HARRISBURG (TNS) — Pennsylvania State Police rolled out a new resource to help ensure the safety of autistic people during interactions with law enforcement.

The PSP is making available an information card that autistic individuals can carry and present to police. The card alerts officers that the individual may be non-verbal, sensitive to loud noises and to touch and may not respond to commands.

Officers are directed to be patient, calm and direct and keep their questions and commands simple, the state police said in a news release.

“Autism can cause barriers to effective communication. This card can be presented to reduce those barriers,” said Col. Christopher Paris, state police commissioner. “When an officer is made aware a person has autism, they can respond accordingly, resulting in a safer interaction for everyone involved.”

The card is the brainchild of Alex Mann, a Chester County resident diagnosed with autism, who visited more than 400 police agencies to make his case for the cards.

Mann noted in a video conversation with Gov. Josh Shapiro that 1 in 36 children are being diagnosed on the autism spectrum and that their reactions in certain situations may put them at risk.

“It may look like they’re resistant or violent or under the influence but really that could just be their way of coping,” said Mann.

The card may be printed from the PSP website or saved on a phone. The cards will also be available at public events.