LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A new law in Nevada is changing how first responders handle emergencies. Senate Bill 380 ensures that police and firefighters have access to specialized training on how to interact with individuals with autism.
For families, the training could be lifesaving.
Anna Marie Binder is a mother of two sons, 10 and 17, both on the autism spectrum. She says one of her biggest fears is having to call the police or having the police called on her children.
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“It’s dangerous because you don’t know the mindset of who’s going to show up to help,” Binder said.
Understanding the risk
Research from Indiana University shows nearly 1 in 5 people with autism will have a police interaction by age 21. At least 5 percent are arrested.
“We see the stories, we hear them—from people we know or in the media—and that’s a call no one ever wants to make,” Binder said.
She says she has seen what the right training can do. When her 17-year-old was a preteen, she had to call for intervention.
“He was trying to break everybody’s car windows, screaming, running up and down the street, and when Henderson responded, they were very kind, very cool,” Binder said.
Recognizing the signs
Jimmy Donahoe, a retired lieutenant from Pensacola and creator of a first-responder autism training program, says recognizing signs such as repetitive behavior or delayed motor skills can change the outcome.
“Somebody who doesn’t look you in the eye, who has to constantly look away. Somebody who sways a lot or rocks a lot,” Donahoe said.
He and the Autism Coalition of Nevada say the training could be the difference between a routine response and a tragic one.
“I mean, they’re faced with deadly situations every single day, so they have to be able to differentiate,” Donahoe said.
Binder says Senate Bill 380 is a step in the right direction.
“That’s exciting. Now that we have a commitment from our lawmakers and our governor, this isn’t the last time we’re having these discussions,” Binder said.
The Autism Coalition of Nevada says the training was free for first responders through donations. To learn more about donating, visit https://aconv.org/.
Individuals with autism are 2.5 times more likely to be victims of crime, yet they are frequently misidentified as aggressors, according to the Marshall Project.
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