County Executive Braveboy, Council Chair Oriadha Partnering to Launch ‘Early Connections’ Autism Awareness and Care Campaign
For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
County Executive Braveboy, Council Chair Oriadha Partnering to Launch ‘Early Connections’ Autism Awareness and Care Campaign
April 1 Launch Coincides with Start of World Autism Month
Aiming to reduce the stigma surrounding autism, streamline the diagnosis process, enhance wraparound services, and improve access to care, County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy and Council Chair Krystal Oriadha are partnering to launch Early Connections, a comprehensive campaign dedicated to increasing access to autism resources in Prince George’s County. For far too long, too many children in the county have been diagnosed with developmental delays later than recommended, missing a critical window, from birth to age three, when early intervention is most effective. Early Connections will help change that.
On Wednesday, April 1, County Executive Braveboy and Chair Oriadha will launch the joint campaign, on the first day of World Autism Month, with a press conference at 11:00 AM in the County Executive’s Press Room at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building, 1301 McCormick Drive, Largo, MD 20774.
Press conference speakers include:
- County Executive Aisha Braveboy
- Council Chair Krystal Oriadha
- Dr. Brandi Walker, V.O.I.C.E for Neurodiversity
- Dr. Joy Davis, High Quality Nursing Care
- Dr. Toyin Opesanmi, County Health Department
- A family with lived experience navigating autism care in the county
- Dr. Mark Winston, Memorial Library System
For Chair Oriadha, this campaign is deeply personal.
“I noticed my young son was not speaking at the same age as most of his peers and when I started to look for resources in our county and state, I realized just how difficult and time consuming it is to navigate the system of care currently in place,” said Chair Oriadha. “That’s where I conceived the idea for Early Connections. We want families to be able to access resources as quickly and as easily as possible, so their children can see the best developmental results possible. Early screening is an act of love, and we need to make it accessible to everyone.”
"I would like to commend County Council Chair Oriadha for her initiative, Early Connections, which is deeply meaningful to her both personally and professionally,” said County Executive Braveboy. “I share Chair Oriadha’s concern and commitment to expanding access to autism resources in Prince George’s County. For too long, many children have faced delays in diagnosis, missing critical opportunities for early intervention. This campaign represents a strong commitment to ensuring that every child receives the timely support they deserve during such a pivotal stage of their development."
The Early Connections campaign will consist of three in-person resource fairs, hosted throughout April at libraries across the county, with a focus on families with children up to age 5. Parents will be able to have individualized conversations with experts and schedule appointments for further screening, if deemed necessary by doctors on site. Families will also be able to connect directly with various autism care organizations in the county, state, or region, including Child Resource Connect, V.O.I.C.E for Neurodiversity, and Pathfinders for Autism. Additionally, the campaign will include a provider summit at the end of April to allow area autism providers to discuss ways to improve and streamline wraparound care for families. The in-person events will be supplemented with informational social media content, shared by the County Executive, Council Chair, and County Council accounts, as well as a centralized online resource hub, where families can easily access information and connect with providers.
Early Connections Event Schedule:
- Early Connections Press Conference and Launch
Wednesday, April 1 at 11:00 AM at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building
- Early Connections Resource Fair
Saturday, April 4 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM at South Bowie Library - Early Connections Resource Fair
Wednesday, April 15 from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Spauldings Library - Early Connections Resource Fair
Wednesday, April 22 from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Hyattsville Library - Early Connections Provider Summit
Date, Time, and Location to be announced later
