Having a cognitive impairment such as a brain injury can impact a person’s interactions with police and EMS. Some people may appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, when they are not. Slower cognitive processing, noise and light sensitivity, lack of impulse control and poor memory are just some of the factors which can may lead to escalating conflict situations with police and other emergency professionals who may think a person’s brain injury related symptoms are intentional, malicious behaviours or actions. Here are some services to protect you which can help BEFORE an interaction begins. 

Medic Alert Identification

Due to the invisible nature of most brain injuries, common symptoms can be misinterpreted as defiance when meeting with EMS or the police. A Medic Alert identification allows medical professionals to access a person’s medical history and is an globally recognized terminology and can help with these interactions.

Find out more: https://medicalert.ca/braininjury

Vulnerable Persons Registries

A person is considered vulnerable if they have certain medical or cognitive conditions, such as severe mental health issues or brain injury.

The following is a list of some of the Vulnerable Persons Registries which are available in Ontario. Please note this list may not be exhaustive.

To find out about more about programs and supports in your area, call 211. 211 is a free and confidential phone number open 24 hours a day. The service is available throughout Ontario.