Purple Alert can help find missing people with developmental disabilities

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — An alert is now available to help find people dealing with intellectual or developmental disabilities when they go missing, which is encouraging news for their loved ones.
It's called the Purple Alert, and Connecticut is now the fifth state in the country to establish it.
According to the CDC, the number of people in American living with some form of intellectual or developmental disabilities is about seven-to-eight million.
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'We want to make sure that public understands that this Purple Alert is specifically for the I.D.D population that is over 18,' State Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw (D- 17) said. 'It can also be issued for someone who has other cognitive disabilities like Alzheimer's.'
The Purple Alert, passed by the state legislature in 2023 , is designed to help and locate patients when they go missing.
Organizers say the Purple Alert is similar to an Amber Alert or the Silver Alert.
'It's very important for law enforcement, first responders and the general public to learn how to communicate with someone who has this disease, learn how to communicate with cognitive difficulties, signs to look for, learning to speak slowly, look them in the eye,' said Kristen Cusato of the Alzheimer's Association Connecticut Chapter.
state police say the purple alert will also use data from the 'bring them back home registry.'
It allows family members to enter information about their loved ones with cognitive issues, which allows police to know more about them once they're found.
'And time is a critical factor particularly for the police department in terms of searching, because the fact is, as time goes by the search area expands,' Connecticut State Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark Davidson said.
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