Yancey Sheriff’s Office Now Certified Sensory Inclusive Location

Yancey County Sheriff’s Office has partnered with KultureCity to become Certified Sensory Inclusive.  This new initiative aims to help our staff become more accepting and inclusive of people with invisible disabilities that include autism, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s and more.

Every Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle, as well as every School Resource Officer, has been provided with a Sensory Bag purchased by the Sheriff’s Office from KultureCity. Each bag is equipped with a set of noise-canceling headphones, three types of fidget tools with different textures that can be used to help individuals stay calm, and a visual thermometer board that can assist an individual who may have trouble communicating, a way to show how they are feeling. In an emergency situation, these things become the most important to someone who may be non-verbal.

“Our communities are what shapes our lives and to know that the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office is willing to go the extra mile to ensure that everyone, no matter their ability, is included in their community is amazing. We’re honored to partner with Sheriff Shane Hilliard and his staff at the Sheriff’s Office!” Uma Srivastava, Executive Director, KultureCity.

Sensory sensitivities or challenges with sensory regulation are experienced by 1 in 6 individuals. One of the major barriers for these individuals is sensitivity to overstimulation and noise, which is an enormous part of the environment in an emergency situation like a car accident, house fire, or even a routine traffic checkpoint.  Individuals with sensory sensitivities may have trouble dealing with loud sirens or bright flashing lights, or they may have trouble making eye contact with other people. With this new certification, Yancey County Sheriff’s Office is better prepared to assist individuals with sensory sensitivities.

“We are all different, and we all have different needs. My deputies and staff want to be able to help everyone in our community in their time of need,” Sheriff Shane Hilliard said. “We want to provide our staff with all the training and equipment necessary to be able to assist all individuals in the best way we can.”