There is no alert that pertains to Mary. Or to anybody differently abled.
People with perceived cognitive disabilities, regardless of their age or their specific disability, are simply grouped into the Silver Alert System.
People with a mental illness, an intellectual disability, a severe learning disability, autism.
Young adults. Anybody in this catch-all group.
The problem with this is as obvious as the name itself. Silver Alert is for elderly dementia patients.
It does nothing to elevate the circumstances of an endangered person specific to their disability and/or age.
It would have done something. AT LEAST elevated the circumstances of Mary being endangered, had it been used. As it should have been for her.
Perhaps elevate the police response.
The problem is there needs to be an alert specific to disabled persons. Not seniors. Not people with silver hair who have dementia.
This new alert needs to be designed and crafted in such a way that it will actually do something to help.
We seek change. We want to see this done.
In Mary's voice, we will ask for it to be done.
