(KAIR)--The Atchison Event Center, on Wednesday, will serve as the host site for Atchison-area based law enforcement, along with police and sheriff's departments "from multiple Northeast Kansas communities," for what a release calls "the first collaborative autism-focused officer training for rural communities in Northeast Kansas."

The release, from the non-profit Atchison Autism Support, explains that the rural law enforcement autism training is to equip law enforcement "departments with the tools to better recognize and respond to individuals with autism," adding that "while Children- Mercy has provided training in Kansas City areas and Topeka, this is the first large-scale effort dedicated to rural departments."

The presenter for Wednesday's training is Retired Law Enforcement Officer Alison Anderson, LBSW, who works with Kansas City's Children's Mercy Hospital.

The release says the "training helps bridge a gap that rural departments often face fewer opportunities for specialized training," adding that "officers will learn how to recognize key characteristics of autism during emergencies," along with "strategies for child wandering/elopement response, effective communication with autistic individuals, and de-escalation skills that account for sensory needs."

The release calls Wednesday's event "important," saying the "knowledge can be life-saving in rural communities where first responders are often the first point of contact."

The training will run from 1:50 to 4:00 Wednesday afternoon.