LANSING — Michigan lawmakers are making another push for a statewide Silver Alert system that would notify residents about missing adults in their area.
The alerts could be used for adults over 60, or younger people with a diagnosed cognitive impairment.
According to MDHHS, nearly 200,000 Michigan residents 65 and older have Alzheimer’s disease. A study from the National Institutes of Health found that about 60% of people with Alzheimer’s will wander at some point, potentially risking their own safety.
Nearly 40 other states have silver alert systems in place, and supporters say it’s long past time to bring the policy — included in HB 4362 — to Michigan.
Denneen Smith, director of Friendship Centers of Emmet County, says she became involved with the policy following the 2023 disappearance of then-70-year-old David Moffett.
She says that a centralized alert system could have potentially helped locate Moffett, and future missing persons in the state.
“We later learned that David had been seen walking his dog near his home, but those who saw him didn’t know he was missing or that he needed help,” she said. “Had a Silver Alert been issued, those witnesses may have been the key to bringing him home safely”
Previous efforts have been made to pass a Silver Alert policy into law, but they’ve fallen short each term.
“This is a trauma that families and communities should not have to face without every possible tool in place,” Smith said.
The proposal has not yet been voted on but could be approved by the House in the coming weeks.