New bill would require training for first responders assisting people with disabilities
New bill would require training for first responders to assist people with autism
A new bill introduced in Maryland could ease some parents' worst nightmare. It would require specific training for first responders when it comes to children or even adults who wander off from safety. FOX 5's Homa Bash reports.
MARYLAND - A new bill introduced in Maryland could ease some parents' worst nightmare.
It would require specific training for first responders when it comes to children or even adults who wander off from safety.
Behind the bill
The backstory:
Shari Bailey is the mother of the child who inspired the legislation, after her now daughter Laila, who has autism and is nonverbal, wandered away from home in 2020.
"It was very scary, the same year she took her first steps was the same year, at six years old, she wandered away from the nanny, and it just freaked us out. This is why we established the LEAD Act — Laila’s Elopement Awareness and Dissemination Act," Shari explained.
Laila was thankfully found safe, but her disappearance inspired her family to advocate not just for her but others in similar situations.
The legislation is first of all educating first responders on what the term "elopement" is when a child or adult with autism or dementia or another disability wanders away from home or their safe space.
What it will do
Dig deeper:
The LEAD Act would require three hours of mandatory training for 911 dispatchers and police officers specific to elopements, so response can be standardized across the state.
Montgomery County delegate Aaron Kaufman, who supports the bill, said it's personal for him.
"I think we all bring our life experiences to our work in Annapolis. I'm not glad I have cerebral palsy but it's given my life a mission and given my life a passion. I think I bring credibility to disability bills because I'm disabled and my late brother was disabled," Del. Kaufman said.
Kaufman said the training wouldn't cost anything extra, and could be tacked on to current first responder trainings.
Why it matters
Big picture view:
Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate about 1 in 31 8-year-old children has autism.
Data shows roughly half of kids on the Autism Spectrum attempt to wander or bolt. They can get caught up in traffic, or seek water.
Last year, a 5-year-old boy with autism tragically drowned in southern Maryland.
The bill passed the Maryland House of Delegates unanimously and will now head to Maryland Senate, where it is also expected to pass.