The Resource Exchange (TRE), in partnership with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, was awarded a grant from The Independence Center to expand the Blue Envelope Program; an initiative designed to improve communication between first responders and individuals with disabilities.
A blue envelope serves as a signal to first responders that additional communication, awareness, or accommodations may be needed, helping to create safer, more informed encounters.
“It would help me communicate better, whether it’s autism or someone who is hearing impaired or blind, or whatever that looks like. It gives me a little heads up going into it that goes hand in glove with our training that we already do. This gives me another tool to really engage that person and give them what they need,” said Lieutenant Michael Pitt.
The program initially launched in El Paso County in September 2025, but demand outpaced the materials that were initially produced. Seeing the community’s excitement and eagerness over the program, TRE pursued additional funding through the Independence Center Fund to expand the program’s reach.
“We put those envelopes out as a resource for our members, and they were gone within days. There was an astronomical response from the community that we serve that this is a need. People are excited to have an opportunity to be proactive in these situations that can he highly stressful,” said TRE Director of CMA Operations and Communication, Heather Meizis.
The Independence Center awarded TRE $21,000 to fund over 5,000 more envelopes and supplementary materials for the Blue Envelope Program through the sheriff’s office. Envelopes are available at TRE’s Colorado Springs office and The Independence Center for free for anyone in the community that would benefit from the program. Participating in the program is voluntary, without any registration requirement.
“We know that interactions with law enforcement can be stressful for anybody, and connecting individuals with a program like the Blue Envelope Program helps us to assist them in accessing resources that make those situations less stressful, and it helps us to prevent those barriers in the community,” said Meizis.
When you pick up an envelope, Lieutenant Pitt recommends putting in different materials that are useful to a first responder for when you have an encounter, such as a copy of your driver’s license, insurance, registration, emergency contact information, and a documentation of condition. There is a small section for special notes, or you can put a piece of paper documenting the condition, which could range from dementia, anxiety, epilepsy, anything that could need accommodation.
This program isn’t just for individuals; it is also helpful for families. For instance, if you have a child with a disability for an elderly person you provide care for, those are also instances where the blue envelope is a helpful signal that there is someone that may be in the car and/ or home that may need additional communication.
For more information on the blue envelope program, please visit: Blue Envelope Program – El Paso County Sheriff’s Office
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