By Janet Cruz

When an individual goes missing, it is a stressful time for loved ones. Even more worrisome, is when an individual suffers from a developmental or cognitive disability and has trouble communicating.

That is why the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office is making it easier to find those individuals with a program that helps identify and locate them when they go missing.

The “Take Me Home” program is a free program established by the Mohave County Sherriffs Search and Rescue division, which helps law enforcement access information about a child or adult that goes missing with a disability. It instructs them on how to provide immediate care based on the information provided by the missing person’s family.

“The program is a great tool that has the potential to help those who are at-risk and in possible danger in a timely manner,” said Mohave County Sheriffs Public information Officer, Anita Mortensen.

The program works by allowing family members or legal guardians residing in Mohave County, to enroll an individual with a medical condition or disability. Particularly those with autism, or seniors with dementia, or any other cognitive limitation into a registry on the Mohave County Sheriffs special website. This allows law enforcement to respond accordingly to an individual with special needs and especially if the individual is not able to identify themselves.

According to Mortensen, the idea first came to be in 2018, after a search for a missing autistic child. One of the searchers was doing research on how they could get information for a missing subject out faster to first responders and came across a similar program used by other jurisdictions. That’s when the Mohave County Sherriff’s Department approached the county IT department and they were able to create the registry and build the program. The program launched in August 2022 with a database that continues to grow.

“Often times, reporting parties of missing person typically provide outdated photos or information. This program provides a place where a caretaker can upload and hold current information such as photos, physical description, etc. for first responders to aid with search efforts,” Mortenson said.

Registering a person in the Take Me Home program is free, and all information is kept private and placed in a database maintained by the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office and is accessed by law enforcement only.

Recent photos and information are required. You may visit https://takemehome.mohave.gov/ to register an individual or for more information.

“This tool is important in getting out current information when time is of the essence,” Mortensen said.