What exactly is a Silver Alert?
Beginning in 2006, state legislatures across the nation have been approving, and state agencies have been implementing, programs that broadcast alerts when vulnerable adults go missing. Commonly known as “most elderly” with dementia or Alzheimer’s, these services are also provided in some states for younger people who have cognitive disorders.
In order to have a Silver Alert activated, the detective assigned to the case must call for this to transpire through the state procedures and policies. We, at LostNMissing, have found that having your loved one’s doctor make the request to your detective has helped to encourage them to act on the need to have the alert activated.
Silver Alerts have a set of criteria and procedures for law enforcement to institute which varies from state to state. They also may vary in the eligibility required to activate an alert, such as a specific age and/or diagnosis of cognitive impairment; the eligibility of a person who can file a missing persons report, such as a spouse, legal custodian or agency; the protocol to verify that a person is missing; and how law enforcement implements the alert, such as via media, recorded calls or highway signs. However, the one common thread is the premise behind these alerts: to help locate someone whose disappearance poses a threat to the person’s health and safety, including serious bodily harm or death. (See state listing below)
Great Tip!
Always take recent photos of your older family members. Just as you do the kids.
You never know when that photo is going to be important. Even with your older family member who may not exhibit signs
of dementia or confusion because even healthy seniors can go missing.
CLICK TO PRINT IMPORTANT FORM TO KEEP HANDY IN CASE YOUR LOVED ONE
IS CAPABLE OF WANDERING AND GOING MISSING. Be prepared in advance.
What Constitutes a Cognitive Disorder?
Cognitive Disorders are recognized as any neurological, or psychological condition that that primarily affects learning, memory, perception, and problem solving. When it comes to a missing loved one that may wander off…the main concern (after the fact that they are lost) is that those who possess such disorders are considered extremely vulnerable and at risk of possible “self-harm” or at risk of an accident that can cause them to not be located safely.
*IMPORTANT: Should your loved one wander off, it is of utmost urgency that you dial 9-1-1 and have as many volunteers IMMEDIATELY search areas that contain bodies of water, or pools.
Many studies are being done regarding “death by water.” We, at LostNMissing, have had many loved ones with cognitive disorders who are located only blocks from their home and found in water with a cause of death as drowning. It is not known exactly why those who wander are drawn towards pools, lakes, streams and other bodies of water…however, the very first place we have families look are “water areas” near their home.
Many states will recognize a young adult who may have the following conditions as meeting the criteria for a Silver Alert should they go missing:
- autism spectrum disorders
- fetal alcohol syndrome
- Down syndrome
- cerebral palsy
- severe learning disabilities
- epilepsy (seizure disorders)
- muscular dystrophy
- traumatic brain injury (either by an accident or due to stroke)
- blind (or extreme visually impaired)
- history of amnesia
- medical conditions which require medication that is life-threatening without. (Ex: insulin for diabetes, patient on dialysis, transplant patients)
- suicidal history or evidence to suggest the missing loved one is contemplating suicide. (note left behind, etc.)
* IMPORTANT: Should you have difficulty having your missing loved one escalated to a Silver Alert Criteria, we advise to have his/her physician to phone your detective to explain the importance that they are in a life-threatening situation without his/her medication. Many times they may initiate upon a physician’s request.
THE BELOW VIDEO PROVIDED BY THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION:
The Silver Alert is a community response system that alerts public and private safety departments when an adult afflicted with serious memory impairment such as Alzheimer’s or other dementia is reported missing. (TRAINING VIDEO)
State Listing of Silver Alert Programs (updated August 03, 2013)
(Information obtained below from the Alzheimers Foundation of America; however, LostNMissing updated records to Aug. 2013)
http://www.alzfdn.org/EducationandCare/silver_alert.html
Alabama
Name: Missing Senior Alert Plan
Eligibility: senior citizen with dementia or other deterioration of intellectual faculties
Administrator: Alabama Department of Public Safety
Arizona
Name: Endangered Person Alert
Eligibility: adult with significant health problem or medically-diagnosed disability (i.e., dementia)
Administrator: Arizona Department of Public Safety
Arkansas
Name: Silver Alert
Eligibility: senior or adult with cognitive disorder
Administrator: Arkansas State Police/Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association/Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police
California
Name: Silver Alert
Eligibility: person aged 65 or older with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is reported missing and believed to be in peril.
