ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (AP) — New identification cards in Illinois aim to ease interactions between police and people with disabilities.
The (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald reports the “Person with a Disability Wallet Card” is available free from any secretary of state’s driver services facility. The cards are given to applicants 16 and older who have been diagnosed with an intellectual, developmental or mental disability, such as autism, epilepsy, anxiety, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
The card tells authorities to not interpret behavior as a refusal to cooperate. People with such disabilities may struggle to verbalize.
The card was introduced this year as part of a state law sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego and Democratic state Sen. Linda Holmes of Aurora. Kifowit says officials don’t know how many cards have been handed out since becoming available Jan. 2.
