Emergency Preparedness / Recommendations / Current Activities in GA

Recommendation 1:

Collaborate with The Georgia Emergency Preparedness Coalition for Individuals with Disabilities and Older Adults to promote and expand their current train the trainer programs for first responders across the state to support children, youth, and adults with autism and their families.

  • Objective 1a: Assist the Coalition in making the training available online so that it is accessible to first responders in rural areas.
  • Objective 1b: Ensure that specific safety concerns, such as wandering, abuse, neglect, and victimization, in children, youth, and adults with autism, are covered in the training.
  • Objective 1c: Work with members of the Coalition to disseminate current informational resources, such as the First Responders Tip Guide and Functional Need Support Services (FNSS) Resource Guide to more families and providers throughout Georgia.

Recommendation 2:

Establish an Emergency Preparedness and First Responders Family Partnership with Autism Society – Georgia Chapter, Spectrum Autism Support, and Parent to Parent of Georgia, to offer trainings for children, youth, and adults with autism and their families to prepare for emergencies.

  • Objective 2a: Collaborate with the Coalition to expand their existing training for individuals with disabilities and older adults to include training relevant to families within the Family Partnership.

Recommendation 3:

Expand the existing crisis intervention training required for law enforcement personnel into an accredited program including all first responders, law enforcement personal, school resource officers, families and community members.

  • Objective 3a: Revise, implement, and evaluate classroom and online CIT training.
  • Objective 3b: Seek approval for accreditation to broaden training recognition and outreach.

Recommendation 4:

Create a coordinated statewide voluntary disability accommodation registry for people with autism and related developmental disabilities.

  • Objective 4a: Research best practices across the nation for voluntary Disability Accommodation Registries for people with developmental or physical disabilities, or with mental-health conditions, who may have difficulty communicating their needs to a first responders in an acute crisis
Last Updated 03/07/14