ATCHISON COUNTY, Kan. - When Mary Lou and her husband Billie Black went missing Friday, authorities in Atchison County issued a Silver Alert.
The process was introduced this summer by Kansas lawmakers to help find missing, at-risk adults.
The Silver Alert applies to adults with mental problems like dementia, those dependant on medication, and people who are prone to hurting themselves.
In the case of the Blacks, Mary Lou has Alzheimer's and Billie has Diabetes.
The Deputy Sheriff at the Johnson County Sheriff's Department says his office has been informally following the process for years.
It works similar to the Amber Alert system used to find abducted children. After the report is taken, police make sure the adult is really missing. Once that is confirmed, they contact the media and the Attorney General's office. Authorities can then pull in additional resources to help find the missing person. They can use the digital highway alerts, similar to the ones used during an Amber Alert.
Right now, Silver Alerts in Kansas are voluntary.
