Initiative will Improve Interactions, Put Vital information About Persons with Cognitive Disabilities, Mental Health Crises into the Hands of Responders Prior to Arriving on Scene
Individuals with mental illness, Alzheimer’s, dementia or any condition that may require behavioral health/assistance may sign up; individuals with a legal relationship to care may also enroll them
ERIE COUNTY, NY— Erie County has unveiled the Handle with Care Initiative, designed to prepare officers and first responders countywide to provide improved responses to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis or with a condition that affects their cognitive abilities or communication. By empowering first responders with individualized knowledge, Handle with Care enhances officer safety, protects the dignity and well-being of vulnerable individuals, and helps de-escalate potential crises.
By empowering first responders with individualized knowledge, Handle with Care strengthens community trust and fosters more compassionate, effective public safety interventions. Importantly, it underscores that public safety benefits when responders are equipped with practical, pre-incident information tailored to individuals’ needs and circumstances.
“The Handle with Care initiative is an effective way to produce better outcomes when first responders are compelled to work with individuals who may be going through a mental crisis or similar situation,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “I’m proud to say that Erie County is the largest municipality in New York State to provide this service and I thank the many partners involved in its creation here for their work.”
Poloncarz was joined today at the Public Safety Campus on Elm Street in Buffalo for the announcement by initiative partners including the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, Erie County Central Police Services, the Erie County’ Office for People with Disabilities, Erie County Department of Mental Health, NAMI Buffalo and WNY, WNY Independent Living, Self-Advocates of NYS (SANYS), and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).
Sheriff John Garcia added, “The Erie County Sheriff’s Office was proud to take the lead in launching the Handle with Care Program in December. We are pleased that this valuable tool will now be available to all police agencies in Erie County. Police-citizen communication is among the most important functions of law enforcement. This asset will only enhance it. I would like to thank County Executive Poloncarz and Commissioner Ross for working on this initiative with us. I would also like to thank the advocates of individuals with disabilities who have worked - and continue working - with us to develop and promote this voluntary program.”
Central Police Services Commissioner Brian Ross said, “I am very proud of the collaborative effort put forth by our county and advocacy partners to make the Countywide Handle with Care Initiative a reality. This initiative is a purposeful and proactive measure that shows Erie County’s commitment to our First Responders and the most vulnerable members of our community. I want to thank County Executive Poloncarz and Sheriff Garcia for their unwavering support and patience while we worked to create a technically sound, secure, and compassionate initiative.”
“Handle with Care represents what’s possible when people with lived experience, government agencies, and law enforcement come together with a shared commitment to dignity and safety. This initiative was built not just with policy and planning—but with heart, partnership, and the voices of those most impacted. I am deeply proud of the collaboration that brought this to life and even prouder of what it will mean for our most vulnerable residents and the first responders who serve them,” said Commissioner of Mental Health Sarah Bonk, LMSW.
“We all work best when we work inclusively,” added Frank Cammarata III, MPA, Executive Director of the Erie County Office for People with Disabilities.
Handle with Care allows individuals, or their loved ones who care for them legally, to enroll in the initiative. Enrollment information includes name, address, date of birth, physical descriptors, photos, preferred names, behavioral triggers, calming methods, and specific descriptions of needs. The location of the enrollee is mapped in the county’s Computer Aided Dispatch System, and the specifics are embedded in the link which is provided to law enforcement officers who are responding to the location of the individual enrolled in the initiative. They will then have tools to assist in the de-escalation of the situation.
Data submitted to the initiative will be maintained in the secure and encrypted Central Police Services servers. Police agencies have been advised that the information contained within the initiative is for first responder use only and is not to be shared with third parties.
A link to request access to Handle with Care can be found on both the Erie County Sheriff’s website and on the Erie County Central Police Services’ website. After accessing the link, visitors are taken to an information page describing the initiative and an email link to request access. This link sends an email to the Sheriff’s office, which in turn will send a secure link to enroll in the program.
For more information:
On the Erie County Sheriff’s office, visit https://www4.erie.gov/sheriff/
On Erie County Central Police Services, visit https://www3.erie.gov/cps/
On the Erie County Department of Mental Health, visit https://www3.erie.gov/mentalhealth/
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