CMDE (Calming Measures During Escalation) is a program created by It’s Better Together that creates and distributes sensory support bags to police departments, EMS agencies, and other first responders throughout Sussex County. Each bag contains calming and sensory tools designed to help individuals with autism and other special needs regulate emotions and reduce anxiety during emergency situations. By equipping first responders with these resources, the program promotes safer, more positive interactions, increases awareness of neurodiversity, and helps ensure that individuals and families receive compassionate, informed support during times of crisis.

This initiative celebrates the compassion, patience, and dedication of the first responders who go above and beyond every day to serve families. It acknowledges these community heroes by empowering them with tools and training that help them meet individuals where they are, ensuring that every person feels safer, understood, and supported during a crisis.

Through CMDE, we honor first responders as partners in building a more inclusive community while helping families feel confident that their loved ones will be treated with care and understanding when emergencies arise.