Less than a year after Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, and the Lehigh County Chiefs of Police Association introduced the Blue Envelope Program to help communication between special-needs drivers and police officers, LVHN and Northampton County Chiefs of Police Association are announcing their partnership to expand the program to more than 30 new departments.

“After deploying the program in Lehigh County, we received significant interest to partner with other counties in the communities we serve, and we are thrilled to collaborate with the Northampton County Police Chiefs Association and offer this resource to even more people,” said Ryan Hay, administrator of Emergency Operations, LVHN.

The Blue Envelope Program is free and primarily aimed at drivers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but also can apply to those with other communications difficulties, anxiety or conditions that might hurt their ability to communicate during a traffic stop, accident or other interactions with police.

“The Northampton County Chiefs of Police Association is excited to implement this program in our communities to help ease the communication and lessen the stress for drivers who are on the autism disorder spectrum during traffic stops,” said Thomas Barndt, president of the Northampton County Chiefs of Police Association and chief of the Lower Saucon Police Department.

Under the program, drivers carry a blue envelope in their vehicle. The front of the envelope notes the driver is on the autism spectrum and indicates if that person is verbal or nonverbal. It includes instructions for the driver on what they should do during a traffic stop. The back of the envelope has tips for police to help their interaction with the driver go as smoothly as possible.

Inside that envelope is a sheet that explains the Blue Envelope Program and provides contact information for those who would be able to provide medical information or assistance in interacting with the driver if that becomes necessary. The sheet explains that ASD can impair the driver’s ability to communicate, that they may have difficulty understanding or responding to questions or display physical signs of being uncomfortable.

Drivers in the program are instructed to let law enforcement know they have a blue envelope and to retrieve the envelope when asked by police. It’s recommended ASD and other special-needs drivers keep copies of their driver’s license, registration and insurance information in the blue envelope along with the information sheet that contains the emergency contacts.

Pediatrician Jill Colabroy, MD, with Lehigh Valley Physician Group Pediatrics, said the program helps police officers and drivers establish immediate communication that can help create a better experience for all involved.

“Much like patients sometimes feel anxious about going to the doctor, getting pulled over by a police officer can be nerve-wracking, especially for someone with autism,” Colabroy said. “By having open, honest and meaningful conversation with our patients, we can often alleviate some of that angst. This tool helps both police and drivers have a starting point for effective communication, reducing worry and fear and increasing awareness, which is a win-win for everyone.”

Blue envelopes can be obtained in several ways: from a police department in Lehigh County or Northampton County; at LVPG Family Medicine, LVPG Pediatrics and LVPG Internal Medicine offices; or by requesting one at LVHN.org/blueenvelope, where a full list of participating organizations is listed. The patient and family information page inside the envelope is available in English and Spanish.