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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to commend Sergeant Keith Miller on his
4actions as he calmed a patient with autism who was in the midst
5of a violent reaction to his medication; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Sergeant Miller was the sergeant in charge of the
7security team at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood
8when a 33-year old male patient with autism entered the
9hospital in the midst of a violent reaction to his medication;
10instead of restraining the patient with force, the security
11team calmed him down by singing, dancing, and playing games;
12the officers continued to play games with the patient for two
13and a half hours while doctors administered necessary
14treatment; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Sergeant Miller, who is also the parent of an
16autistic child, was prompted to seek training in how to handle
17people with autism who arrive at the hospital in distress
18because he felt that health care organizations and law
19enforcement officers are not prepared to deal with those
20specific situations; now, he helps train other officers and
21emphasizes that no two people with autism are the same; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Sergeant Miller noted that he has learned a lot

 

 

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1from this experience and realized the autism community is
2larger than he imagined; he believes that many other parents
3are struggling, and police and other public safety officers are
4realizing that there is a need for specialized training, as
5autism diagnoses continue to increase; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Sergeant Miller grew up in Chicago's Englewood
7neighborhood, the youngest of four children raised by their
8mother; he spent many nights helping the son of a friend of his
9mother who had muscular dystrophy, which he believes prepared
10him to be more compassionate; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
12HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
13we commend Sergeant Keith Miller on his display of compassion,
14respect, thoughtfulness, gentleness, and kindness as he calmed
15a patient with autism, providing the type of response that can
16work in emergency rooms, hospital rooms, court rooms,
17classrooms, boardrooms, and beyond; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19presented to Sergeant Miller as an expression of our esteem and
20respect.