LVHN Partners with Pocono Raceway to Expand Blue Envelope Program to Monroe County

After introducing the Blue Envelope Program to both Lehigh and Northampton Counties, Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), part of Jefferson Health, is expanding the program aimed at helping communication between special-needs drivers and police officers to Monroe County. On April 29, LVHN hosted an event at the Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital Inclusive Playground at Pocono Raceway to distribute Blue Envelopes to Monroe County police departments.

“After deploying the program in Lehigh County and Northampton Counties, we received significant interest to partner with other counties in the communities we serve, and we are thrilled to collaborate with Monroe County Law Enforcement and Pocono Raceway to offer this resource to even more people,” said Joshua Houck, Director, Emergency Preparedness, LVHN.

The Blue Envelope Program is free and primarily aimed at drivers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but also can apply to those with other communications difficulties, anxiety or conditions that might hurt their ability to communicate during a traffic stop, accident or other interactions with police.

“Myself and the rest of Monroe County Law Enforcement are excited to implement this program in our communities to help ease the communication and lessen the stress for drivers who are on the autism disorder spectrum during traffic stops,” said Lieutenant Michael Sampere, with Stroud Area Regional Police Department.

“LVHN has been a long-time partner of Pocono Raceway, and when they told us about the Blue Envelope Program, we knew it was something we wanted to be part of,” said Ben May, President of Pocono Raceway. “The Raceway is just as invested in the drivers in our community as we are the drivers on our track, so supporting this initiative made perfect sense.”

Under the program, drivers carry a blue envelope in their vehicle. The front of the envelope notes the driver is on the autism spectrum and indicates if that person is verbal or nonverbal. It includes instructions for the driver on what they should do during a traffic stop. The back of the envelope has tips for police to help their interaction with the driver go as smoothly as possible.

Inside that envelope is a sheet that explains the Blue Envelope Program and provides contact information for those who would be able to provide medical information or assistance in interacting with the driver if that becomes necessary. The sheet explains that ASD can impair the driver’s ability to communicate, that they may have difficulty understanding or responding to questions or display physical signs of being uncomfortable.

Drivers in the program are instructed to let law enforcement know they have a blue envelope and to retrieve the envelope when asked by police. It’s recommended ASD and other special-needs drivers keep copies of their driver’s license, registration and insurance information in the blue envelope along with the information sheet that contains the emergency contacts.

Pediatrician Jill Colabroy, MD, with Lehigh Valley Physician Group (LVPG) Pediatrics, said the program helps police officers and drivers establish immediate communication that can help create a better experience for all involved.

“Much like patients sometimes feel anxious about going to the doctor, getting pulled over by a police officer can be nerve-wracking, especially for someone with autism,” Dr. Colabroy said. “By having open, honest and meaningful conversation with our patients, we can often alleviate some of that angst. This tool helps both police and drivers have a starting point for effective communication, reducing worry and fear and increasing awareness, which is a win-win for everyone.”

Blue envelopes can be obtained in several ways: from police departments in Monroe, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties, at Pocono Raceway, at LVPG Family Medicine, LVPG Pediatrics and LVPG Internal Medicine offices, or by requesting one online, where a full list of participating organizations is listed. The patient and family information page inside the envelope is available in English and Spanish.