Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter and Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore will host a virtual event celebrating the 15-year anniversary of the statewide adoption of Mattie’s Call on Thursday, April 28, at 12 p.m.
Authored as a local city ordinance (Ordinance 04-0-1101) by Felicia Moore (then District 9 Council member), in 2004, then adopted statewide by the Georgia General Assembly in 2006, Mattie’s Call is an emergency missing alert for disabled or elderly persons. The alert is an investigative tool that can be activated only by a local law enforcement agency. Georgia law defines ‘disabled adults’ as individuals who are developmentally impaired or who are living with dementia or some other cognitive impairment.
Atlanta resident Mattie Moore, a 67-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, wandered away from her home in April 2004. Eight months later, Ms. Moore was found deceased only several feet away from her home. To ensure increased support for citizens facing cognitive illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, Council President Moore drafted the Mattie’s Call legislation, and it was unanimously adopted by the Atlanta City Council in 2004.
Since its statewide adoption in 2006, Mattie’s Call alerts have been issued for over 1,500 Georgia residents. According to Council President Moore, “There is currently a loud public discourse about mental health and the need for supportive services. The evolution of Mattie’s Call from its existence as a local ordinance to its adoption as a statewide protocol, strongly demonstrates that we can collaboratively address such needs in long-term and meaningful ways. I am thankful the Mattie’s Call alert has proven helpful to so many of our vulnerable citizens and look forward to appropriately expanding such initiatives moving forward.”
The hour-long event will include speakers from Mattie Moore’s family including Christi Moore and Kenneth Moore, Stuart Staples from Alpha Team K9 Search & Rescue, who found Ms. Moore’s remains with the help of his search dog Denali. Other speakers include Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore, Linda Davidson, Executive Director, Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and Heather Strickland, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crimes Against Disabled Adults and Elderly.
Linda Davidson, Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter:
“We know that six out of ten people with dementia will wander at least once, and in some cases, they wander multiple times. Dementia causes people to lose their ability to recognize familiar places including their own homes. Mattie’s call has saved hundreds of lives across Georgia, including those living with dementia, and we are honored to be a part of this very important celebration”.
Christi Moore, Esq. (Mattie Moore’s granddaughter)
“Although the grief of loss is still present in our lives, we remain grateful for the impact of Mattie Moore’s legacy. Unfortunately, our family did not benefit from such a bill as Mattie’s Call. What we dealt with was at times unbearable and certainly an experience that will never be forgotten. However, it is heartwarming to know that countless families have benefited from the advantages of Mattie’s Call, and we hope that our grandmother’s legacy continues to be a light for families in their time of need. She was, is, and always will be the heartbeat of our family.”
To register for the event, visit https://p2a.co/modpbvr or call (800) 272-3900. The celebration will take place remotely and the live stream will be simulcast on the Atlanta City Council’s YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter pages (@atlcouncil) and the Alzheimer’s Association Georgia Chapter’s Facebook and Twitter pages (@AlzGA) .