As of 2006, several state legislatures in the United States have been approving programs that will broadcast alerts when elderly individuals with certain cognitive challenges go missing. These programs were developed for individuals such as those who are suffering with Alzheimers disease who may unintentionally wander from their home or care abilities. Different states have different eligibility requirements in place that govern whether or not they will send out an alert regarding a missing person. Different states also have rules regarding who can file these missing persons reports. However, all of these Silver Alert programs are designed with one goal in mind; to help individuals who have dementia, Alzheimers or related conditions find their way back home and to prevent any serious harm to their health or safety.
Here is an alphabetical listing of the 41 states that have Silver Alert programs along with some basic information about their individual alert system. Contact the program in your state for additional information.
Alabama Missing Senior Alert Plan Contact: Alabama Department of Public Safety
Arizona Endangered Person Alert Contact: Arizona Department of Public Safety
Arkansas Silver Alert Contact: Arkansas State Police/Arkansas Sheriffs Association/Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police
Colorado Missing Senior Citizen and Person with Developmental Disabilities Alert Program Contact: Colorado Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Investigation
Connecticut Silver Alert Contact: Connecticut Department of Public Safety
Delaware Gold Alert Program Contact: Delaware State Police
Florida Silver Alert Contact: Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Georgia Matties Call Contact: Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Illinois Endangered Missing Person Advisory Program Contact: Illinois Department of Aging/Illinois State Police
Indiana Silver Alert Contact: Indiana Clearinghouse for Information on Missing Children and Missing Endangered Adults/Indiana State Police
Iowa Endangered Person Advisory Contact: Iowa Department of Public Safety
Kansas Silver Alert Contact: Kansas Bureau of Investigation
Kentucky Golden Alert Contact: Kentucky Division of Emergency Management
Louisiana Silver Alert Contact: Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections
Maine Silver Alert Program Contact: Maine Department of Public Safety
Maryland Silver Alert Program Contact: Maryland State Police
Massachusetts Silver Alert Community Response System Contact: Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety
Minnesota Missing Children and Endangered Persons Program aka Brandons Law Contact: Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Mississippi Silver Alert System Contact: Mississippi Department of Public Safety
Missouri Endangered Person Advisory Contact: Missouri State Highway Patrol
Montana Missing and Endangered Person Advisory Contact: Montana Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation
Nevada Statewide Alert System for Safe Return of Missing Endangered Older Persons Contact: Nevada Department of Public Safety
New Hampshire Missing Persons With a Developmental Disability and Missing Senior Citizen Alert Program Contact: New Hampshire State Police
New Jersey Silver Alert System Contact: New Jersey State Police
New Mexico Endangered Person Advisory Contact: New Mexico Department of Public Safety
New York Missing Vulnerable Adult Alert Program Contact: New York Division of Criminal Justice Services/ Missing Persons Clearinghouse
North Carolina Silver Alert Program Contact: North Carolina Department of Public Safety
Ohio Missing Adult Alert Contact: Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation
Oklahoma Silver Alert Program Contact: Oklahoma Department of Public Safety
Pennsylvania Missing and Endangered Person Advisory System (MEPAS) Contact: Pennsylvania State Police
Rhode Island Missing Senior Citizen Alert Program Contact: Rhode Island State Police
South Carolina Endangered Person Notification System Contact: South Carolina Law Enforcement Division of Missing Persons/Missing Person Information Center
South Dakota Endangered Persons Advisory Contact: South Dakota State Police
Tennessee Senior Alert Contact: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Texas Silver Alert Contact: Texas Department of Public Safety
Virginia Senior Alert System Contact: Virginia State Police
West Virginia Silver Alert Plan Contact: West Virginia State Police
Utah Endangered Person Advisory Contact: Utah Department of Public Safety
Washington Endangered Missing Person Advisory Plan Contact: Washington State Patrol, Missing Persons Unit
Wisconsin Endangered Missing Person Alert Contact: Wisconsin Crime Alert Network/Wisconsin Department of Justice
Wyoming Endangered Person Advisory Contact: Wyoming Division of Criminal