A presentation to the Overland Park Public Safety Committee outlined a voluntary “first responder awareness” program that uses a homeowner decal, a blue envelope for traffic or contact incidents, and Johnson County mental-health cards to help first responders identify and better communicate with neurodivergent residents.

The program’s goal, Sergeant Bratt said, is to “foster safe, trauma-informed interactions between individuals in crisis and first responders” by giving people a voluntary way to indicate special communication needs and preferences. The presentation said eight Johnson County agencies have signed on and additional agencies were expected to join.

Sergeant Bratt described three core elements: a reflective decal placed near a door’s locking mechanism, a blue envelope that a person can hand to an officer during a traffic stop or other contact, and a pocket-sized Johnson County mental-health crisis card for in-person contacts. The decal choices reflect community preference—one using the traditional autism puzzle-piece emblem and an alternative infinity symbol intended to encompass a broader neurodivergent community—and residents may choose which emblem to display.

Bratt said the decal’s recommended placement is near the door lock so first responders can quickly locate it. He emphasized the program is voluntary and not an exemption from legal responsibility: “this is not a get out of jail free card,” he said, and responders still may use “appropriate safety measures” when necessary.

The blue envelope is intended for vehicle contacts or other stops; residents may write preferences and special-interest topics on the envelope to help first responders de-escalate interactions. Bratt said the program’s materials include an officer-facing guidance panel so that even responders unfamiliar with the program receive specific instructions for interacting with the person described on the envelope.

Training was a major part of the rollout. Bratt said the city developed a roughly 22-minute training video for police, fire, EMS and records staff so all first responders encounter the same guidance. The program was developed with input from Johnson County Community Developmental Disabilities Organization (CDDO) and other community stakeholders, Bratt said.

Distribution will be through both Overland Park fire and police stations (available 24/7), community events and the city’s community risk reduction specialists. Bratt said materials cost roughly $2,300 to design and print—about 500 reflective decals and 1,000 blue envelopes—and that the city had already begun distributing them.

Council member Eunice, who said she has two adult children including one nonverbal child, called the program “peace of mind” for families who had avoided contacting police for fear of escalation. Council member Healy and others asked about extending awareness to other public-facing city employees; Bratt said the city has trained codes-enforcement staff and plans to expand training to other departments as the program grows.

The presentation concluded without a committee vote; staff said participating jurisdictions may adopt the program by swapping the city name on the generic decal and by linking into shared training and distribution materials.