Purpose, Policy & Procedure

Purpose

The purpose of this general order is to establish the Contact, Assistance, and Referral (CARE) Program and to provide guidelines and procedures for contacting and assisting seniors and other individuals or groups that may be at risk or more sensitive or vulnerable to extreme weather or other conditions. This program is designed to assist seniors and special needs individuals that do not have immediate family members to assist them if special needs arise during extreme weather conditions.

Policy 
Once the program is activated, it will be the policy of the department to attempt communication with the individuals assigned to the CARE Program. This communication will be done through the telephone or in person; if a health or safety concern exists, the appropriate organization will be contacted to assist in resolving the safety / health concern.

This may include using outside resources to locate fans or other means of cooling during periods of extreme heat, arranging for snow removal, transportation for appointments at health care facilities, or delivery of food, water, or medications. Referrals will be made to the appropriate agency for any level of assistance that cannot be directly provided by the department.

Procedure 
The Community Relations Division will be responsible for maintaining an adequate number of worksheets in the records department. Worksheets will contain contact list information, the date and time of contact, and the results of contact. Upon completion worksheets will be forwarded to the Community Relations Division for filing.

When the program is activated the Community Relations Division, assisted by the VIPs Organization and/or other local organizations, will be attempting to contact every individual or their alternate point of contact or emergency contacts. The worksheets will be passed on during shift changes as necessary to complete this process. If all attempts at contact fail, we will then send an officer to their residence to attempt to make contact with the person.

Media Contacts
Using the department’s media contacts, including newspapers, the Valparaiso Alert System, and local radio, Valparaiso residents (must live within the city limits) who wish to participate in the Valparaiso CARE Program will be required to register their information with the department. This will be done by completing a CARE Program worksheet and returning it to the Valparaiso Police Department. A worksheet may be completed and submitted by a family member or concerned organization.

More Information
Please contact the Police Department for more information by calling 219.462.2135.