‘Autism Database’ Seeks To Help Lost of Missing Special Needs Kids

All month long, there have been many of efforts to raise awareness about Autism, across our nation. In a recent CBS 2 report, we learned about a new and improved database that is growing in popularity, and promises to be a great help when special needs kids go missing.

The article notes that Autism and wandering often go hand in hand. Traffic can be a big draw. Water too.

More than 30 boys and girls on the spectrum have gotten lost and accidentally drowned, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

They’re tragedies that Addison Police Sgt. Stefan Bjes personally and professionally hopes to prevent.

“I have two sons with autism spectrum disorders,” he said. “The state law says that agencies are required to have some sort of special needs database.”

Bjes’s version of the database goes much further than most departments’. Instead of just names and contact information, loved ones can submit likes and dislikes, triggers, and de-escalation tips.

A young man named Danny got lost a few years ago.

“When the officers arrived, he couldn’t identify himself, and he couldn’t communicate who he was,” Bjes said.

Information stored on officers’ phones and in squad cars through the PowerDMS mobile app made it easy to find Danny’s parents.

Registering on the database is free and it doesn’t use any fancy software. The information is kept on a cloud program that many other departments use.

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