Montgomery County leaders proclaim April Autism Acceptance Month, highlight rising need and local supports

Montgomery County leaders and autism advocates gathered April 21 to proclaim April as Autism Acceptance Month and call for continued investment in services as diagnoses and demand rise.

County Executive Marc Elrich said the county must translate awareness into action, noting a recent rise in school diagnoses: "If you look at the Commission on People with Disabilities annual report, the number of students aged 3 to 21 enrolled in Montgomery County Public Schools diagnosed with autism jumped from 3,649 in 2022 to 4,205 in 2023," he said, calling that a roughly 15% increase in one year. Elrich also described county supports, saying the Department of Health and Human Services' autism waiver service coordination team is managing cases for more than 450 children on the state's autism waiver.

Councilmember Jawando, who opened the ceremony and described his family's experience with autism, framed the event around inclusion and concern about federal funding changes: he warned that cuts in the recently passed federal budget include reductions to Medicaid that will begin this year and increase over the coming decade, and said those decisions "hit home for this community." He thanked local providers and advocates and urged the county to protect and expand effective services.

Dr. Patrice McGee, speaking for county aging and disability services, outlined recent outreach and family events, including an Autism Waiver Spring Bash on April 2, and emphasized evidence-based messaging: "ASD is not caused by vaccines," she said, while urging continued public-health and community engagement.

Advocates and nonprofit leaders described programs that serve specific community needs. Azeb Adere, president of the Ethiopian-Eritrean Special Needs Community (EESNC), said her group helps African immigrant families overcome language and cultural barriers to access services. "This is not just a ceremony," she said. "It sends a powerful message to every autistic person and their family that they are seen and are valued."

Melissa Rosenberg, executive director of the Autism Society of Maryland, listed organizational priorities—safety, education, family support and connection—and highlighted the butterfly driver's-license/ID effort as a practical safety measure that has reached thousands. Event speakers noted the butterfly ID program has reached about 18,000 people in six months.

Sue Kistler of X-Minds described free parent supports the group provides, including consults, webinars, parent discussion groups and guides to special-education resources and autism-friendly summer camps, calling peer connection and navigation help essential for families advocating for services.

The ceremony concluded with the reading and presentation of a proclamation that cites the United Nations' World Autism Acceptance Day theme "Autism and Humanity. Every Life Has Value" and affirms Montgomery County's commitment to dignity, belonging and equity for autistic people and their families. The proclamation was presented and signed on April 21, 2026; the transcript does not record a formal vote on the document.

The county and advocates emphasized that rising diagnoses and limits in federal funding make local supports and partnerships critical going forward.