Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) today launched the statewide Blue Envelope Program, an initiative designed to enhance communication and support for individuals with disabilities that could impact their ability to communicate (such as with autism and/or intellectual disabilities or dementia) during law enforcement encounters.
This voluntary, nationwide program aims to identify potential communication barriers and equip law enforcement officials with information that may assist them during interactions, including traffic stops.
The blue envelope is designed to be easily recognizable and may contain information such as an individual’s communication preferences, sensory needs, or other considerations that could be helpful to a law enforcement officer. Individuals and their families may also use the envelope to organize important documents and information that may be needed during a traffic stop.
Pennsylvanians can pick up blue envelopes at their local PSP station. A Troop Directory and contact information can be found here. PSP’s Office of Community Engagement will also make the blue envelopes available at various community events.
“The ability to communicate effectively is critical to fostering understanding and building trust during any law enforcement encounter,” said Lieutenant Colonel George L. Bivens, Acting Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “The Blue Envelope Program provides our members with another valuable resource to better understand the communication needs of all individuals and help make those interactions safer for everyone.”
The Blue Envelope Program reflects the Shapiro Administration’s continued commitment to support individuals with autism and disabilities. Governor Shapiro signed three executive orders earlier this year to reaffirm the Commonwealth's disability nondiscrimination policy, establish new data privacy protections, reauthorize the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Council, and create a new Governor's advisory commission focused solely on expanding protections for Pennsylvanians with autism and disabilities.
“Every Pennsylvanian with a disability deserves to feel safe, respected, and understood, especially during interactions with law enforcement,” said Dr. Josie Badger, Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities. “The Blue Envelope Program is an important step toward making these interactions safer and more accessible for everyone. I applaud the Pennsylvania State Police for taking the lead on this initiative and recognizing that clear communication is essential to protecting the safety and dignity of people with disabilities.”
Individuals with disabilities may communicate or respond to stressful situations in unique ways. Sensory sensitivities, difficulty processing verbal instructions, and limited or non-verbal communication can affect how an individual interacts during encounters with law enforcement.
The Blue Envelope Program provides an additional tool to help bridge those communication challenges and allow law enforcement to better understand an individual’s needs.
The program builds upon PSP’s ongoing efforts to improve interactions between law enforcement and the intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A) community. Governor Shapiro and PSP leadership met with advocates in 2024 to talk about how law enforcement can better serve individuals with autism. Watch here.
Following that meeting, PSP made informational resources available to individuals with autism to carry during encounters with law enforcement, and this past August announced that 445 Autism Sensory Aid Bags were provided to PSP stations across the Commonwealth.
This initiative builds on those efforts by offering a readily identifiable resource that can help inform officers about an individual’s communication needs.