New York's governor wants to expand the "Amber Alert" system, created to mobilize the public and law enforcement in the search for a missing child, to include missing adults with Alzheimer's.Under the governor's proposal, the same system now used to disseminate missing child alerts to police agencies, broadcast networks, Thruway service areas, lottery terminals, airports and bus terminals would be deployed when adults at particular risk go missing. His bill is intended for adults who have a mental disability, cognitive disorder or physical disability that prevents them from assisting in their own recovery, as well as missing adults who have disappeared under circumstances that indicate they are in imminent danger of harm, such as those were abducted or who are suicidal.
The CNY Alzheimer's Association supports such a change, and points to cases like that of Frank Wlosinski that could have been helped by such an alert system. The group's chief operating officer, Cathy James, told news channel 9 that Amber Alerts in the first 24 hours can make a big difference. "An alert can go out, and information and search and rescue can start immediately."
Eleven other states already have similar programs, called Silver Alerts. U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer last fall introduced a bill to integrate such systems nationwide.
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