Administrator: California Highway Patrol
Colorado
Name: Missing Senior Citizen and Person with Developmental Disabilities Alert Program
Eligibility: 60 or older with verified impaired mental condition; person with developmental disability
Administrator: Colorado Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Investigation
Connecticut
Name: Silver Alert
Eligibility: 65 or older; 18 or older with mental impairment
Administrator: Connecticut Department of Public Safety
Delaware
Name: Gold Alert Program
Eligibility: 60 or older; person with disability
Administrator: Delaware State Police
Florida
Name: Silver Alert
Eligibility: cognitively-impaired adults who become lost while driving
Administrator: Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Georgia
Name: Mattie’s Call
Eligibility: adults who are cognitively-impaired or developmentally-impaired
Administrator: Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Illinois
Name: Endangered Missing Person Advisory Program
Eligibility: seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia
Administrator: Illinois Department of Aging/Illinois State Police
Indiana
Name: Silver Alert
Eligibility: 18 or older with mental illness, dementia or other physical or mental incapacity
Administrator: Indiana Clearinghouse for Information on Missing Children and Missing Endangered Adults/Indiana State Police
Iowa
Name: Endangered Person Advisory
Eligibility: adults with dementia
Administrator: Iowa Department of Public Safety
Kansas
Name: Silver Alert
Eligibility: person with dementia; 65 or older
Administrator: Kansas Bureau of Investigation
Kentucky
Name: Golden Alert
Eligibility: i mpaired person with developmental disability; person with physical, mental or cognitive impairment
Administrator: Kentucky Division of Emergency Management
Louisiana
Name: Silver Alert
Eligibility: 60 or older with diagnosed mental impairment
Administrator: Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections
Maine
Name: Silver Alert Program
Eligibility: adults with dementia or developmental disabilities
Administrator: Maine Department of Public Safety
Maryland
Name: Silver Alert Program
Eligibility: 60 or older with cognitive impairment
Administrator: Maryland State Police
Massachusetts
Name: Silver Alert Community Response System
Eligibility: adult with serious memory impairment
Administrator: Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety
Minnesota
Name: Missing Children and Endangered Persons’ Program aka Brandon’s Law
Eligibility: all ages, including mentally impaired
Administrator: Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Mississippi
Name: Silver Alert System
Eligibility: 18 or older with dementia or other cognitive impairment
Administrator: Mississippi Department of Public Safety
Missouri
Name: Endangered Person Advisory
Eligibility: 18 or older
Administrator: Missouri State Highway Patrol
Montana
Name: Missing and Endangered Person Advisory
Eligibility: person believed to be in danger due to age, health, mental or physical disability
Administrator: Montana Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation
Nevada
Name: Statewide Alert System for Safe Return of Missing Endangered Older Persons
Eligibility: 60 or older
Administrator: Nevada Department of Public Safety
New Hampshire
Name: Missing Persons With a Developmental Disability and Missing Senior Citizen Alert Program
Eligibility: persons with developmental disability; 55 or older with verified impaired mental condition
Administrator: New Hampshire State Police
New Mexico
Name: Silver Alert
Eligibility: Silver Alert system provides for emergency distribution of notices when someone 50 years or older is missing and has a cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s, and other senior citizens with degenerative brain diseases or brain injury.
Administrator:
New Jersey
Name: Silver Alert System
Eligibility: person with cognitive impairment
Administrator: New Jersey State Police
New Mexico
Name: Endangered Person Advisory
Eligibility: endangered person, including person with degenerative brain disorder
Administrator: New Mexico Department of Public Safety
New York
Name: Missing Vulnerable Adult Alert Program
Eligibility: 18 or older with cognitive disorder, mental disability or brain disorder
Administrator: New York Division of Criminal Justice Services/ Missing Persons Clearinghouse
North Carolina
Name: Silver Alert Program
Eligibility: person with dementia or cognitive impairment
Administrator: North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Ohio
Name: Missing Adult Alert
Eligibility: 65 or older; or adult with mental impairment
Administrator: Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation
Oklahoma
Name: Silver Alert Program
Eligibility: 60 or older with dementia or other cognitive impairment
Administrator: Oklahoma Department of Public Safety
Pennsylvania
Name: Missing and Endangered Person Advisory System (MEPAS)
Eligibility: endangered person due to age, mental or physical disability
Administrator: Pennsylvania State Police
Rhode Island
Name: Missing Senior Citizen Alert Program
Eligibility: 60 or older with impaired mental condition
Administrator: Rhode Island State Police
South Carolina
Name: Endangered Person Notification System
Eligibility: person with dementia or other cognitive impairment
Administrator: South Carolina Law Enforcement Division of Missing Persons/Missing Person Information Center
South Dakota
Name: Endangered Person’s Advisory
Eligibility: person believed to be in danger due to age, health, mental or physical disability
Administrator: South Dakota State Police
Tennessee
Name: Senior Alert
Eligibility: 18 or older with dementia or disabled
Administrator: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Texas
Name: Silver Alert
Eligibility: 65 or older with diagnosed impaired mental condition
Administrator: Texas Department of Public Safety
Virginia
Name: Senior Alert System
Eligibility: 60 or older with cognitive impairment
Administrator: Virginia State Police
West Virginia
Name: Silver Alert Plan
Eligibility: person with cognitive impairment
Administrator: West Virginia State Police
Utah
Name: Endangered Person Advisory
Eligibility: person believed to be in danger due to age, health, mental or physical disability
Administrator: Utah Department of Public Safety
Washington
Name: Endangered Missing Person Advisory Plan
Eligibility: person believed to be in danger due to age, health, mental or physical disability
Administrator: Washington State Patrol, Missing Persons Unit
Wisconsin
Name: Endangered Missing Person Alert
Eligibility: person believed to be in danger
Administrator: Wisconsin Crime Alert Network/Wisconsin Department of Justice
Wyoming
Name: Endangered Person Advisory
Eligibility: person believed to be in danger
Administrator: Wyoming Division of Criminal n
Pending Legislation: Hawaii, Michigan
Updates coming on: Alaska, Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Vermont