nemmymouse:

coolautism:

[First image is of a light blue laminated card. In the upper right corner it reads “The Wallet Card” and under those words is a black box. The box changes color when touched based on body temperature to indicate stress levels. On the bottom of the card is a guide to the colors. Blue is relaxed, Green is calm, Red is nervous and black is tense. The other text on the card reads “My name is Quinn. I have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This is a social/communication disability. 

Because of my disability:

– I may have difficulty making eye contact.

– I may not be able to understand or comprehend your questions.

– Try to ask me yes or no questions instead of complicated ones.

– If stressed, I can write but I prefer to type.

– Do not assume this alone constitutes suspicious behavior.”

In the bottom right corner of the card it reads “In case of emergency, please see contact info on the back of this card.”

The second image is of the opposite side of the card. It reads I would like to cooperate. To help me please:

– Clearly identify yourself.

– Avoid touching me or restraining me, if possible.

– Talk slowly, directly and use concrete, clear language.

I may:

– Speak too loudly, too softly or with unusual intonation. 

– Be sensitive to loud noises and flashing lights.

– Be nervous and/or overwhelmed.

– Have trouble expressing myself.

On the bottom there is space to list an emergency contact and their phone numbers.]

So what exactly is this you ask? It’s a wallet card intended to make some stressful situations involving police a little easier. I know police are often not our allies but in certain situations a card like this can make communication a lot smoother.

These cards are free, you can get one here: http://www.justdigit.org/wallet-cards/

As far as I can tell the bit that communicates your mood is pretty accurate. When you apply for a card you’ll get to explain your needs in the comment section and they’ll be reworded and put onto the card. It won’t look exactly like mine. I make no promises about the integrity of the organization that makes these but the wallet cards are useful and free so if you’re like me and interactions with police are really hard for cognitive or communication related reasons I encourage you to check them out. They also make them for other developmentally disabled folks not just autistic people. 

Holy shit I wish I had known about this sooner. :O

Reblogging and signal boosting the fuck out of this. This really needs more notes and more attention than it’s got at the moment.