Like its name, Sinclair College has shown time and time again how it values community and inclusiveness. Recently, the Tartan TOPS (Transition Option in Post-Secondary Education) launched a new program called Blue Envelope.
According to Tristan Chaput, the Tartan TOPS program coordinator and faculty member, the Sinclair program specifically supports students with autism or any kind of intellectual and developmental disabilities. It provides a pathway to careers or college.
“Historically, higher education has not been accessible to people with disabilities for a variety of reasons. And so, we are here to fill in that gap to make sure that people with intellectual disabilities still have the opportunity to pursue higher education and reach their fullest potential,” Chaput said.
The Blue Envelope is a new program that Tartan TOPS introduced not too long ago; Chaput mentioned that they sent personal emails to students and anyone registered with accessibility services at Sinclair to let them know about it.
“It’s a national program, and it is literally a blue envelope. It’s designed to be a sample advocacy piece for people with disabilities. So oftentimes, when we are in situations where we are interacting with police officers, these are very heightened, stressful situations for any person. But for people with disabilities, it may look differently depending on how their disability manifests,” Chaput said
She went on to give an example where she explained that to some disabled people, it can be difficult to process a question they are being asked in a timely manner, which can sometimes be misconstrued as choosing not to answer or ignoring the person who is questioning them; however, that is not the case.
“So, there are ways that we can better support people with disabilities when they are in situations where they may not be able to communicate effectively. And so the idea behind this program is that it will help students advocate for themselves. It will also help prepare officers as to how they can create a better interaction,” Chaput said.
The envelope is intended to hold copies of all the important documents such as the individual’s driver’s license, student ID or state ID, emergency contact information and details about their disability. This information helps law enforcement understand how to interact appropriately with the individual.
“This is not a requirement for people with disabilities. This is an empowerment tool that they can choose to use or choose not to use. But then, they will fill out our envelope, as far as, like, in an interaction, what might they be experiencing? How might their disability manifest? And then on the back of the envelope, we have information for officers. So sirens, the radio, the lights, that might cause students to reacts differently,” Chaput said

She mentioned that some individuals might find it hard to make eye contact due to their disability, which can be interpreted differently since human body language can mean various things to different people.
However, this envelope helps to clear these misunderstandings and helps police officers understand the interaction preference of the person they are talking interaction. This preference can be short and direct sentences, giving extra time for the human being to process a question and respond.
They might need an advocate to help them understand what is going on, and this is what the envelope is for. It also allows the person with a disability to know what to do while interacting with the officer.
“And so if there is an interaction where an officer comes up to a student with a disability who has a blue envelope, the student would just say, I have a blue envelope. And they would take it out and provide it to the officer. And hopefully, any information that’s needed is in that envelope; then the officer also understands how to create an environment where that person can have the best possible opportunity to be understood,” Chaput said
Despite this program being national, Chaput said that Tartan TOPS made sure it was tailored to their students and their needs and used language that they felt was most appropriate for their audience. As mentioned above, this program is for anyone with a disability who might find it helpful for them.
Chaput mentioned that many police departments in the area, including Huber Heights and Vandalia, have introduced this program. She has also seen it at several other local agencies, so even those outside Sinclair can get an envelope.
She wants students with disabilities to feel empowered, feel like they can advocate for themselves and be prepared for any situation. Chaput hopes that this tool does that for them and that this program will create opportunities where miscommunication is less likely to happen.
Keep in mind that having this envelope is not a requirement. Yet, it is something worth using as someone with a disability and in need of help when driving or going places that require interactions with law enforcement or people of such positions.
Chaput’s advice to other institutes considering implementing a similar program is to see if there is a need in the community. The Tartan TOPS found through a survey that there was a need for something like this program.
“So figure out with your folks, is there a need for it? And then making sure that you’re really tailoring it to your population and following up and making sure that the intent and the impact match,” Chaput said
The Blue Envelope Program is a tool designed to make interactions between individuals with disabilities and law enforcement more effective. It acts as an advocate that protects both the police officer and the human being they are interacting with.
Esperance Amuri, staff writer