on asking the members of the FLORIDA House of Representatives Criminal Justice Subcommittee to take action to ensure law enforcement receive continued employment training in the recognition of the symptoms of autism and that dementia be added to this training. 

 

House Bill (HB) 219, titled Crisis Intervention by Law Enforcement Officers, is a bill that would require continued employment training of police officers in the recognition of the symptoms of autism and it would require 911 operators to ask if a person being reported suffers from autism or a mental disorder. 

 

This is important in that autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other disabilities ARE NOT considered mental illnesses under the law in Florida. 

If this training is put in place then there should be a significant reduction in the number of people sent for involuntary examination as a criteria that must be met is that the person is mentally ill or appears to be mentally ill. 

 

Additionally, we want you to ask the members of the committee and the sponsor of the bill to include dementia in this training as dementia is not a mental illness but is defined  as a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning.

 

Here is a sample letter you can use or edit to send to the list of committee members below but feel free to write your own email.

______________________________

 

Dear_______________,

 

It is my understanding that mental illness under Florida law is defined to exclude a developmental disability, intoxication, or conditions manifested only by antisocial behavior or substance abuse and that autism is considered to be a developmental disability and not a mental illness.

 

With this in mind, I am letting you know that I am fully in favor of  c ontinued employment training in the recognition of the symptoms of autism for law enforcement as introduced in HB 219. I also feel that dementia should be added to this training since dementia is not a mental illness but is defined as a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning.

 

Our Law Enforcement Officers should be trained to deal appropriately with people who suffer from autism or dementia so that these individuals do not end up being unjustly Baker Acted but instead receive the correct care they need.  

 

Additionally, our 911 operators should be required to find out if the person involved in the call suffers from either dementia or autism so that this important information can be relayed to the responding officers and they can be informed.  

 

Respectfully Yours,

______________________________