Community

FBCSO's Take Me Home Program Helps Wandering, Disoriented, Incommunicable Residents

February 12 2023

According to the CDC, one in every four adults in the U.S. have a disability. 10.9% of adults suffer from a cognitive disability which includes serious difficulty concentrating, remembering and even affects decision making.

Did you know, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office offers a FREE program, that you can sign up your loved ones to? The FBCSO Take Me Home Program is a resource for those unable to speak, identify themselves, or become disoriented easily. By signing up, you provide a picture, demographics and caregiver contact information which is entered into a secure database that only law enforcement officers may access. In the event an individual wanders and is unable to communicate, law enforcement can access the database and return them home safely.

Take Me Home Program

Take Me Home™ is a database developed by the Pensacola Police Department for people who may need special assistance if they are alone or in times of emergency. This kind of assistance may be required if the person is unable to speak or properly identify themselves, or if they become disoriented or act in a manner that could be misinterpreted by first responders. The system includes a current digital picture, demographic information and caregiver contacts. If a person in the Take Me Home system is encountered by a police officer, the officer can query the Take Me Home system, searching by name or by the person’s physical description.

Database

The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office reached out to ImageSoft who created SafeEncounter a secure registry for those who can benefit from this program. The system includes a current digital picture, demographic information and caregiver contacts. If a person in the Take Me Home System is encountered by a police officer, the officer can query the Take Me Home System, searching by name or by the person’s physical description.

Who is the eligible?

Fort Bend County residents with a cognitive impairment or disability that may affect their ability to communicate. Individuals that tend to be at risk for wandering may include people with disabilities such as Alzheimer's, Autism, Dementia, Down Syndrome etc. Individuals who do NOT qualify for enrollment include people with ONLY physical disabilities, hearing impairment, vision impairment, anyone who is able to communicate via translator/interpreter and children who have not reached a developmentally appropriate age for speech. We require anyone enrolling an individual/themselves be either a family member or legal guardian of the individual.

How does it work?

This information is placed in a database that can be accessed in a police vehicle or back at the station. If Law Enforcement Officers find someone who can’t communicate where he/she lives, they can search the database by description and return the person to their loved ones. The system also works in reverse — if a loved one goes missing, their picture and description are immediately available.

Take Me Home is voluntary for citizens who participate, and all information is kept confidential.