The clock starts ticking when a child, often with autism or disability, elopes from home, or an older adult with dementia becomes disoriented and wanders. Every minute without answers raises risk and panic for everyone involved.
In Seminole County, FL, the CARES (County Autism Response and Enhanced Services) Program is there to help. CARES was designed to identify at-risk individuals who elope so as to reunite them with their family when necessary. Elopement happens when an at-risk individual leaves a safe area without understanding safety concerns or knowing to communicate where they are going. Unfortunately, the program was underutilized, as it was difficult for families to access before a crisis occurred, and therefore, not well-known in the community.
Christina Gering (Emergence 2501), Senior Crime Analyst with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, identified this gap and set out to close it.
Rather than building something new, Gering focused on strengthening what already existed. She brought the challenge into the Emergence Program classroom and turned her Change Initiative into an operational plan which could improve the frontline reality at her agency.
“Emergence pushed me to think beyond the idea stage,” Gering said. “It helped me define the actual problem, understand who it was impacting, and build something my agency could implement immediately.”
Throughout her Emergence coursework, Gering mapped stakeholders across her agency, identified operational bottlenecks, and tested assumptions against real-world workflows. The result was a focused strategy built around three priorities: modernize access to CARES, equip deputies with better tools, and expand awareness through community connections.
“Emergence pushed me to think beyond the idea stage. It helped me define the actual problem, understand who it was impacting, and build something my agency could implement immediately.”
-Christina Gering, Emergence 2501
But first, Gering had to tackle the enrollment problem.
Before Gering’s initiative, caregivers had to locate a PDF online, print it, fill it out by hand, and either mail or deliver it in person. This was an unrealistic expectation for stressed families managing autism, dementia, or other cognitive conditions.
Using the stakeholder engagement skills developed at CHDS, Gering worked with Seminole County’s Public Affairs, IT, and Development teams to streamline CARES into a no‑cost, accessible online submission form, available directly on the front page of the Sheriff’s Office website.
What many assumed would take months instead moved forward in days: Gering presented a plan that was clear, intentional, and built on systems the agency already used.
Due to Gering’s initiative, families can now register quickly, without unnecessary barriers, creating an early connection and safety net before elopement occurs, not after.
Gering also enhanced and modernized the in-house mapping program, which supports real‑time identification in the field. By integrating this enhancement with existing agency platforms, deputies can now cross‑reference their GPS location with nearby CARES profiles and immediately access critical information such as photos, descriptions, and caregiver contacts, when encountering individuals who cannot always communicate who they are.
At the same time, Gering has elevated awareness of CARES beyond technology.
By working across divisions and engaging community partners—schools, youth services, special education programs, and public events—she has positioned both programs as preventative tools, rather than a last‑resort resource. Deputies now know how to introduce the programs to families; caregivers know where to find them; and the community understands the programs as essential services designed to intervene ahead of crisis.
Gering understands that trust and human relationships make prevention work. She shared a story of when her husband, who is also a deputy, had a brief, positive interaction with a young child with autism in their neighborhood, how quickly perceptions can change.
“That interaction lasted no more than five or ten minutes,” she said. “But it changed how that family viewed law enforcement.”
That realization shaped how she approached community policing: small moments, handled well, can change outcomes long before a call for help is ever made.
The Emergence experience also reshaped how Gering views leadership. Working alongside professionals from emergency management, public health, and homeland security, she gained new skills and perspectives.
“This wasn’t just training,” she said. “It was a network. I know I can reach out to my cohort for insight or support, and that matters when you’re trying to solve real problems.”
Gering’s work demonstrates the real-world benefits of applied education. By pairing CHDS leadership development with operational awareness, she has transformed an underused program into a proactive, preventative safety net for her community.
