I am a Maryland resident writing to urge your support for The LEAD Act — a comprehensive, statewide approach to preventing and responding to elopement across the lifespan.

Elopement, also known as wandering, affects individuals of all ages. It impacts children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, individuals with autism, and older adults living with dementia or other cognitive conditions. For family caregivers and thousands across Maryland, the risk is not theoretical — it is a daily safety concern. When someone elopes, seconds matter. Preparation matters. Coordination matters.

Maryland has taken important steps in recent years to strengthen awareness and response mechanisms for missing and vulnerable individuals. However, current policies operate within individual systems or address specific circumstances. The LEAD Act is different. It establishes a cohesive, statewide emergency preparedness and response framework designed to close gaps between prevention, crisis response, and recovery.

Advancing all five House bills — HB1434, HB1117, HB1000, HB1182, and HB0634 — along with their corresponding Senate cross-filed legislation, is essential to fully realizing this comprehensive strategy. 

The five bills within The LEAD Act work together to create a unified plan built on three pillars:

Access – Expanding access to safety resources, awareness tools, and assistive technology so families and caregivers can proactively reduce risk before a crisis occurs.

Coordination – Strengthening communication and collaboration across schools, healthcare providers, law enforcement, state agencies, and caregivers to ensure consistent protocols and data collection. This creates a shared playbook when an elopement occurs and ensures no family falls through systemic gaps.

Training – Expanding education and specialized training for first responders, educators, and professional caregivers so they can recognize elopement risk factors, respond appropriately, and engage individuals with cognitive disabilities in ways that build trust and improve outcomes.

Together, these bills move Maryland beyond reactive systems toward a proactive statewide emergency preparedness and response strategy. The LEAD Act does not replace existing protections — it strengthens and connects them. It recognizes that elopement is a public safety issue, a health issue, and a caregiver issue, and it ensures our state responds with structure, consistency, and compassion.

By passing The LEAD Act, Maryland has the opportunity to lead the nation in creating a comprehensive, lifespan-inclusive safety framework that supports thousands of vulnerable residents and the families who care for them.

I respectfully ask for your support in advancing this legislation. Maryland families deserve a coordinated system that prepares for emergencies before they happen — not just after.

Thank you for your leadership and commitment to our community.