Cooper University Health Care’s Post

The Blue Envelope Program is a new traffic safety initiative by The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and the Camden County Commissioners to facilitate safer and more helpful communication between police officers and individuals with autism spectrum disorder during traffic stops, providing those drivers with a blue envelope containing essential information and instructions for law enforcement during a traffic stop. Cooper is a proud co-sponsor of the Blue Envelope Program. “At Cooper, we believe that health care extends beyond the walls of our hospitals into the community. The Blue Envelope initiative is a powerful example of how collaboration among community institutions can drive positive change, and in this instance, make life safer for individuals with autism and their families.” -Joseph Montella, MD, chief medical officer at Cooper. The New Jersey Autism Study in 2020 found the following: 🧩 1 in 35, or 2.9%, of 8-year-old children in New Jersey were identified as autistic. 🧩 1 in 40, or 2.5%, of 4-year-old children were identified as autistic. 🧩 58% of 8-year-old children identified with autism received a comprehensive developmental evaluation by age 3. At Cooper, we understand that people with neurodevelopmental disorders and intellectual disabilities often experience the world differently. Learn about the resources we can provide through our Cooper Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Patient, Family, and Caregiver Support Program at CooperHealth.org/IDD.