FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Inland Regional Center Announces Support for San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Blue Envelope Program

San Bernardino, CA –The Inland Regional Center (IRC) proudly supports the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s new Blue Envelope Program. This innovative initiative aims to enhance communication and understanding between law enforcement officers and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

In recent years, there has been a concerning increase in police interactions involving individuals with I/DD. Unfortunately, these encounters can escalate due to a lack of awareness about disabilities, potentially leading to arrests or even fatalities.

Recently, initiatives like the Blue Envelope program have gained attention as potential tools for enhancing community safety and interaction with law enforcement. Designed to facilitate communication between individuals with special needs and first responders, particularly in moments of distress or emergency, such programs aim to bridge gaps in understanding and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Deputy Greg Jones devoted countless hours to ensuring the voices of IRC clients were heard during the program’s development. Pictured here is the IRC Blue Envelope workgroup.

The Blue Envelope Program empowers individuals to easily display the Blue Envelope logo or present an actual Blue Envelope when interacting with law enforcement or other community service personnel. Items branded with the Blue Envelope logo, such as brochures, lanyards, key chains, bracelets, and stickers, are designed to help officers recognize that the individual has a disability. The actual Blue Envelope may contain duplicates of the individual’s identification, contact information, or essential vehicle documents like registration and proof of insurance.

IRC’s support for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Blue Envelope Program aligns with our ongoing commitment to promoting safety, awareness, and inclusion for individuals with I/DD in our community. “We believe this program will significantly reduce misunderstandings and improve outcomes during interactions between law enforcement and individuals with I/DD,” said Marquis Quinton, IRC’s Emergency Services Coordinator.

“We are excited to support the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in this critical initiative,” said Lavinia Johnson, Executive Director of Inland Regional Center. “The Blue Envelope Program is a step forward in ensuring that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are treated with the respect and understanding they deserve. This program not only fosters better communication but also builds trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

IRC Client Advocate Greg Harrison proudly displays the Blue Envelope lanyard.

The Sheriff’s Department worked closely with Inland Regional Center, the Client Advocacy Committee, and the Autism Society Inland Empire over the past year to develop the Blue Envelope Program. Additionally, the planning committee consulted with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the San Diego Regional Center to model their exemplary, person-centered approach to the Blue Envelope Program. This collaboration ensured the program was linguistically and culturally competent, considering the needs of not only the clients served by Inland Regional Center but all members of the I/DD community.

Inland Regional Center, through the Language Access and Cultural Competency (LACC) Funding provided by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), will assist the Sheriff’s Department in translating materials into American Sign Language (ASL), Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin/ Chinese, Tagalog, and Spanish. This effort ensures that everyone served by Inland Regional Center has equal access to the program, helping to ensure their loved ones’ safety during interactions with law enforcement.

For more information about the Blue Envelope Program, please call the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department’s Public Affairs Division at 909-387-3700.

You can also email the Community Engagement Team at Inland Regional Center at [email protected]

About Inland Regional Center: Inland Regional Center is a catalyst for greater independence for people with developmental disabilities in the Inland Empire. As a non-profit agency, we have supported individuals with intellectual disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy since 1972. Today, we provide case management and service coordination to more than 53,000 clients in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, with the dedication of over 1,300 staff members.

For more information about Inland Regional Center, visit www.inlandrc.org. Top of Form

POC:

CJ Cook

[email protected]

909-890-3000

Posted by:

Dr. CJ Cook, DBA

As Program Administrator, CJ is responsible for the proactive oversight of various units within IRC, including Community Management, Service Access and Equity, and Training and Development. CJ's oversight extends to Language Access and Cultural Competency (LACC), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), equity in the Purchase of Service (POS), and the National Core Indicator (NCI) project. Furthermore, CJ is tasked with managing the IRC's Performance Contract with DDS and overseeing Emergency Services.