This is an independent guide, not a government office. We are not Orange County Government, the Orange County Department of Mental Health, or NYS OPWDD, and we cannot determine eligibility or enrol anyone in a program. For official help call the county Developmental Disabilities Services Division on 845‑291‑2600 or see orangecountyny.gov.

Orange County NY
DD Connection An independent guide for families

Safety

Wandering, 911 registration and Project Lifesaver

This page used to host the enrolment forms. It no longer does, and it should not. Here is where that programme is actually run.

Do not use any old form you find for this

Safety registration for a person who wanders puts real information in front of emergency responders. It only works if it is filed with the agency that will actually respond. This is an independent guide and we cannot enrol anyone, hold your information, or pass it to a dispatcher. Older copies of the enrolment forms circulating online are out of date and filing one gives you no protection at all.

What the programme is

Project Lifesaver is a search-and-rescue programme used by law enforcement agencies across the country for people who may wander, including people with autism, Alzheimer's and other conditions. An enrolled person wears a transmitter, and trained responders can search for that signal. Some counties pair it with a special-needs registry that flags information to 911 dispatchers.

Orange County has run both a 911 registration route and Project Lifesaver, historically coordinated between the Department of Mental Health and law enforcement.

How to enrol now

Contact the Orange County Department of Mental Health on 845-291-2600 and ask for the Developmental Disabilities Services Division, or contact the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Ask specifically whether Project Lifesaver and the 911 special-needs registry are currently operating and who administers each one, because these programmes move between agencies.

Things worth doing regardless

  • Tell your local police department, in advance, that someone in the home may wander. Many departments keep their own note on the address.
  • Keep a current photo and a written description, including what calms the person and how they respond to strangers and to their name.
  • Tell neighbours. In the overwhelming majority of wandering cases the person is found nearby.
  • Check water first. Drowning is the leading cause of death after wandering among autistic children, so nearby ponds, pools and creeks are searched first for a reason.

If someone is in danger right now

Call 911. For a mental health crisis in Orange County, the Mental Health Association operates a 24/7 line on 1-800-832-1200, and you can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline anywhere in the US.

Verified 2026-08-31. Programme administration changes between agencies, so confirm before relying on this.