The academy begins sessions in August of each year and continues through late spring. Following successful completion of the classroom training, recruits will then be required to complete 160 hours of supervised field training before they can graduate. Graduation normally takes place in July or early August for those recruits that have met all requirements. Breaks for Thanksgiving and Christmas follow the college calendar.
Simply call the Sheriff's Office at 716-753-4582 to sign up for the program.
There is no charge for this service. It is free for residents of Chautauqua County.
The Sheriff's Office or the Police Department in your area will go to your residence to check on your well-being if your contact people cannot be reached.
The computer will redial your number within a half hour. If you do not respond to the second call, an alarm goes off and the dispatcher will telephone whomever you have designated as contact people who have a key to your house or apartment.
No you will not be speaking with a live person. A pre-recorded message from the sheriff will play when you answer the phone.
At a time you designate, the computer will automatically dial your number and wait for an answer. When you pick up the telephone you will hear a brief message. Once you speak, the computer assumes you are okay and the call is completed.
The R.U.O.K. Program is when a computer located in the Sheriff's 911 Emergency Dispatch Center calls an elderly or home-bound individual of any age on a daily basis to ensure that they are okay.
The actual interview to file an application can take up to two hours. The Social Welfare Examiner has 45 days to make a decision on your application. It can take more time depending on the amount of information you provided and how soon you were able to provide it. It's always best to provide as much information as possible at the interview.
CASA stands for Community Alternative Systems Agency and is a department in the Department of Health & Human Services. It is staffed by registered nurses that can assess you or your family member and determine what level of care is best for you and if Medicaid can pay that level of care. A Social Welfare Examiner in the Medicaid Department determines your eligibility for Medicaid.